Shipping delays, lost packages?

[Lee997]

So 1st, this is not about disbelieving or distrusting a seller, on the contrary I have no doubts in that area. ( just wanted that aspect eliminated).

 

so around a month ago I had several communications with a Tsuba collector / dealer on this group, he was very helpful in answering my questions and helping me choose  my 1st Tsuba from his collection. ( intending it to be a Christmas present to myself that my children were buying for me).

 

promptly I received proof of posting with a DHL tracking number along with photos of the package.

 

a few days latter I checked with the courier DHL website to find it was in their system and on-route originally posted on the 24/11/22.

 

the German DHL site shows extensive route check off points but the train ends on the 1/12/22 stating on route to destination countries counterpart.

that is the last entry and nothing since!

 

I have used the link on the site to request help which has not yet been answered. 
I’ve discussed with the seller who I has been as reasonable as can be expected with the suggestion of worse case scenario he will give me a refund, at the moment we have simply mutually agreed to wait a little longer in hope it will turn up.

 

now the obvious, yes there have been Royal Mail strikes covering no more than a couple of days here and there, DHL actually show a graphic on there site showing destination country ( here in the UK ) are experiencing strikes, quite how Royal Mail strikes effect DHL I’m not sure ? 
 

so I’m at a loss now other than to accept a refund quite what else I can do as I’m getting no response from DHL. 
 

has anyone experienced similar? How long would you expect to wait for a delivery from Germany to UK ?

 

any comments ?

[vajo]

Lee the national post ended on the border. They handeled the package to another parcel service. Its the same when you order from Japan oder US.

With this f.... brexit all is now complicated. 

I would really buy some pieces in GB but all this custom ding and dong now - i will wait that GB jump back into the EU.

[Brian]

I would be on the phone with DHL, causing all sorts of hell. I usually google for DHL executive's email addresses and pester them. Socially engineer until you get lots of telephone numbers. I would not accept this, or a delay in answering you. You paid for a service, and as it currently shows, it is as good as if they stole it from you. Insurance or not, I would want answers.
Sending a few emails without a response is not adequate. Until someone in their investigations dept contacts you, be their worst nightmare.

[Lee997]

18 minutes ago, vajo said:

Lee the national post ended on the border. They handeled the package to another parcel service. Its the same when you order from Japan oder US.

With this f.... brexit all is now complicated. 

I would really buy some pieces in GB but all this custom ding and dong now - i will wait that GB jump back into the EU.

I’d agree entirely only I buy and sell records and this hasn’t happened to any of those! Brexit certainly caused some ripples but apart from changing a few rules ect it’s business as usual albeit a little more expensive. 

[Lee997]

12 minutes ago, Brian said:

I would be on the phone with DHL, causing all sorts of hell. I usually google for DHL executive's email addresses and pester them. Socially engineer until you get lots of telephone numbers. I would not accept this, or a delay in answering you. You paid for a service, and as it currently shows, it is as good as if they stole it from you. Insurance or not, I would want answers.
Sending a few emails without a response is not adequate. Until someone in their investigations dept contacts you, be their worst nightmare.

I think your probably correct. I had quietly hoped it would have turned up by now, I’ll see if I can find a number tomorrow! Problem is my German is far from fluent so that may pose an issue, looking at DHL UK there claiming it hasn’t arrived yet and are going to simply say there’s nothing they can do.

[1kinko]

Please excuse a slight change of subject: I ordered leather ito and a book from Namikawa Heibei yesterday and I just got a notice that they will be delivered tomorrow! I’ve always had fast delivery from Japan but this breaks the record.

[Matsunoki]

Lee, sorry to hear of your troubles. I have experienced similar…..several times …..once nearly 2 months.
 The problem could lie with our own Border Force staff (who I think are now also on strike?). No matter who the carrier is, when (if) it gets to the UK it goes into the Border Force backlog. I’ve had stuff stuck for weeks and then a demand letter turns up wanting the import tax paying.

I don’t know if DHL will actually handle the transit in the UK

Have you tried putting the tracking ref into both Royal Mail and Parcelforce tracking systems? Also there is an independent universal parcel tracking service ,sorry can’t remember it’s  name but Google it and it’ll turn up…..try that as well.

Im so fed up with it all I’ve stopped buying overseas including Europe.

