DHL Is Decadent and Depraved
- August 29th, 2007
- Read 1986 times
- 30 Comments
Just a quick post to inform you all to avoid DHL for international shipping, especially if they trust fly-by-night drop-off points. I’m a watch nut so I like to buy and sell watches. I was about to sell an expensive watch to a guy in England who wanted me to use DHL. I rarely use DHL — I prefer USPS for international shipping, even though they’re equally decadent and depraved here in New York — but I went along. I found a local drop-off point, Shiprite in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and dropped off the package just like I would any other package — walk in, smile, say this is for DHL, and leave. I’ve done this countless times with UPS and FedEx with no problems.
ShipRite isn’t a very fancy place — just a counter, really — but I don’t know what the hell they’re up to in there because after almost a week, the package is still missing, untraceable, and the employees there claim that the package went out on Friday while DHL thinks that it never left my hands and I spent $73 on a DHL ticket because I like paying $73 for shipping I never use. DHL is fairly common overseas but relatively new here and I think they’ve got too many bugs to work out to trust for anything of any value.
For example, I asked to be able to talk to the local DHL shipping center to perhaps talk to the driver. The customer service folks couldn’t let me do that. This small thing has saved my ass in the past with UPS and FedEx — you sort things out with people on the ground, not in a call center in Iowa. I’m still in the search process, apparently, but my search ticket has been closed and I think they’re writing this off as a “moron loses package” situation when it’s abundantly clear that either ShipRite or DHL is in the wrong — and I have little recourse with either entity.
Perhaps the folks at ShipRite ganked my stuff. Perhaps the DHL driver dropped it on his way to Dunkin’ Donuts. I don’t know, but if you ship anything, stick with companies you can trust.
I’ve always had good luck with DHL myself. Much better than UPS or FedEx.
Thats sucks man!
Hope the things clear up and you receive the cost of the watch
Lame…I had to wait 45 minutes to pick up a package from the DHL warehouse when I got back from vacation. Completely disorganized and a much more suckier vibe than the SF FedEx and UPS pick up counters.
Your problem is with ShipRite not with DHL.
I’ve shipped thousands of dollars worth of stuff through DHL but I deal directly with the driver not some middle man shipping store who has no tracking ability.
So far, so bad. We moved offices and ordered some new equipment. The company (HelloDirect) decided to ship DHL. On the day the items were to arrive, people stayed here in the office until 8pm. The items did not arrive. I went to their web site to check tracking, and the note said a delivery attempt was made but no body was there to receive. wtf! I called them and complained, and the CR assured me that the items will be delivered the next day. Nope. No delivery. We had to call DHL every day of the week for 5 days straight, going through 3 supervisors, threatening to sue, in order for them to drop off our boxes (that had been sitting in their distribution center since the beginning). DHL will never have my business.
shiprite claims the piece went out and DHL can’t find it. Maybe it fell behind the damn truck or something, but either way no one will claim responsibility
Of course ShipRite claims the package went out. They aren’t going to say ’scuse me Mista Biggs, me drops yer package on da floor, out falls nicey watch, got me some weed and a handjob from a crack whore with it!
A few months ago DHL was delivering a package and he opened the back gate and set the package inside. I was upstairs and just happened to pass by the window when he was doing this, he left the gate open and as he was getting in his truck the dog got out he then ran over him, stopped when he realized what he had done then sped off. Our neighbor saw it too and got in his car and chased him down. He denied it even though there was blood all over the bumper. The DHL office would not return our calls, finally told us it was our fault for not having a lock on the gate. They never apologized. The driver was never even reprimanded even though we later found out that this was not the first animal he had hit.
While I’ve had a few negative experiences with DHL, our local driver is a superstar. He covers a big ass territory, like 1/10 of San Francisco and never mishandles anything. It’s the 800-number and warehouse folks that are realllllyyyyy slowwwww.
