H0rati0 wrote:

Robotaz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:01 pm

jkbarnes wrote:
I have yet to have a positive experience with DHL! Their customer service is absolute crap!

I think it’ll help if CW would fill their paperwork out correctly!

Something weird here. Surely if the paperwork was incorrect DHL could not have shipped it to the US in the first place? It's not complicated: AWB and commercial invoices and no courier can operate without them.

Not to be an apologist for DHL (I have no affiliation) but I have found their Express service to be really good, if hardly cheap. They will accept watches and insure them properly to full value which most couriers will not. Of course Germany is DHL's back yard so if they can't get it right from here....

The customs forms aren’t filled out correctly. Apparently DHL has the information, as they literally read off what CW put in the paperwork for me to simply rewrite on another form. [edit - this means CW is filling out the customs forms and not the DHL form that’s required, hence why I’m now forced to do it using info from the customs forms] Totally ridiculous on the part of DHL and CW. And DHL is being rude like they’re doing me a favor. I wouldn’t use them if their service was free after this.

Whatever I’m over it. Sour taste about it all but I don’t have more time than I’ve already spent on this debacle. Live and learn.

Robotaz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:17 pm

H0rati0 wrote:

Robotaz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:01 pm
I think it’ll help if CW would fill their paperwork out correctly!

Something weird here. Surely if the paperwork was incorrect DHL could not have shipped it to the US in the first place? It's not complicated: AWB and commercial invoices and no courier can operate without them.

Not to be an apologist for DHL (I have no affiliation) but I have found their Express service to be really good, if hardly cheap. They will accept watches and insure them properly to full value which most couriers will not. Of course Germany is DHL's back yard so if they can't get it right from here....

The customs forms aren’t filled out correctly. Apparently DHL has the information, as they literally read off what CW put in the paperwork for me to simply rewrite on another form. [edit - this means CW is filling out the customs forms and not the DHL form that’s required, hence why I’m now forced to do it using info from the customs forms] Totally ridiculous on the part of DHL and CW. And DHL is being rude like they’re doing me a favor. I wouldn’t use them if their service was free after this.

Whatever I’m over it. Sour taste about it all but I don’t have more time than I’ve already spent on this debacle. Live and learn.

Something really weird happens. Sometimes they sale through with no issues (my Ombre for example). Got the email to pay duty, paid it and on it came for delivery. My wife bought me my SC for my birthday. It was a nightmare. DHL kept asking her how many crystals it had. I guess that the exhibition case back was throwing them off. I don't know. It seems weird to me that there is no differentiation between a consumer buying a good for import and a bulk importer. That is how DHL treats everything. They contact you (the buyer) like you are a bulk importer and should have all of the forms in order. It can be really frustrating and my watch was a whisker away from being sent back through no fault of my wife. She finally got someone who knew what they were doing and got it sorted. IT shouldn't be this hard.

rkovars wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:28 pm

Robotaz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:17 pm

H0rati0 wrote:
Something weird here. Surely if the paperwork was incorrect DHL could not have shipped it to the US in the first place? It's not complicated: AWB and commercial invoices and no courier can operate without them.

Not to be an apologist for DHL (I have no affiliation) but I have found their Express service to be really good, if hardly cheap. They will accept watches and insure them properly to full value which most couriers will not. Of course Germany is DHL's back yard so if they can't get it right from here....

The customs forms aren’t filled out correctly. Apparently DHL has the information, as they literally read off what CW put in the paperwork for me to simply rewrite on another form. [edit - this means CW is filling out the customs forms and not the DHL form that’s required, hence why I’m now forced to do it using info from the customs forms] Totally ridiculous on the part of DHL and CW. And DHL is being rude like they’re doing me a favor. I wouldn’t use them if their service was free after this.

Whatever I’m over it. Sour taste about it all but I don’t have more time than I’ve already spent on this debacle. Live and learn.

