DHL Paket International

**nathan61** · 03-14-2011, 09:21 AM

Has anybody else used this DHL shipping service from Germany?

I had something sent here to Madagascar because the DHL office is right down the street from my house, so I figured DHL was the best courier to use.

It turns out DHL Paket, which uses the same website and logo as DHL, is not part of DHL. With DHL Paket they mail your package through the German post, or outsource the shipment to another courier.

It looks like my shipment has ended up in the twilight zone, since it cleared customs but never made it to me. DHL may have outsourced the shipping to the local post, but they won't tell me (or don't know) what shipping company had my package last.

I almost sent a sax with DHL Paket because it is cheaper. Anybody else had good results with this company?

**kryz** · 03-14-2011, 12:01 PM

I've shipped a horn or two a few years back to the US.

One was a major hassle, because it took ages, the other one was fine, but took quite long, too. IIRC both were delivered through USPS.

Most important (IMHO!): "DHL Paket International" is only insured though some sort of weight related max. amount and the maxmimum insurance coverage even if you use the "Premium" option is very limeted. Read the terms very carefully!

Unfortunately most online sellers in any country aren't very familiar with shipping options and also have a major reading issue

Smaller boxes can be shipped using the Post "Brief international" service - quick, cheap and great tracking.

**nathan61** · 03-14-2011, 12:38 PM

I should have ready the fine print. Originally I planned to have it shipped UPS, but the seller asked if I wanted to use DHL since it is cheaper. I agreed, thinking it was regular DHL like they have in the states.

I finally got word from DHL that they probably gave the package to the local post, which is crazy. The Malagasy post is famously bad, and nobody here sends anything valuable because stuff gets "lost" all the time.

**kryz** · 03-14-2011, 01:19 PM

Hi,
this is indeed an interesting subject if you like to buy or sell a horn and I'd appreciate any insight. Again: Unfortunately most people (even shops) don't pay any attention on packing, shipping or even reading ...

Anyway:

DHL was bought by "Deutsche Post" a couple of years and now their parcel service runs under the DHL brand name. For the customer, there's no difference at all, you ship your stuff off at the same place. Parcel gets shipped trough DHL, letters through "Deutsche Post".

However I have no idea (and believe me, I tried to find out), how to ship a parcel from Germany to another country, that gets delivered in the destination country through DHL.

OTOH: I recieved a horn a few years back from and eBay store in the US through DHL. It was fu**** expensive, but took only a couple of days and I paid customs right at my doorstep. Unfortunately a bad packing job....

**Nevillesax** · 03-15-2011, 08:03 AM

DHL Paket is the German Post so when it arrives in your country it is the responsibility of, and is delivered by, your local post.
The DHL Paket Premium insurance option includes 500 Euro of insurance...unfortunately, in the case of a claim you will have to claim thru your local postal system who will then liase with DHL Germany to establish that it is indeed covered etc etc...good luck.
I have had 2 tenors delivered from Germany to Melbourne DHL/ Australia post, one was fine, but the first took some determined persistence on my part to get Aust Post to come up with the repair costs after about 6 months, even though it should have been straightfoward.

**nathan61** · 03-15-2011, 12:50 PM

If you ship something DHL EXPRESS from Germany then you will get the ultra-fast-primo-service where the item is delivered to your door by a DHL employee. Very expensive!

Otherwise it gets delivered by the local mail. I got my package, but I had to go to the post office here and lobby for it.

It is a tricky situation, and they really don't make things clear on the DHL website. Those of us from the US just assume that when something is shipped DHL that means the entire shipping process will be handled by DHL. I actually wrote to DHL and complained that they are not making this very clear on their website.