Safeway Moving Systems

If I could give zero (or even negative stars), I would.

Safeway Moving is a terrible company that engages in fraudulent and destructive business practices.

They completely ruined my move--they overcharged me (compared to what they quoted), damaged my belongings (thousands of dollars of damage), did not deliver my belongings on the right day, and gave me someone else's belongings. They have done nothing to remedy all of the problems that they caused.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4000

I was not impressed with this moving company at all.They were not professional and did not keep me informed on the status of my move from NY to Fla. I was given misinformation about the whereabouts of my possessions and my calls went unanswered for days. My stuff was delivered by a U-Haul truck, not the original truck from NY and the driver charged me an additional $400.00 to rent the uhaul! To make matters even worse, my dishes, planters, glassware, picture frames, paintings, expensive furniture all arrived damaged. Family heirlooms were destroyed and their compensation to me was a disgraceful $100.00 I definitely would NOT recommend them to anyone and would positively call another moving service if I had to make another move.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3500

Safeway has some of the most inept communication I have ever encountered. Despite all of their promises of a stress-free move, I have to say that this process was unnecessarily stressful.

At booking, I didn't yet have my apartment rented. I told Tina, & she said, “No problem. If that’s the case when you move, we can store things in our warehouse for 30 days free.” She also said to expect my belongings to arrive 5-14 days from my pickup date, & the team at pickup would be able to give a more narrow timeframe within that. I asked the team at pickup, & they said they had no clue how long it would take, but the delivery window doesn’t start until my things are loaded on the truck to their destination. Imagine my surprise when I get a call the day after my things are picked up saying that my belongings could take as long as 30 days, & they haven’t loaded for transport. I acknowledge the contract states that legally they've 30 days, but I was assured of a much shorter timeframe by Tina, Andrew, and multiple other Safeway employees. To make matters worse, when I heard this from the transport representative, I immediately tried to call the Safeway customer support line for clarification. I tried to call for 3 days before I finally got someone on the line, & they just repeated that they legally had 30 days & had no explanation for the difference in what I was told & what the contract said.

I was also told multiple times that I would receive a call when the mover was 24 hours out, another call 1 hour out, & a call as they were approaching. Whenever I spoke to representatives confirming my details, I told them that my complex’s rules required that moving trucks be off the premises by 6:00 PM. So imagine my surprise when at 12:00 PM, I get a text from a random number that said “I have your things on a truck…Can I deliver to you around 5:00 or 6:00 today.” When I explained that that time didn’t work & that I was working the rest of the week, I received a call from a different representative saying that if I couldn’t have my things delivered the next day, I would be paying $750 for re-delivery on the weekend. I spoke to someone else who said that if I wanted to use the 30 days of free storage, I needed to say that at the time that my things were loaded onto the truck. After taking time from work for a total of SEVEN calls with Safeway, I finally found a bit of resolution.

If you book, KEEP TRACK OF YOUR ESTIMATE. Get everything in writing. I had a “discount” at the beginning for early booking. Every time I spoke to someone throughout the process, I was given the price without the discount & had to correct them. If they can’t keep track of a discount that’s documented on every estimate & bill of lading, it doesn’t inspire confidence that they keep track of your belongings & other information.

I was told that moving blankets were included in the price. Andrew also mentioned on the phone the day before my move that he would throw in two free wardrobe boxes for any miscellaneous items. The information about the free wardrobe boxes was not conveyed to the pick-up team; they did their best and only charged $4 (the minimum charge) for the wardrobe box that was used, but that’s not the same as free. Safeway also neglected to say that the team at pick-up would charge me nearly $160 for the tape used to secure those blankets around my furniture. I brought this up to Safeway on 7/2/23, and I was told a member of the billing department would be contacting me to “make this right.” I have yet to hear from the billing department despite calling multiple times and emailing to remind them of this. I called again today, 7/23/23, & I am no closer to getting this resolved.

Additionally, don’t bother using their online tracking link. It takes up to 3 days to receive an update, & the only update I received was that my belongings were waiting to be loaded. This was especially interesting considering I had been told 48 hours prior that my belongings had in fact been loaded.

When I received that last-minute text trying to deliver my belongings, the text also said “I rented a smaller truck. I just need you to pay $100 toward it.” I had confirmed with my complex that large moving trucks can enter my apartment, & when I finally spoke to a Safeway supervisor that evening, she said “don’t worry about the shuttle fee.” Thankfully I had that in writing, because they tried to charge me $350 for the shuttle, & I had to call Safeway again six times (& leave messages each time) before somebody picked up the phone. They still tried to charge me the shuttle fee, but they finally located where it was put in writing that I would not be paying a shuttle fee.