Something really weird happens. Sometimes they sale through with no issues (my Ombre for example). Got the email to pay duty, paid it and on it came for delivery. My wife bought me my SC for my birthday. It was a nightmare. DHL kept asking her how many crystals it had. I guess that the exhibition case back was throwing them off. I don't know. It seems weird to me that there is no differentiation between a consumer buying a good for import and a bulk importer. That is how DHL treats everything. They contact you (the buyer) like you are a bulk importer and should have all of the forms in order. It can be really frustrating and my watch was a whisker away from being sent back through no fault of my wife. She finally got someone who knew what they were doing and got it sorted. IT shouldn't be this hard.

It certainly should not. It is DHL's offered (and paid for) service to clear customs and they cannot be expecting an end user to do it. Sounds like they don't have their act together in the USA in some locations at least.

H0rati0 wrote:

rkovars wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:28 pm

Robotaz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:17 pm The customs forms aren’t filled out correctly. Apparently DHL has the information, as they literally read off what CW put in the paperwork for me to simply rewrite on another form. [edit - this means CW is filling out the customs forms and not the DHL form that’s required, hence why I’m now forced to do it using info from the customs forms] Totally ridiculous on the part of DHL and CW. And DHL is being rude like they’re doing me a favor. I wouldn’t use them if their service was free after this.

Whatever I’m over it. Sour taste about it all but I don’t have more time than I’ve already spent on this debacle. Live and learn.

Something really weird happens. Sometimes they sale through with no issues (my Ombre for example). Got the email to pay duty, paid it and on it came for delivery. My wife bought me my SC for my birthday. It was a nightmare. DHL kept asking her how many crystals it had. I guess that the exhibition case back was throwing them off. I don't know. It seems weird to me that there is no differentiation between a consumer buying a good for import and a bulk importer. That is how DHL treats everything. They contact you (the buyer) like you are a bulk importer and should have all of the forms in order. It can be really frustrating and my watch was a whisker away from being sent back through no fault of my wife. She finally got someone who knew what they were doing and got it sorted. IT shouldn't be this hard.

It certainly should not. It is DHL's offered (and paid for) service to clear customs and they cannot be expecting an end user to do it. Sounds like they don't have their act together in the USA in some locations at least.

It’s stuck in Cincinnati where everything comes into the US. I wish I could say it’s a certain area, but it appears not.

I’m now emailing with multiple people to their individual DHL emails like I’ve got a $100 million shipment stuck in customs. LOL

This is sadly not the worst shipping debacle I’ve had with CW. A few years ago I tried to return a watch. They stood firm demanding I send the watch uninsured at my cost until I submitted proof of my expense, and at my risk. I refused and this went on for awhile and they finally caved and sent me a label. I had forgotten all about that until this mess. They have serious issues with shipping.

Robotaz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:55 pm A few years ago I tried to return a watch. They stood firm demanding I send the watch uninsured at my cost until I submitted proof of my expense, and at my risk. I refused and this went on for awhile and they finally caved and sent me a label. I had forgotten all about that until this mess. They have serious issues with shipping.

You have to be really careful with this. Most shippers will not insure a watch or jewelry for full value. For instance UPS bans shipping of watches over $500. The same with the post office at least for packages going overseas from the US. Fedex restriction is watches over $1000.

It is getting to where the only way to do it is to have personal insurance.

rkovars wrote:

Robotaz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:55 pm A few years ago I tried to return a watch. They stood firm demanding I send the watch uninsured at my cost until I submitted proof of my expense, and at my risk. I refused and this went on for awhile and they finally caved and sent me a label. I had forgotten all about that until this mess. They have serious issues with shipping.

You have to be really careful with this. Most shippers will not insure a watch or jewelry for full value. For instance UPS bans shipping of watches over $500. The same with the post office at least for packages going overseas from the US. Fedex restriction is watches over $1000.

It is getting to where the only way to do it is to have personal insurance.

You’re correct on the values for UPS and FedEx. But neither offer insurance of any kind. You pay to have a “declared value”, which means if you have purchased real insurance through some third party, the shippers provide proof of value. They don’t pay you anything.

It’s a very common misconception that UPS and FedEx provide insurance.

I still use EMS and Priority Mail through USPS. It’s real insurance up to their limits.

Never knew this before until now. Thank you

josbrownlie wrote:Never knew this before until now. Thank you

You are welcome. I have been through the trenches arguing ad nauseum on other fora about this, but the fine print is very clear.

