Can I sue DHL for delayed shipment and therefore missed revenue

[Farmersblendcof]

Hi there. I have an issue with my forwarder DHL. I am a small coffee roaster based in Vietnam. recently I wanted to start selling my goods on amazon via the fba option. Now, in November I had my first meeting with DHL and we discussed estimated delivery time which DHL accossiates mentioned 14 days (i have this written in meeting minutes). So we sent the first shipment on 22ND November and it arrived in the us on 3Rd December. Now it apperantly stuck in customs until 20 December. I never got any information from DHL nor any explanation about possible issues. So basically it took alrwady 4 weeks and I lost all my Christmas business. Then finally they told me delivery was complete on 23Rd December. From this date it was in amazon warehouse hands. Now the last 2 days I contacted amazon but they had never received the inventory to this date. So i sent a email to DHL Vietnam asking for proof of delivery. (online tracking status mentioned delivery complete) today 30.12. I received an email that amazon declined the delivery and set a new deliver date on the 31st December. But I never was informed about this delay. My question now is, we are way passed the 2 weeks delivery promise and I lost all me Christmas business and the after Christmas business as well. Can I sue DHL for this as also I feel misinformed and the customer service continues lied to me. I'm one email they mention that they delivery date will be 14the December, obviously never happened. I would appreciate some advice the goods worth is 2500 usd and the estimated retail revenue would have been easy 12.000. any advice will be appreciated.

 

[quincy]

Hi there. I have an issue with my forwarder DHL. I am a small coffee roaster based in Vietnam. recently I wanted to start selling my goods on amazon via the fba option. Now, in November I had my first meeting with DHL and we discussed estimated delivery time which DHL accossiates mentioned 14 days (i have this written in meeting minutes). So we sent the first shipment on 22ND November and it arrived in the us on 3Rd December. Now it apperantly stuck in customs until 20 December. I never got any information from DHL nor any explanation about possible issues. So basically it took alrwady 4 weeks and I lost all my Christmas business. Then finally they told me delivery was complete on 23Rd December. From this date it was in amazon warehouse hands. Now the last 2 days I contacted amazon but they had never received the inventory to this date. So i sent a email to DHL Vietnam asking for proof of delivery. (online tracking status mentioned delivery complete) today 30.12. I received an email that amazon declined the delivery and set a new deliver date on the 31st December. But I never was informed about this delay. My question now is, we are way passed the 2 weeks delivery promise and I lost all me Christmas business and the after Christmas business as well. Can I sue DHL for this as also I feel misinformed and the customer service continues lied to me. I'm one email they mention that they delivery date will be 14the December, obviously never happened. I would appreciate some advice the goods worth is 2500 usd and the estimated retail revenue would have been easy 12.000. any advice will be appreciated.

I'm sorry, Farmersblendcof. This site handles US legal questions and concerns only. I am afraid you will need to find help from legal advisors in Vietnam.

Good luck.

 

[Zigner]

How can you blame DHL for delays caused by US Customs?

 

[FlyingRon]

US Customs goes into delay mode all the time during the holiday period. Shipments get stuck in "retained at customs: reason unknown" during busy times. They don't have the ability nor incentive to step up processing during the busy times. It's not the carriers fault and it is something anybody who ships internationally into the US should be well aware of. (That is: It's your fault).

 

[justalayman]

Why did your story start with dhl gave you an estimated time but in your last lost you said it was a promised time.

Unless dhl guaranteed the 14 days ya got nothing.

 

[Farmersblendcof]

I understand that customs can take longer. What makes me upset is the fact that DHL never informed me about anything. Sure delays happen, but at the end of the day, they told me it was delivered when as a matter of fact it wasn't.

 

[Farmersblendcof]

14 days is an estimated time. As I am a first time exporter I relay on my forwarders experience as well as I like to be updated on situations. This never happened. I got wrong information all the time.

 

[justalayman]

So they made a mistake. You aren't owed anything for the mistake. You wouldn't be owed anything if it was an outright lie.

They also aren't going to contact everybody whose shipments are delayed. It is unrealistic to expect that.


Unless they guaranteed delivery within 14 days none of any of this matters.

 

[justalayman]

14 days is an estimated time. As I am a first time exporter I relay on my forwarders experience as well as I like to be updated on situations. This never happened. I got wrong information all the time.

So it was not a guarantee. Ya got nothing.

 

[xylene]

Any guarantee by DHL would entitle you at most to a refund of shipping charges paid by you.

If you never received the item you would have a claim for the value of the merchandise up to the insured and declared amount



The DHL agreement general terms and conditions and international rider specifically exclude consequential damages.

 

[quincy]

Farmersblendcof, because you are in Vietnam, and we handle US legal questions and concerns only, you will need to take up the delivery issues with DHL Vietnam or consult with a legal advisor in Vietnam as to how best to proceed.

Know that there were MANY delays this year at US Customs (more than in a typical year).

Good luck.

 

[Farmersblendcof]

looks like not much I can do. Anyways thanks for the advice and I think the best might be to change the forwarder in the future. Hope the customers service will be better ....

 

[quincy]

looks like not much I can do. Anyways thanks for the advice and I think the best might be to change the forwarder in the future. Hope the customers service will be better ....

Good luck.

 

[FlyingRon]

DHL is not obliged to inform you of anything.

 

[Dandy Don]

If you had signed a contract with DHL for them to specifically handle your shipments then you might have had recourse but if you are just a customer using them for infrequent shipments then they will treat you differently.