DHL Issues from Germany

SIP6A · Apr 27, 2017

I've got a package coming from Germany VIA Deutsche Post/DHL. Has anybody used this service and used there tracking?

The package was mailed April 10th and the only information I can get from the tracking number is that it was dropped off and scanned, nothing since.

The buyer has been very responsive to my emails and has contacted Deutsche Post/DHL but they don't know what happened.

I went to the Deutsche Post/DHL website which was only in German and using Google translate read that the only time you hear from them is when the package is dropped off. You don't get any tracking information it just gets dropped off at your place by USPS in this country.

When I put the tracking number into the USPS websight it tells me "Status not available"

If it makes any difference it's a Lathe with a value of $2500.00 I paid for it with a credit card so getting my money back isn't a problem. I would rather have the lathe than the money.

traditional-tools · Apr 27, 2017

I don't think there's any good way to check where it is, as it's marked in shipping or something to that effect once it leaves. I've tried in the past and couldn't find a way to tell more, FWIW. Maybe someone has a way I'll learn here.

Chris Hall · Apr 27, 2017

I had some similar problems with items from Japan in several shipments a few months back. They enter a vortex at customs, where, like a black hole not letting out any light, any information is non-existent as far as the rest of the world is concerned. In the end, the items arrived. Just keep checking the USPS website and eventually you should see an update with delivery schedule. That's all you can do.

Klaus · Apr 28, 2017

Hello together,

it's the American mail
DHL and USPS working together, as soon the package is taken over from USPS, you can't track it anymore.
Happened to me a couple of times when I ordered from Franz Singer.
The only thing you can do, is prey that the USPS guy shows up one day and delivers

Best regards

Klaus

v22 · Apr 28, 2017

I had a similar issue when an irreplaceable item was inadvertently shipped via surface mail. It hit the port and all tracking ended there. It showed up 8 weeks later.

j lewis · Apr 28, 2017

Ditto[however you say that in German]! After it left Germany, I could not track. I recall I contacted USPS[the bottleneck] and just got a vague answer like "it's in the system". It did arrive. It was a couple of days to exit Germany and _weeks_ in the US of A for USPS to get it to me.

ballen · Apr 28, 2017

I have shipped a number of items via DHL from Germany to the USA. The typical experience is that you can track it in Germany for a couple of days until it hits the US Customs station in Frankfurt. From that point on there is zero news or updates, until finally the package is delivered in the USA, which can be anywhere between 3 days and 2 months later.

So probably all is well, just be patient. If you push DHL/Deutsche Post very hard, they might be able to provide a USPS or other tracking number in the USA, but only if you can get past all of the automated systems to a real live human being.

I am pretty confident that your lathe will arrive. If DHL shows the package as dropped off and in their system, then it's unlikely that the seller is scamming you.

SIP6A · May 17, 2017

Got some news about my lathe today. It's at the shipping center near the Frankfurt airport ready to go to the States.. It took five weeks for it to make the 80 mile (129 km) trip from where it was mailed to Frankfurt.

So much for German efficiency.

mnl · May 17, 2017

it sounds like you found something interesting to be worth the shipping.

Monarchist · May 18, 2017

mnl said:
it sounds like you found something interesting to be worth the shipping.

Probably even worth TNT/FedEx shipping. Ditch Past took over DHL with a 51% interest fifteen years ago.

German Government Agencies and 'privatized' former Government Agencies are the most efficient on-planet at f*****g up anything they did not invent in-house.

You ever need to keep something out of the hands of burglars or spies while off on a month's vacation, just ship it via USPus or Ditch Past and let them blackhole it for a month or three.

Here's a just-now-updated example on a small flat-rate box:

Tracking Number: 9505516019277062074912

In-Transit
Expected Delivery Day: Monday, March 6, 2017
Product & Tracking Information

See Available Actions
Postal Product:
Priority Mail™
Features:
Insured
USPS Tracking®

DATE & TIME STATUS OF ITEM LOCATION
March 4, 2017, 11:29 am In Transit to Destination
The item is currently in transit to the destination as of March 4, 2017 at 11:29 am.
March 3, 2017, 4:18 pm Departed Post Office STERLING, VA 20164
March 3, 2017, 11:29 am Acceptance STERLING, VA 20164

Monarchist · May 18, 2017

SIP6A said:
Got some news about my lathe today. It's at the shipping center near the Frankfurt airport

FRA? Or HHN?

steve-l · May 18, 2017

This is an issue using all national post shipments that cross international borders because the interface between the postal systems is manual. This happens with Chinese mailings as well. If complete tracking is a requirement, you need to use freight forwarders and consolidators, as shipping data remains in a single system with single responsibility.

ballen · May 18, 2017

SIP6A said:
Got some news about my lathe today. It's at the shipping center near the Frankfurt airport ready to go to the States.. It took five weeks for it to make the 80 mile (129 km) trip from where it was mailed to Frankfurt. So much for German efficiency.