I think that you will find just as many people saying the same things for UPS, Fed-Ex and USPS. AND the same things about the “you-ship-it” type places like the “shiprite” in this story. What did the tracking number they gave you at “shiprite” tell you? You DID get a tracking number, right? I don’t leave my local “shiprite” equivalent w/o a tracking number. And, man, sorry about your dog!
Our company just recently closed our account with DHL after 3 dell notebooks were stolen. The last one, the box showed up in my office tapped up, but everything but the case was gone.
I have had bad shipping experiences with DHL too, but never completely lost. My old company used them then dropped them due to quality assurance issues for FedEx, but later went to UPS as FedEx is premium pricing with little offering over UPS. Go Brown!
It seems that this thing could happen to any company, but the difference between them is how they deal with it.
And the Tech part of this is … oh it must be the part where you used the word tracking.
USPS has worked for me as well. Good luck
DHL one time was supposed to redeliver a package the next day. I was waiting for the package all day. And then checked the tracking number and it said attempted delivery at 1pm. Of course no one came to my home. And someone just updated the tracking with that info. When I went to pickup the package I found that they had a power outage and didnt deliver any packages. Yet how did my package say it was attempted delivery that day I dont know. Seems like some shady drivers who just are too lazy to deliver out the packages. This has happen to me more than once. Now when I know I recieving a DHL package I just pick it up. USPS, Fedex, and UPS never had a problem.
did you get the air waybill or tracking number? it would be really good if you had that, DHL USA customer service normally answers the customer service number within 10 secs, 1-800-CALL DHL
you can also track your shipment online http://www.dhl-usa.com/home/home.asp
shiprite is not an exclusive DHL ship center, i understand they also carry FedEx.
it is really unfortunate what happened to your shipment, i hope you find it soon.
In October 2006 I hand delivered a 20 kilo box of equipment (~$20k in value) to the DHL office in Santiago Chile for delivery to a customer in Lima Peru using my US-based DHL account number. Since that time it has languished at the Lima Peru offices while “storage” charges continue to mount. They made every mistake possible trying to get it through customs. When I finally asked that they ship it back to my offices in Boulder, CO - they refused saying it must be cleared through customs first. But it can’t be cleared through customs because of the mistakes they made. They refuse to take phone calls, waive the storage fees, or pretty much anything. I have spoke to DHL people in Lima, Santiago, and Boulder and have finally given up. My company ships about $20MM annually in equipment in the US. I will never use DHL for anything ever again.
Internationally it’s best to use FedEx. The rates are very competitive if you have any kind of volume. They guarantee delivery on time. If they’re late you can get a refund. The service has been outstanding for me. The people are helpfull. You can also wander in a Kinkos if you like.
You’re absolutely right! DHL is by far the worst of the major 4 carriers. I used to work for a logistics company in Dallas, TX and I’ve seen the way they outsource work. What’s amazing to me, is that there are not more stories like yours. I’ve shipped locally, nationally, and internationally with all four. In my opinion, UPS is by far the best. I think FedEx and USPS are a coin toss (I’ve seen the way they outsource to each other too….questionable to say the least) but DHL doesn’t even belong in the same category!
I would bet that the mishandling was with Shiprite. The DHL driver scans the package as soon as he/she receives it. Did you insure the package or disclose the contents? It’s of course more suspect since you were shipping a higher value item vs. paperwork etc.
I ship almost exclusively DHL via http://www. redroller.com and I either request a pick up (I find it’s worth the $3 fee) or drop it off at only a DHL facility or drop box. I’ve never had a problem with their service and I have had any claims handled properly.
I use RedRoller http://www.redroller.com as well and I have had nothing but great service with DHL and RedRoller.
I hope your watch is found!
I also had good (or same as w/ other express companies) experiences with DHL
we have been in business since 1993.we handle dropoffs all day for every carrier.my employees have been with me for more than six years and are honest and dependable.i am sorry that this gentleman package got lost but to suggest that the item was not tendered to dhl.well.i will put my record up against any shipping store in my vicinity.
