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Audiophiles DO NOT USE DHL-READ MY NIGHTMARE

Just had a nightmare experience with DHL shipping a Wadia 16 from Richmond,Va to South Carolina. Yesterday, the driver came to pick it up and tried to turn his van around where it could not be turned around in a shared driveway, almost ran over my new heat pumps, ran over my neighbors drainage pipe, and then stormed off without picking up the package. I tried to stop him and could not. I called DHL and reported the driver. His manager came to pickup my package. His manager told me that the driver is a hothead sometimes. Great! It was scheduled for delivery today. I told the guy it was a CD player, delicate electronic instrument and the waybill also had that info. My buyer just called me told me that the Wadia 16 arrived and was completely totalled. They had dropped it on its side and broken all the connections on the back. The styrofoam was crushed into powder. I almost feel like they did this intentionally. When I called to report the problem I was told that unless I could produce a receipt that they would not pay the claim as I had it insured for $ 2K. She seemed amazed that a CD player could be worth $ 2K. The way she talked it could be months before I get my money back, if ever. I had thought that DHL was trying to take business from FedEx and UPS and was doing a good job. Obviously, I will never use them again. Also, lost the $ 125 I paid to have the unit shipped overnight and to insure it. This is my first experience like this and I am ticked!!! Beware of DHL. I can understand how accidents can happen but that is what the insurance is for. I just got a poor reception when I called to make a claim. Consider this experience when you decide on your shipper!!!!
etmerritt33
michaela
314 posts
 
Bigjoe: Great advice and it made me think that it would probably be a good idea for everyone to take a few pictures of their units, in it's packing, BEFORE sealing it up and sending it out. That way we would have before and after pictures in the event we need to file a claim.

Mike.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
if you go through the court, don't forget the attourney's fees to be paid by dhl...
violaguy
21 posts
 
...maybe—as you speculated—they did do it intentionally.
oldpet
295 posts
 
There MUST be an Audiogon member who is a lawyer, who can advise us all, as to what our rights are, and procedures to follow when we experience a loss.

What do you think guys? A little public 'audiophile' service? Just to help recover our losses at the hands of big businesses.

Just a thought.
clio09
3,360 posts
 
Unfortunately what we experience in these case is the concept of risk management on behalf of the shipping vendor. From a financial perspective they know exactly how much it costs them to risk manage a damaged goods claim. As someone else pointed out their first line of defense is to deny. You would be amazed at the number of folks who will walk away at this point. The shipping vendors know this. Then, for those who don't walk away there is the stonewaling process. Your claim will be tied up in red tape for as long as the shipping vendor feels it's necessary. Then they will deny again in most cases. On the oft chance they are litigated against, they will most often pay or settle, and then they haggle over the amount. Very rarely will they go to court, unless it a sure win in their opinion, because that will begin to cost them money and from a risk management perspective they won't take the chance.
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