I don't think you are right about this. I have shipped hundreds of items with DHL/Deutsche Post in Germany, and within the country they have always been delivered within a day or two. So I am sure that your item made the trip to Frankfurt in a day or two. The problem is that once in Frankfurt it is turned over the US Customs, and they can be extremely slow.

Cheers,
Bruce

SIP6A · May 18, 2017

ballen said:
I don't think you are right about this. I have shipped hundreds of items with DHL/Deutsche Post in Germany, and within the country they have always been delivered within a day or two. So I am sure that your item made the trip to Frankfurt in a day or two. The problem is that once in Frankfurt it is turned over the US Customs, and they can be extremely slow.

Cheers,
Bruce

I realize how popular it is to bash the US government but in this case it just not true. It took four weeks for it to make the trip from where it was mailed to Speyer Germany then it took 1 day for the trip to Rodgau Germany. This is near Frankfort ( I assume that this is where the US customs is you're talking about) the same day it was put on a plane to the states. It's probably in the states as I type this. The problem was that it sat in a German post office for at least four weeks.

Monarchist · May 18, 2017

SIP6A said:
The problem was that it sat in a German post office for at least four weeks.

Maybe it did do.

Or 'maybe' the shipper went off and left it stalled under his own roof even after being issued a tracking number by some oversight.

Not all shippers would admit to that.

Few 'postal' systems track it happening as well as, for example, UPS or FedEx that actually show that "issued but not yet picked-up/submitted" class of situation as a defined tracking message of some reasonably reliable sort.

'nuther possibility, as the price sez 'nice' lathe, and that it could be shipped by post at all sez 'small one' (watchmaker's, special-purpose, or instrument type?).. is that concentrated mass damaged the carton, and early in its trip.

That wants a look-see, re-taping or such as a minimum, and is off the 'main line' of moving goods.

SIP6A · May 18, 2017

I've been looking for US Customs at Frankfurt airport, haven't found anything. Would one of you that have been telling me that it has been sitting in US customs in Germany tell me where it's at. Website, address etc. There are 16 pre-clearance centers outside of the US. None are in Germany.

SIP6A · May 18, 2017

Tue, 16.05.17 15:20	IPZ-Ffm, Germany	The shipment will be transported to the destination country and, from there, handed over to the delivery organization. (Homepage / online shipment tracking:https://www.usps.com/)
Tue, 16.05.17 01:22	Rodgau, Germany	The international shipment has been processed in the export parcel center
Mon, 15.05.17 17:05	Speyer, Germany	The international shipment has been processed in the parcel center of origin
Mon, 10.04.17 16:18	Germany	The shipment has been posted by the sender at the retail outlet
Sat, 08.04.17 03:16	--	The instruction data for this shipment have been provided by the sender to DHL electronically

Anyone can see that the seller proved the information on april eighth It was dropped off on the tenth. It then sat for five weeks it then started moving at the speed you would expect. The only reason it started moving on May 15 is because the seller instituted a search through DHL. The post office got an inquiry from up the food chain and did something. The seller contacted his local post office several times in the five weeks it was setting there and was told "I can't do anything to help you".

steve-l · May 18, 2017

SIP6A said:
I've been looking for US Customs at Frankfurt airport, haven't found anything. Would one of you that have been telling me that it has been sitting in US customs in Germany tell me where it's at. Website, address etc. There are 16 pre-clearance centers outside of the US. None are in Germany.

I've lived in Frankfurt 20 yrs. ago and there is a US Postal center there and I've seen it and it's large, but I can't remember just where it was, but it is not at the airport. It might just be for military mail distribution. Remember, not all US Mail goes by air, but there is both a contract mail handler, which is a joint venture between Lufthansa and Deutsche Post. Airmail Center Frankfurt (ACF)and is located between terminals 1 & 2 . See Fraport AG | Airmail Center Frankfurt GmbH (ACF)

SIP6A · May 18, 2017

steve-l said:
I've lived in Frankfurt 20 yrs.

I'm envious of you.

That might be what they're talking about. But it has nothing to do with US Customs.

SIP6A · May 30, 2017

I've finally sorted out what's going on with my package. After a call to US Customs service I found out there is no customs presence for packages overseas. There are 15 or 16 pre clearance centers overseas but those are for people not packages.

When this was dropped off at the post office in Germany it went into a bin labeled overseas. This bin didn't move until it was full, hence the five weeks setting in this post office. Then it went on to Rodgau then to near Frankfort.

At Frankfort the bin was opened up and sorted for their destination country's. In My case Detroit Mi. So now packages from all over Germany are going into this bin that at some point is going to be loaded on a plane to detroit, MI. But the rub is this bin isn't going on a plane until its full. This could be a few days a few months nobody knows. It's been in Frankfort for two weeks already.

In looking at websites for expats living overseas I have found 6 to 10 weeks for a package from Germany to the US isn't unusual. Mine has been 7 weeks. So will have to see.

So much for German efficiency.

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