I’m a DHL courier in the Netherlands, Europe. I think it’s not very wise to send a valuable package without insurance. It only costs 1% of the value of the package. Furthermore, I assume you got an airwaybill number to track your package. With these two items, you can always get a refund if your package should get lost.
Every company makes mistakes, no one excluded. That’s not good, but it happens.
For me, I’ve been working for DHL now for 10 years and I never lost a package. And as far as I know, none of my collegues here did, neither. When reading alle replies, one could think that all the time things go wrong, but believe me: a courier company can’t afford to lose lots of packages, then they would lose their customers!
What an idiot, No Fed Ex never lost a package, you don’t remember watching on the news one of there planes burning on the tarmac because it was miss-loaded. How many packages on that plane? DHL has been in the States for as long as Fed EX. UPS is fine but they are a company made up of human beings.
Judging by you other posts you nothing more than a cry baby, S^*( happens move on.
Thanks for the troll, Larry, it was as clearly written as it was insightful. Can you translate that from Troll into English please? Your beef is with what, that Fedex is just as bad, or if it’s better, and you mention the fact that there are people working at UPS. Well done, you! Now can you tell us the point you were trying to make, because it’s a leap from rants about shipping companies to “ur a cry baby. lol.” How old are the people reading watch forums, I mean honestly?
But the worst post evar award goes to the Shiprite guy. Of course he comes in with no evidence, unprofessional language and grammar, and he expects us to… what does he expect? I suppose to come off as looking like a crook, because that’s how it reads to me.
I think his post about seals the deal: It was Shiprite.
However having said that, DHL has a poor track record in Finland as well. Our company as well many of our partners have long since dropped their contracts with DHL for the very reasons already mentioned: phantom delivery attempts, failure to show up for pickups, damaged goods, and at least it’s expensive. In fact haven’t they since been taken over by the German postal service?
I think if this watch has any value at all, legal action should be looked into. Neither DHL nor Shiprite will give a rip about a customer whose package was stolen, but they will care about a nastygram from a lawyer. Hopefully you’ve hung onto the paperwork and can do something about this. Good luck!
yeah. i’m basically screwed. i have no recourse because shiprite doesn’t have it - or has it and stole it - and dhl has no record of it. I’m basically stuck.
We (http://www.bongous.com) provide international distribution services and have had strong performance with DHL.
It sounds as if in this instance the issue is with the retail shop opposed to DHL its self… but that a branded counter has theft issues certainly is a DHL issue as well.
The district sales manager there is phil.hanley@DHL.com, he is a good guy, I don’t know if he will be able to do anything for you, but might be worth reaching out.
Well, I have bad experiences with both DHL and Bongous.com. I stopped using DHL after they delivered a package to an English school near me in Japan. Luckily the school contacted me. Amazing DHL couldn’t manage it.
I just received one order from bongous, some childrens shoes via DHL, with a whopping shipping charge of $58. Normally, they would be $12 to $30 (and only at the very highest end).
Be careful with Bongous !!!
Here is my bad exprience with this service:
They provide USA Mail Forward service and because i’m not an American so this service is useful for me to buy stuffs that just sell in USA, I signed up and provide the USPS 1583 form and everthing is just fine at the beginning.
Once I got the first package from one of my friend in USA (the sender) who use his Credit Card to buy stuff from an online shop, this service try to obtain the Credit Card information and ID of my friend by request him need to send those informations to their Email support if not they will return the stuff to the online shopping and you can image : I lost the fee for return shipping, the online shopping site can’t sell the stuff that they sold, my friend lost fee on chargeback. So before sign up with this service if you’re outside USA you need to obtain the USA Credit Card (it’s impossible) or you will have the problem like me, but if you accept their policy who know what they do with Scans of Credit Card and ID of your friend, your cousin, your partner,… So try to stay away them if you don’t want lost money for nothing.