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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
etmerritt33 OP
36 posts
 
I would agree with your statements and I normally have good relationships with all that come here to pick things up or deliver things. HOWEVER, if you could see the area that he tried to turn a long van around in you would have probably done the same thing. It was STUPID period. Just image a shared residental driveway of normal width in a Y shape and trying to turn a van around in an area where you could not turn a Mini Cooper around. Anyone with that little sense and judgment should not be driving a truck for a living!!!! When I tried to stop him he just continued. I have two almost brand new heat pump units that he was about to run over. If that had happened I probably would have pulled him out of the truck. The whole thing was just stupid. I've had a few DHL deliveries and pickups in the last few weeks here and they all except this moron drove straight in and then backed straight out with no problems at all. Any idiot could do it with his eyes closed. My gut tells me that this was intentional and they dropped it a few times to pay me back knowing I would have trouble collecting.
etmerritt33 OP
36 posts
 
This fits very nicely into small claims court. Would not need an attorney. I think I could argue this and win easily. The time to collect.. who knows. I never hear people post with how long it took to collect. I did get the forms via email from DHL and will complete them today. I have a ton of documentation to prove my case.
etmerritt33 OP
36 posts
 
I have the forms from DHL to file a claim and will do that today. Will never use DHL again even though I know that the other carriers are far from perfect. The thing that still gets me is that it is obvious that DHL is trying to get business from UPS, USPS, and FedEx by providing better service for better rates. This just isn't the way to go about it. It would be bad enough to have a piece damaged in shipping if they responded differently instead of being flabbergasted that a CD player could cost $ 2K. They were glad to take my money to provide "Asset Protection" for the unit when I paid for the shipping.

I still can't get over the smile I got from the driver's manager who picked the player up when I asked him if it would still be delivered on Saturday since it was 7:30 when he got to my house. He smiled and said "Oh, it will get there alright, don't worry". He probably threw the box down a few times himself before it ever went out. He told me the first driver was really a good guy but a hot head sometimes. I'm sure they did nothing to him as a result of this. He should have been fired.

This is a problem for the audiophile community because we can not do high end audio if we can't depend on shippers. Just stop and think of the shipping paths that all equipment has to go on. With CES approaching think of all the equipment that has to be shipped for that. I guess this doesn't make up enough volume for them to care.
etmerritt33 OP
36 posts
 
I'm sure you are exactly right as this shipping is a huge volume business that is not suited to high end audio. They say they have 30-60 days to evaluate the claim but they set that time table. I will likely advise them via email that I expect a settlement in less time than that and that I will sue them in small claims court. I know I will win. But, I may need to consult a lawyer friend of mine to determine how to best collect the judgment. That may be the hard part. May need to seize a couple of these yellow vans???
laurentgilles
28 posts
 
I've just received my Fertin 20EX driver from France. They were shipped by DHL. I had no problem whatsoever. They were packed in a wooden crate and bolted at the bottom. I think if shipping co offered further protection for electronic products, this would lower the chance of having problems later. I would pay more to get my amp, cd or speakers in a metal box or wooden crate so they would arrive safe. Plain carton box with styrofoam isn't enough. After your thread, I was quite anxious to see if everything was ok. You spend hard earn dollars, you don't want more problems. Unfortunately, you may have to spend an extra 20 dollars to go to small claims court, this is what we have in Canada. But at least you will have a chance of getting your money. In these situation, you must continue to build your case. Good luck.
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