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Bought a guitar from germany on Sep 1. As of today, I still don't have it and the DHL tracking on it has not updated since Sep 5th. DHL can only say that they think it's in the USA but no additional detail is available.
Thoughts?
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09-14-2015 11:07 AM
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Is it in customs? That can take quite some time is my experience.
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i have no idea. From the DHL Site:
Status from Sat, 05.09.2015 17:13 The shipment will be transported to the destination country and, from there, handed over to the delivery organization. (Homepage / online shipment tracking: ) Next step The shipment will arrive in the destination country
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I bought some pickups from Northern Ireland (part of the UK) once.
Took a few weeks to get them. They were ready to make a new set for me, but my pups finally showed up.
Let the vendor know, but you may need a little more patience on an international shipment than a domestic one.
Good Luck
Or maybe I should say "Herzlichen GluckWunschen"
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Took nearly a week for my 73 X500 to get out of customs and down the road recently.
Im sure something about summertime and stretched staff will be a possible excuse. I would wait a week at least and then half way into the next start raising noise. I would have talked to the company in the mean time just to check its where they say it is.
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I already have talked to DHL. They don't know where it us other than to say somewhere in the USA.
Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
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Contact the retailer - it is their responsibility to deliver it to you. They should deal with DHL to find out where it is. Did the retailer not give a delivery date estimate ?
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Several years ago I ordered a guitar from Japan and somehow (could have been my error) the address they put on the label was off by one number, thereby effectively delivering the guitar to my neighbor across the street. As I was only a renter, I didn't know the neighbor. When the tracking info confirmed delivery, I panicked. Realizing the error, I went across the street. I could see the box sitting in the guy's garage (in the cold) but he refused to give it to me, despite my offering to show him photo ID and describing the exact source and contents of the box.
I went into a whole tirade about mail tampering and federal offenses and damage to guitars in the cold. . . all to no avail. I called the police and they responded. The officer was great. He convinced the guy to release the package to him, and he promptly walked it across the street to me.
Sorry I know this has nothing to do with your story Jack and doesn't help, other than to say you have my sympathy and to advocate for patience and perseverance. It could be stuck in customs. Don't they randomly hold back certain packages for inspection? Anyway, good luck. Hope you get it soon!!!
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It was a private seller off thegearpage.net Originally Posted by newsense
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Yes but none of that explains why it is not showing any status. When I bought my mambo amp it got stuck in customs but the DHL tracking information stated it was in customs. Originally Posted by Fusionshred
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Yeah. Sometimes, their tracking systems just need to catch up. I had a guitar I bought domestically that just seemed to disappear for a few days. I called UPS, and they said, "Well, we really don't know where your package is at the moment." "I said, 'Uh, what?!? Well, I think you'd better find it, because it's a twenty-five hundred dollar package.'" Then, all of a sudden, I got an auto-generated email saying it was out for delivery. Strange.
Of course, "It's somewhere in the country" really doesn't help narrow it down much. I feel like around three business days is reasonable for something to be in this limbo state before filing a claim just to get the ball rolling. You can always close out the claim if/when you get updated information.
Good luck.
Tom
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Most gear I buy from Germany that's delivered by DHL arrives before the tracking updates.
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The only thing I can imagine is that you have gotten hung up in Customs, and that there has been a Federal Holiday in the midst of your transit--buggering up the procedure. You will need to build a fire under DHL's arse, which may necessitate help from your seller.
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As long as your purchase money is secure (i.e. paypal) then you can afford to not get too stressed. Do your bit, as you said you have, by phoning the company and just sit tight, or rather, sit loose and relaxed :-)
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"handed over to the delivery organization" may be a clue - it may be passed to another company (USPS?) when it reaches the US. I've had shipments from the US to UK where the tracking went cold for this reason when it reached England's green and pleasant land ... Originally Posted by jzucker
Last edited by Bill C; 09-14-2015 at 04:59 PM.
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My experience is that US customs will get around to it when they get around to it. They have one speed and don't get extra staff to handle extra volume demands.
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it's now been 3 weeks and there is still no indication of where it is. The tracking number simply shows that USPS has recieved the paperwork but it's been in that same state for 2 weeks. USPS has not received the item.
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Originally Posted by jzucker
Maybe, Germany's transport system is a bit busy at the moment, especially since Angela Merkel has invited a few million friends over from Syria.
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Within the EU, DHL is easy - it's part of the German Post Office, and Europeans take the Post Office very seriously, in my experience.
Outside of Germany, packages send from Europe by DHL are handed off to the national postal authorities of the destination countries. Once the package is handed over to US Customs and/or the USPS, DHL cannot see it on their system anymore. Their part of the job is done. Getting updates from US Customs and/or the USPS is not….easy. The last time I went through this rigamarole (@ 2 years ago), it took several weeks of digging to determine that my package was aging gracefully in a USPS distribution centre because…well, just because. I drove there and picked it up myself.
As an aside, packages sent from outside of Europe using DHL are processed and handled by trained monkeys who have nothing to do with the Deutche Post/DHL in Europe. Use them at your own risk.Last edited by Hammertone; 09-20-2015 at 05:55 PM.
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When I bought my mambo, it was shipped via DHL from the UK and was held up in customs but the tracking showed the details every step of the way. Why wouldn't DHL (germany) use DHL (USA) when it gets to the USA? Makes no sense. At any rate, monday will be 21 days and I'll probably file a dispute by EOB on monday if there is no movement in the tracking department. I can understand delays but no information is frustrating.
Originally Posted by Hammertone
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I have no experience with shipping guitars internationally, but my limited experience with purchasing things from overseas is that it can often take a month or more. I suspect your guitar is waiting its turn in Customs. What did you get, btw? We're dying to know.
Whatever it is, good luck. I hope you get it soon and in good shape.
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Don't overestimate the German DHL. I often buy stuff from the Thomann music shop in Germany. DHL delivery tracking to Switzerland is in most cases very inaccurate, usually registering the events far too late and of no help at all. But since i'm in the neighbor country delays take only days and fortunately not weeks. Originally Posted by Hammertone
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Ha, I said "within the EU," not "surrounded by the EU!"
Switzerland is not in the EU ever since you guys told those losers to get lost.
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I bought a bulk package of vacuum tubes from Russia years back. (I didn't know this...the purchase location said London, England, in the ad...oh, well.) Delivery took forever, and, of course, delivery was fobbed off on USPS on this end.
Ultimately, eons later, I DID receive the shipment. The tubes were well packed, though not individually boxed. The tubes have worked perfectly in the amps I have put them in. (They were Russian equivalent spec tubes for the 6SL7 tube, and the price/tube was quite attractive.)
Even so, I have since preferred to let Mike Matthews at New Sensor (i.e., 'Mullard,' 'Electro-Harmonix,' and 'Tung-Sol') do the importing and customs fees for me. ;-)
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If the USPS is involved and if it's a large package - be prepared to wait. In Jan. 2015, the USPS issue a "change of service standard" for parcel post. In a nutshell, your item will sit at every leg of the journey until the truck is full. I no longer ship anything to customer using parcel, unless the confirm that it may take over 3 weeks.
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