Good luck, Imhope it turns up.

Colin

[zilul]

Have  a sword from USA stuck in Coventry customs since 25 th November but back in August had two swords from Japan in 7 Days but hey did not go through Coventry

[MrTT]

I had two packets delivered with ups yesterday, from bulgaria & germany to sweden.

They took 2-3 days.

[Matsunoki]

20 minutes ago, MrTT said:

I had two packets delivered with ups yesterday, from bulgaria & germany to sweden.

They took 2-3 days.

Good for you Dave……but how does that help Lee with his missing parcel?

[Lee997]

10 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

Lee, sorry to hear of your troubles. I have experienced similar…..several times …..once nearly 2 months.
 The problem could lie with our own Border Force staff (who I think are now also on strike?). No matter who the carrier is, when (if) it gets to the UK it goes into the Border Force backlog. I’ve had stuff stuck for weeks and then a demand letter turns up wanting the import tax paying.

I don’t know if DHL will actually handle the transit in the UK

Have you tried putting the tracking ref into both Royal Mail and Parcelforce tracking systems? Also there is an independent universal parcel tracking service ,sorry can’t remember it’s  name but Google it and it’ll turn up…..try that as well.

Im so fed up with it all I’ve stopped buying overseas including Europe.

Good luck, Imhope it turns up.

Colin

Thankyou for the info, just tried RM and would you believe it? Still doesn’t explain why it’s still not got here?

[BrentC]

Can only speak from my experiences lately,  The last items I've ordered from Germany and Netherlands have been on average 5 to 7 weeks. DHL is slow but it gets here eventually.  Tracking did disclose items were coming

by Maritime/shipping container.  So I'm not surprised it takes a while. 

 

Lee,  best of luck,   don't give up and be persistent.

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

5 to 7 weeks!  Feels like we're back to the Covid days.

 

I am having the same problem with a sword I attempted to ship to Australia.  It went from L.A. to Frankfurt, no problem (why Germany???).  But tracking claims it left Frankfurt 13 days ago.  If you've seen it take that many weeks, I guess I'll wait that long before filing claims.

[Alex A]

Sometimes they don't update tracking Bruce, then all of a sudden it arrives at its destination.

 

Had that a few times.

[paul tsubadotinfo]

Really a sad story, but I would also assume it will still arrive, just with very heavy delay. 
I had so much bad experience with DHL, I wonder, did you get any answer from them by phone?

Also I would expect the package to arrive at UK customs and you would receive a letter from them requesting an invoice etc. according to my experience. 

Well keeping thumbs pressed.

Let us know when it arrives!

[Shugyosha]

Hi Lee,

What seems to be happening is that, because of the Royal Mail strikes, everyone is using alternative carriers so DHL, DPD etc are getting overwhelmed and the excess Christmas demand from individuals and retailers has exacerbated this. Anyway, I'm hoping that your circumstances are explained by a similar delay and that you get the matter resolved quickly.

[FZ1]

Sorry to hear about your hassles Lee.

 

I've had long delays with shipping blades in and out of the UK (Border Force was the delay every time), but not with any other items.  I think John's explanation is probably the most likely, i.e. carriers are maxed-out by increased business due to the Royal Mail strike.  Let's be honest, DHL, UPS, etc, are not efficient at the best of times; even worse when overloaded. 

 

My theory is that they make their money through the quantity of parcels shifted, not quality of service, so they don't give a monkeys about individual delays or losses.

 

Cheers,

 

Jon

 

 

[Alex A]

DHL have a bad habit here of just leaving parcels in unusual places.

 

Had a book delivered from the US this week, i gets an email notification saying your item has been delivered and for a few minutes im walking around the house asking if anyone has seen it. Then i thinks DHL, could be anywhere, from inside a bin to thrown over the fence. I goes outside and its hidden behind a plant pot with no note trough the door and soaked from the rain. Luckily the seller put in in a plastic bag.

 

They really don't care

 

As for Parcelforce and Coventry, try and avoid if possible. Said before, UPS have their own customs and never had an issue. 

 

Sometimes when something is sent from the US to UK by USPS, it goes through Heathrow and Coventry never gets a mention on the tracking. 

[Stephen]

Was going to post in laugh of the day but it really belongs here.