Posted By Yousef
I wanted to review DHL’s @ Home forwarding service for over a week now, but I waited until my first 3 packages got to Kuwait so I can get a sense of DHL’s speed and their delivery patterns.
I ordered 3 packages, 1 of them was a laptop for a friend. The laptop took 12 days to arrive in Kuwait’s customs. The other packages, one took 12 days and the other took 8 days. Keep in mind that I start counting once they are delivered to my US mailbox, which is checked twice a week, every monday and thursday. Once the shipments arrive in Illinois in the mailbox, you’ll feel like you’ve been disconnected from the package until it arrives to Kuwait. There is no tracking number and no site to monitor the progress. You just have to wait. It can get frustrating as you wait and have no idea about your package status and its whereabouts. You may however call DHL in Kuwait and ask about it.
Now, my cousins had a different kind of experience with DHL’s @ Home Service. I learned that DHL once misprinted the value of one of the packages which contained a couple of PC games and printed an extra zero, causing my cousin to pay around 45kd as tax for a package not worth that much. While my other cousin told us that they do not use DHL throughout the route to Kuwait. They use other company to deliver the package from illinois to Bahrain, then use DHL to deliver the packages from Bahrain to Kuwait.
First impressions can make or break a company nowadays. DHL should know that by now. Having no advantage over other competitors and no site to go with the service is not helping at all. What would make anyone leave their current forwarding service and join DHL? What will motivate them? At the moment, the answer is Nothing.
Having said all that. I think its still too premature to make a real judgment as to whether I’d continue using DHL for my online shopping or if I would go back to the miserable Aramex. They both, up to now, are doing a job that leaves much to be desired. But DHL being the company that it is, makes me a bit more hopeful for a real improvement. And with Sarita on board, it actually makes it worth giving it a chance.
UPDATE:
Click here for a newer updated review
My experience with them is just as bad:
1. No tracking, even though we’re supposed to be dealing with DHL.
2. ALL my packages were stopped in customs and were required to pay a fee (nothing less than 10-15 KD).
3. Packages stop in Bahrain in their route to Kuwait which causes big delays in deliveries.
4. This is a big point, they don’t charge you by weight only. They use the volume of the package. So one of my packages (a small box) weighs 3lb but it was charged as 5KG which if you calculate it is four times the weight.
You’re basically not dealing with DHL and putting the DHL name on the service can be very misleading.
Highly Unrecommended. I’m not using them anymore. Aramex is heaven compared to this.
Yousef & Ahmad I fully agree with you Gentlemen I’ve faced almost the same with DHL 2 packages took around 12 days to reach Kuwait one of them were transfered to Ministry of Health because the shipment contains a beauty supply items and still I have not yet received it and the other package contain the same items but they made me pay 8KD for custom clearance (as they said) and not transfered to MOH although both shipments containing the same items.
Have you tried ushopweship.com?
Aramex sucks in my opinion, been with them for years and after 2 arguments I finally stopped using their services.
finally, we may conclude that aramex is No.1 compared to all the services available.
DHL = expensive + no tracking
ushopweship = no tracking (u must e-mail them do know, and most of the time they ignore the emails)
aramex = tracking/normal pricing.
First, DHL hired ex-Aramex Shop & Ship employee, which stole email contacts from Aramex database and started spamming us with their ads
Now I read DHL have no tracking! 12 days is too long. I’ve never had wrong price printing from Aramex. Looks to me like an easy choice.
Thanks a lot for sharing your valuable experience with us.
DHL @ Home Service Review
DHL recently entered the virtual US shipping address forwarding to Kuwait business and want to chase up with Aramex. This is the first thorough review I’ve read.
Note that ex-Aramex employee moved to DHL and started contacting Aramex customers she de…
Is that THE Sarita that used to be working for Aramex a couple of years ago?
This is a non biased, comprehensive and informative review, thanks a lot.
I’m not with Aramex as I had my share of arguments with them, but relatively they are doing a good job and gained good experience to this category.
Thanks for the review. I’ve been wondering if they’re any better than the competition. I guess I’ll stick with Aramex after all.
Ahmad thats a bad experience! but how did you know about their route and the Bahrain stop?
Mr. Solutions I really wanted this company to be good, just to save us the Aramex and ushopweship hassles. 🙁
Я I didn’t use ushopweship personally but many friends have and they’re not saying good things about it either..
Hamad But Aramex make up their own prices sometimes.. I heard sa3at ibogon ashkara lol INM told me so.
Bashar Aramex is like an old ugly shoe. its ugly, its old but you’re comfortable using it 😛
Touché Yes! that Sarita! 😀 and thanks 🙂
Bojacob you do that, atleast until DHL get their ish together.
DHL@Home still needs miles of improvement.
my package is in Kuwait ( after about 2 weeks since it arrived to my US box ) now its still in customs as i’ve been told.
Still need a tracking system, time to be shipped to Kuwait has to be reduced unless the shipping method was on camels..
ARAMEX cannot import perfumes and paramedical item. Thank god there is DHL@HOME who can challenge any quieries, and can import all my items and can insure them as well. What makes me more happy that all my packages are re-weighed upon arrival and charged as per the contrac. This makes me more comfortable and I am sure that I am not overcharged.
Yes Zeus you are right. I’m subscribed with DHL@Home and glad that I did. I’m receiving all that I ship and I’m happy. They are extremely professional and give quality service for the price that I pay.
Hey guys I got an email from Aramex regardign the increase in prices w.e.f 1st July. Its good that I switched to DHL.
I used DHL @ home service and would like to recommend everyone to use this for all there shipping needs from US. The best part is it is very economical and the service you get when you call DHL for the status is really overwhelming. One point contact for all needs.
I just got a mobile phone from USA and i received it in 8 working days ( Including customs clearence ). DHL made me aware of all the ppwrks req to clear the shipment when it come to customs. Accordingly i got the Ministry of communication approval before hand and once the shipment landed i submitted it to the clearence dept. To my surprise the shipment was cleared and delivered to me the next day.
Just want to appreaciate the real good service which DHL has come up with.
All the best and expect the same service everytime for my future shipments.
I shipped a package next day air on the 10th fron Nasville TN to Reddinng CA. It was not delivered the next day. I sent an e-mail request asking what happened and was told it will be delivered by the 21st before the end of the day.
DHL service is terrible. I could have mailed it via the post office and got there faster..
Its “” USHOP THEY SHITTT””” ..substandard company running on the mercy of skynet at the back..no tracking,no detials, and claim offer of 30$ even if your item worths 1000$…
once my order was with two boxes as single consignment, but they shipped seperately there each box was held in customs and i paid twice for one shipment…is that fair ??????