Man Stunned at Way FedEx Driver Delivered $1,000 Birthday Gift: 'Tainted'

Security camera footage of a parcel being delivered by FedEx. Justin Fernandez was stunned to see how his package was dropped off.

FedEx has issued an apology after footage emerged showing one of its drivers mishandling a Florida man's package containing a $1,000 gift.

Justin Fernandez, from Wesley Chapel in Tampa Bay, took to Reddit to post a clip from June 6 of the driver quite literally dropping off the package containing a top-of-the-range coffee machine he had purchased for his fiance.

"I got a notification on my phone that someone was at the door and I reviewed the footage," Fernandez told Newsweek. "My fiance told me our cat jumped when the package was delivered because the noise was so loud from the inside."

Watching the clip back, Fernandez was dismayed not just because the coffee machine contained in the package had set him back $1,068.93, but also because it was meant as a special gift for his partner.

"I was particularly upset about how this package was handled because it was a birthday gift for her," Fernandez said. "I know it mattered a lot to my fiance. She was a roaster for a while and is very passionate about coffee."

Accidents can happen. Data compiled by the logistics firm Staci says that somewhere between 7 and 11 percent of all online orders arrive broken or damaged.

Fernandez said that he didn't make a formal complaint to FedEx because, despite the manner in which it was delivered, the machine ended up working just fine.

However, the incident still irked him enough to share it on social media. "It really bothered me as it was a really expensive gift," he added. "The machine works well, but it just tainted the whole experience to see something like that happen to something you waited years to get."

Shared under the headline: "Just got my $1,000 Espresso machine delivered, thanks Fedex!" The 10-second clip has earned over 4,000 upvotes.

One user urged Fernandez to make a complaint. "The driver should be held accountable," they wrote. "How many other people that probably have damaged goods because of this guy."

"I'd be sending a complaint to FedEx, regardless of the condition of your product," another posted. "Total negligence and disrespect for other people's property."

Newsweek notified FedEx of the incident. In response, a spokesperson said: "We sincerely apologize for this experience. The behavior depicted in the video is unacceptable. We are committed to treating all shipments with the utmost care and have taken the appropriate action to address this situation."

Fernandez, meanwhile, said he hoped the incident would encourage a "better company culture" where drivers "care about how they handle the products and conduct themselves at work."

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