But, even when you use USPS in the states you have to be aware of indemnity limits if you ship overseas. People tend to get very upset that Americans won’t sell overseas, but there’s a reason.

Indemnity limits are negotiated between the USPS and the postal systems of other nations. It’s the limit the receiving postal system will pay for loss. As long as your package is in the hands of the USPS, you will be reimbursed for the insurance you purchased. Once it’s in the hands of the receiving postal system, you only get the indemnity limit.

Canada’s indemnity limit is $200. The EU is $600. Some nations actually go up to $2500, the Priority Mail limit. These low limits to Canada and the EU are why Americans don’t want to sell watches over those limits, but will readily sell to other Americans. People take it personally a lot of times, but it’s just liability. Nothing personal.

I think a lot of the recent discussion on this thread illustrates the benefit that might come from creating a shipping FAQ thread. A lot of people could benefit from others’ experiences (and nightmares!) with international shipping, going in both directions.

We’ve had a number of really informative discussions across a number of threads over the last 12 months, at least.

jkbarnes wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 11:37 pm I think a lot of the recent discussion on this thread illustrates the benefit that might come from creating a shipping FAQ thread. A lot of people could benefit from others’ experiences (and nightmares!) with international shipping, going in both directions

+++1 Now that is an absolutely worthwhile idea and suggestion!!!

jkbarnes wrote:I think a lot of the recent discussion on this thread illustrates the benefit that might come from creating a shipping FAQ thread. A lot of people could benefit from others’ experiences (and nightmares!) with international shipping, going in both directions.

We’ve had a number of really informative discussions across a number of threads over the last 12 months, at least.

There’s some heavy lifting to do it right. We’d need to provide links to proof and with the USPS the links will constantly be dead and have to be updated, for example.

Number 2 from the sale arrived and it’s exceptional.
I had taxes to pay via dhl and it takes 2 mins. Get a text and email. And pay. I am in Australia but we definitely don’t have the issues you all have with customs into the US.. and we have very strict rules ..maybe just more competent people

Toph wrote:Number 2 from the sale arrived and it’s exceptional.
I had taxes to pay via dhl and it takes 2 mins. Get a text and email. And pay. I am in Australia but we definitely don’t have the issues you all have with customs into the US.. and we have very strict rules ..maybe just more competent people

C43B119B-6533-4823-9794-6F6350E8C496.jpeg

It’s not DHL for us. CW didn’t fill out the paperwork correctly.

Robotaz wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:51 am

Toph wrote:Number 2 from the sale arrived and it’s exceptional.
I had taxes to pay via dhl and it takes 2 mins. Get a text and email. And pay. I am in Australia but we definitely don’t have the issues you all have with customs into the US.. and we have very strict rules ..maybe just more competent people
C43B119B-6533-4823-9794-6F6350E8C496.jpeg

It’s not DHL for us. CW didn’t fill out the paperwork correctly.

It’s very odd, maybe the US, or certain states, just have some odd rules that CW don’t cater for, or the paperwork isn’t being read properly. I’ve bought over 10 CW and never had this issue. And as I say Australia has some very stringent import rules on certain items. Anyway I don’t really know but it seems to only happen on occasion and in the US

Toph wrote:

Robotaz wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 4:51 am

Toph wrote:Number 2 from the sale arrived and it’s exceptional.
I had taxes to pay via dhl and it takes 2 mins. Get a text and email. And pay. I am in Australia but we definitely don’t have the issues you all have with customs into the US.. and we have very strict rules ..maybe just more competent people
C43B119B-6533-4823-9794-6F6350E8C496.jpeg

It’s not DHL for us. CW didn’t fill out the paperwork correctly.

It’s very odd, maybe the US, or certain states, just have some odd rules that CW don’t cater for, or the paperwork isn’t being read properly. I’ve bought over 10 CW and never had this issue. And as I say Australia has some very stringent import rules on certain items. Anyway I don’t really know but it seems to only happen on occasion and in the US

I had a CW delivered correctly last week, but this week the watch had a value over $800 and CW blew it. That’s the difference.