I never got the email for submitting damage claims. Two employees have said they'd email it to me after making patronizing remarks about it being my email server's fault. Every other email from them goes through just fine, & I still can't submit damage claims. Will never use them again.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3617

I hope this review can help someone else from using Safeway Moving Inc unless their model is suitable for their long distance move.

When researching companies, I came upon Safeway Moving Inc's claim to have stress free moving with military precision. Upon contacting the company, I spoke with Edward in sales who handled my estimate. Throughout the process he was kind and went over all of our items including our golf cart.

I was told the pick up window was three days: 7/27-7/29. When discussing delivery of my items he stated that legally all moving companies have 30 days to deliver, but they usually take 3-5 days and definitely not longer than 14 days. We thought great and booked our move.

Moving day, Thursday 7/27, came and Alexander and his team arrived. They packed our belongings nicely and organized the truck. At the end of the day our move cost was about $2000 more than the estimate, but we were prepared for that since it is hard to know the total number of boxes and cubic feet you will have. Alexander reported he thought our belongings would be at our destination Sunday or Monday.

Monday comes with no word about our delivery.

We find out that Safeway Moving Inc has 30 BUSINESS DAYS to deliver our items and that our entire household including our golf cart is in a warehouse waiting to be loaded onto a truck.

In the sales process we were NEVER told our belongings would be stored in a warehouse. I saw on the website they offered 30 days of free storage. BEWARE the storage is not OPTIONAL. Also, any time frame is in BUSINESS DAYS - this does not include holidays or weekends.

When you call and talk to dispatch or customer service, I have encountered many representatives that are unkind and frustrated with my calls, which leads me to become even more frustrated with the situation. I have had a representative tell me to stop calling that dispatch will contact you.

Dispatch never calls. A delivery estimate is never given. I find it hard to believe that a large company does not have a logistics team. How do they not know where their trucks are at in the country to provide somewhat of an estimation? I have been told we are on the schedule. Are we 2nd on the list? 10th?

I understand that there are DOT rules and regulations, but the fact I cannot be given any estimate (even a week out) is ridiculous.

I believe Safeway Moving Inc's sales practices are deceptive. DO NOT TRUST THE SALES DEPARTMENT.

If you are able to wait for your belongings for weeks, then this company will work well for you as they did take their time packing our items and I believe they packed them in a nice manner. However, if you need your belongings ASAP due to starting a new job - prepare accordingly or find another company.

If I knew this was Safeway's model and Edward was up front with me, I would have declined the estimate and went with another company. Simply, because that schedule did not work with my family.

We are now at our new location without a bed, clothing, kitchen items, etc. We are starting new jobs and do not have our dress clothing.

I hope that this review brings light to how Safeway actually operates. If you want a door to door quick move THIS IS NOT THE COMPANY FOR YOU.

I would be happy to speak with a manager in the sales department to discuss my experience and prevent this from happening to another family.

Move size: 4+ Bedroom Home Service cost: $16000

I contacted the company to move from NJ to Florida. I placed a deposit of $1300 and upon discovering the horrible reviews, I cancelled the next day. They had not charged me yet but said their was no way to stop the charge and informed me I would receive a refund in 5-7 business days. It has been 10 business days and I have not received a refund. They claim there are limits to their systems and how quickly they can refund, but they were able to accept full payment for the deposit instantaneously. I am very concerned whether I will ever receive my refund.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3900

Safeway Moving Inc. is a scam, and it all starts with their name, which has different iterations and overlaps with many other moving and relocation companies. On their website, it's "Safeway Moving" but you'll also find them listed as "Safeway Moving Inc", here on Yelp as "Safeway Relocation Services" and also as "Safeway Moving Systems" and I'm sure there are others. To be clear, this company is located at NW 33rd Avenue in Ft Lauderdale, and I was their client, job number Y6012702. The goal of all this name confusion is to keep them another step removed from accountability.

I could write pages about how awful and unethical this company is; as their reviews across all platforms attest, they're not a traditional mover but a moving brokerage that contracts out all the different parts and pieces of the move to small, rinky dink businesses that you, the customer, have no ability to choose, or vet, or affect in any way. How this is legal is still a mystery to me as the temporarily bubbly and conscientious sales rep (in my case Celeste Devito, 773-596-9036 is her direct line) fails to mention any of it.

