FedEx Delivery Manager: Control Your Deliveries

FedEx Delivery Manager is a free service that gives you real control over incoming FedEx shipments. Instead of sitting around hoping you'll be home when the driver shows up, you can redirect packages, schedule deliveries, set vacation holds, and leave specific instructions for the driver. It works through both the FedEx website and mobile app, and signing up takes about five minutes.

What You Can Actually Do With It

The core appeal is visibility and control. Once you're signed up, you'll see all incoming FedEx packages addressed to your name and address before they arrive. For each package, you get several options.

You can hold the package at a nearby FedEx Office, Walgreens, or Dollar General for free pickup at your convenience. This is the most popular feature by far — it eliminates missed deliveries and porch theft. If you need the package sent to a different address entirely, FedEx offers paid redirect service ranging from about $5.75 to $15.00 depending on the shipment type and destination.

Delivery scheduling lets you pick a specific day for delivery where available, at no extra cost. You can also leave permanent delivery instructions for your address — things like "use the back door," "leave in the garage," or a gate code. These instructions stick to your address for all future deliveries, so you only need to set them once.

Vacation hold pauses deliveries while you're away and releases them when you return, also free. Signature release lets you authorize the driver to leave packages without your signature, which is useful if you regularly receive shipments that require signing but you're confident about the security of your delivery location.

FedEx also provides estimated delivery windows — a time range during the day when the driver should arrive — and photo proof of delivery showing where the package was placed.

Setting Up Your Account

Creating a Delivery Manager account requires identity verification, which is an important security measure. You wouldn't want a stranger rerouting your packages. FedEx offers three verification paths.

The fastest is online verification, where you answer a few identity questions pulled from credit bureau data — things like "which of these addresses have you lived at" or "which bank holds your auto loan." This is instant if the questions match. If online verification fails (common if you have thin credit history or recently moved), you can verify by mail, where FedEx sends a code to your physical address that takes 3 to 5 business days. The third option is walking into a FedEx Office with two forms of ID for same-day verification.

Once verified, your address is linked to your account. Notifications arrive via email, text message, or push notification through the FedEx app — you choose your preference.

Advanced Features Worth Knowing About

Beyond basic package management, Delivery Manager has some lesser-known capabilities. Custom delivery preferences let you set default instructions for specific package types. You can automatically hold all packages at a FedEx location, for instance, if you live in an area with frequent porch theft.

The estimated delivery window feature has gotten significantly more accurate in recent years. FedEx now uses route optimization data to narrow the delivery window to a 2-hour range in many metro areas, down from the previous all-day window. You can plan around that window instead of waiting at home all day.

For small businesses receiving inventory or supplies via FedEx, Delivery Manager is particularly useful for coordinating receipt with staffing schedules. Knowing a delivery will arrive between 10am and noon lets you ensure someone is available at the loading dock.

Limitations

Delivery Manager has some boundaries worth understanding. Not all senders allow package rerouting — some retailers and high-value shippers restrict redirect options for security reasons. International inbound packages often have limited customization options due to customs requirements. And while hold at location is free, redirecting to a different address carries fees that the recipient pays, which catches some people off guard.

The service also only covers FedEx shipments. If you receive packages from multiple carriers, you'll need separate accounts with USPS Informed Delivery and UPS My Choice to get similar visibility across all your deliveries. Most carriers now offer comparable tools, but none of them talk to each other.

Why This Matters for E-commerce Sellers

If you're a seller shipping via FedEx, your customers' Delivery Manager experience directly affects their perception of your business. Missed deliveries, stolen packages, and failed delivery attempts all create customer service headaches that land in your inbox, not FedEx's.

Encouraging customers to sign up for Delivery Manager — perhaps with a mention in your shipping confirmation email — reduces "where is my package" inquiries and gives customers tools to prevent delivery problems before they happen. Fewer delivery exceptions mean fewer complaints, fewer reshipments, and better customer retention.