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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 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.
sgr's avatar
sgr
689 posts
 
Yes DHL is the pits! They don't track the packages as they move across the country. They lost a pair of Revel Sub 30s and had no idea where they were or when they were picked up. They don't scan the item as it moves from hub to hub. I'd never ship with them again.
yioryos's avatar
yioryos
723 posts
 
Etmerritt33
I had bad experience with Fedex and UPS,but Fedex paid for the damage fairly easy,in my case anyway.But back in the summer UPS destroyed a set of TICE Powerblock/Titan that were delivered to me from Hawaii.To this day I haven't seen a penny.I gave them 48 pictures showing clearly the internal damage,I called the UPS store owner in Hawaii noumerous times,I send them a copy of the M.O I paid with for the purchase,packing and shipping of the Tice.I mean they packed the Tice themselves (UPS),and I paid for all that.They denied the claim saying that the units could of been broken to begin with,when you can see very clearly that they got broken during transit.Basically the transformers inside where torn apart from the chassis and all cords were cut and pulled away from the connections.I am still trying to recover my money.
Best of luck
George
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