What Celeste failed to mention is that the only part Safeway plays in your move is taking the reservation, preparing the inventory, and facilitating payment; once things begin to go to sh*t, they're "new number, who dis?" Here are some other kind of important things Celeste Devito failed to mention to me about my move:

1. Sub-contractors.

Safeway doesn't move you, sub contractors do. In my case, it was Logistics Union Inc, and DEL PRO, with possibly a 3rd I couldn't identify. When your are inevitably not given adequate answers or information because "dispatch" and "operations" has these answers, that means one of these sub contractors.

2. "I have a route for you."

This is what you're going to hear during the first phone call with Safeway, and they tell you this to confirm the reservation and first payment; it's a total lie. Instead, they schedule a pick up and then your stuff sits in a warehouse until they can find a driver and/or pack the truck full enough.

3. Dates, delays and the fine print about "business days."

Of course my stuff arrived late- pickup was 8/14, first available to deliver was 9/1 and my stuff arrived on 10/3. For delay reimbursement, they only count "business days" and there is competing information between the "delivery no later than ___" on the long distance form (that gets filled in at the end of pickup) and the fine print on the back of the interstate bill of lading that specifies "21 business days." The information contradicts itself, and the company delivering your stuff will do everything in its power to not have to take anything off the final bill.

4. Delivery cash.

Like most scams, all the subs push you to pay in cash. To secure the reservation and get your first payment, they'll happily take a credit card, but at every additional stage it gets more and more difficult to pay this way. By the time your stuff finally arrives, they only take cash, a "postal money order" (huh??) or cashier's check. They reluctantly agreed to accept a Zelle payment but that was largely a factor of how badly they had bungled my move up until this point.

Needless to say, OF COURSE YOU SHOULDN'T USE SAFEWAY! More than that, companies like this shouldn't be legal; they're vultures circling a crowded and confusing scene looking for areas of vulnerability to exploit. It really sucks.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $8474

I hired Safeway for a move, which included packing up a 6,000 sq ft house, in early March 2023 from Santa Fe NM to Philadelphia PA. I chose Safeway due to its good recommendations and a desire to support service members. Arranging the move was fine; the follow thru was not. The van arrived very late so packers couldn't work, there weren't sufficient boxes or packing materials (they had to buy out the stock of boxes and paper at the nearest UHaul center), packers had to stay an extra day, items were put in boxes without packing materials, the van left without a roomful of packed boxes, mover had to return several days later to pick them up and pack up 6 additional boxes of items that had not been packed. During this time I called the contact number I had been given repeatedly and received no response. Upon delivery & after unloading I was told many of the boxes had no numbers so I needed to sign off as "whatever was in the van was mine". Upon unloading I discovered extensive breakage (several thousand dollars), however since I had good moves prior I had opted value by pound and received a claim settlement of less than $100. I've moved about a dozen times over 50 years in my prior corporate career, never experienced such incompetence. I would sue the company but since I would have to do so by contract in Florida I will just leave this review.

Move size: 4 Bedroom Home Service cost: $23000

My move took them 6 weeks. It was a continual list of delays such as waiting for drivers to return, waiting to fill up the truck with other shipments, going to other states not even close to the delivery state, 4 days to load my shipment onto the delivery truck and on and on. No acknowledgment of how disruptive this was, while my apartment sat empty for 6 weeks. They will not pay for lodging which is in their contract. Never use this company. I would imagine most of the positive reviews are fake and produced by their company. Go somewhere else, even if you have to pay more.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5200

Salesman underbid my job and gave me my first “guaranteed“price. He Promised to be there every step of the way but disappeared, even not returning my phone calls . Final call from dispatch gave me my “guaranteed “ 2nd price, a significant increase. Pick up truck gave me my 3rd”guaranteed “ price, yes, another increase. I’mnow 2 price increases into the process. Pick up/Packer also gave me a not-thinly veiled threat that they had my stuff and would hold it hostage until I paid what they wanted.Customer Service people were great and could see my frustrations with communication but weren’t able to help much (Management sucks!) Delivery crew was great. However they didn’t have the hiding spot for the feet for my entertainment center. A little “Easter Egg” left by the movers. Now I have to find a handyman to attach the feet. NEVER AGAIN! I have a job number. I can prove that I am an unhappy customer.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $7800

This company is a scam. I was quoted comparable rates, but wanted to support a Veteran owned company, as I am also a Vet. The day before my movers were to pickup my household items, no one had called to confirm, I had to reach out to them we went over the manifest again, I provided measurements of all my belongings, plus the exact number of boxes. When the movers arrived, they immediately said all my items were larger then what I indicated- FALSE. The movers said it would be an additional $800 or they wouldn't take my stuff. I had no options since I was leaving the next day. I was called a couple of days later for my new address and I filed a complaint. I was told a supervisor would call me THAT day to hear my grievance. No one called! When my items were to be delivered, the CONTRACTED delivery company had different policies than Safeway and it cost me an additional $150 for the delivery. I should have not let my soft heart for fellow vets cloud my financial decision making. DO NOT USE THIS MOVING COMPANY- SCAM!

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5000

Still haven’t received our stuff 10 days later & just got off the phone with customer service. Guess what? “We don’t see where your truck is.”. We went with this company because they’re military owned & figured they would be organized and have good comms. They had to put our belongings on two trucks because they packed their truck too much on prior trips & couldn’t fit all of our stuff. We said okay, do what you have to do. When they left our house we asked how long until we get our belongings? They stated “it depends on weather but you’re the next stop.”. The driver confirmed he listed first available date as April 22nd. The drive from our OG state to this state is under 2 day drive btw. We called everyday because we weren’t getting calls back & no one could tell us where our truck was (& customer service was rather rude) until last Wednesday when they said our stuff was dropped off at a warehouse in Dallas, TX….it was never mentioned our stuff would be dropped off in another state out of the way. Called next day…still at warehouse. Waited the weekend and called this AM. They can’t answer where our stuff is & don’t see where the truck is. Do not hire this company unless you don’t want your stuff back until an undisclosed date. Happy to remove this review if they finish their job that we hired them to do and our belongings are in our home tomorrow, as it will be 11 days tomorrow.

Update: After calling 3 separate times and getting no call back. We finally got some answers. That answer is, they have no idea when our stuff will be here & it hasn’t left TX. After reading other reviews of belongings going missing, stuff being delivered over a month later & even being haggled and lives threatened upon delivery for more money (check other reviews, an attorney stated her and her husband were threatened). I have half the mind to file a report. I don’t know if and when I’ll get my things back at this point.

Move size: 4 Bedroom Home Service cost: $11000

We have found this company incredibly frustrating to work with. Our original rep (Frank) was actually really nice and easy to work with. However, that is where the good times end. They originally said they would give us 72 hours notice for picking up our stuff--they gave us less than 18 hours. Then they showed up almost 8 hours late. And we think a few things were stolen--which we reported to safeway immediately. I understand this is the contractors and not safeway (technically) but it is on safeway to ensure their contractors are reliable and trustworthy.

After reaching out to safeway numerous times, we found their customer service to be condescending and downright unhelpful. To add injury to insult, they must be wayyyy under quoting people to attract customers because despite insanely detailed inventory lists (which were almost identical to what the movers picked up, give or take a single chair), its costing us $1000+ more than original quotes. And they keep adding on charges. I am furious with this experience, with how much it is costing us, with how unhelpful safeway has been, and with how stressed I am that our stuff will ever even reach us. FIND A BETTER COMPANY.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $4467

This company is a fraud and once they got you, they will not return your calls or emails. We booked our across country move with Frank. He was pleasant when we booked and we were quoted $8040.84 and after giving him our list of items to move, an estimated 1461 cf. We put a deposit down of $3216.33 and expected to pay $2412.26 when the movers showed up and the remaining balance on delivery. A couple of days prior to the move, we talked with Safeway to give our final count of items which included less furniture (sold to our buyers) but more boxes than intended. The person on the phone said since we are not moving several furniture items, the cubic feet estimate would be the same. Movers showed up on a Sunday and walked through and immediately said we have more items than 1461 cf - they would not load the furniture until we signed the new quote of $13,050 ($5009.59 more). Safeway was of course closed and did not answer the phone. We called and emailed Frank and others at the company who would not return our calls or emails. How convenient for them. At that point we had no choice but to agree since we had to be out of the home by Monday. How do you estimate a list and be sooooo far off? And then to not even call you back or answer your emails to explain. I would never recommend this company to anyone and will tell everyone I know not to use them. I should be refunded the additional amount of $5009.59 that I had to pay.

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $13050