First Class USPS Shipping but DHS Involved?

[brevard_ed]

I ordered an item that indicated First Class USPS Shipping. When I tried tracking the package it was revealed that DHS had the package and "in transit" was the only info provided for 4 days. Then it was stated that the package delivered to USPS but USPS says awaiting package. How did a slow service like DHS get involved with a First Class USPS shipment? DHS has slowed delivery by several days and I cannot fathom why anyone would choose it unless it is dirt cheap.

[berserkerplanet]

You must mean DHL not DHS (Department of Homeland Security).

The seller used DHL Smartmail Parcel or Parcel Plus*, hybrid economy services like FedEx Smartpost or UPS Surepost where DHL handles initial leg of transit, and USPS provides last mile delivery.

And yes, probably because the item is over 15.99oz, can't be shipped via First Class Package as a result, and the DHL option is likely dirt cheap compared to Priority Mail.


*DHL has had various names for these partnership hybrid services over the years and these are the current ones.

(I believe DHL can no longer deliver last mile directly to customers in the US since they pulled out of the US years ago, and because they are a German Company, per Federal law/mail regulations. Thus the use of partners like USPS, and soon crowdsourced delivery companies, for the last mile and final delivery on everything)

[lja440]

Racking my brain for DHS. You must mean DHL. 

I can see your problem. DHL does not operate in most of the US. If it were UPS or FedEx I'd say that UPS you will have a delay but it should arrive fine. FedEx is kinda a **bleep** shoot unless you are in an urban area. DHL I can't give you any kind of realistic timeframe.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Well Noone is shipping the way listing says, Fedex Ground will be shipped Fedex Smart post, Ups turns into parcel select Usps, Expedited Shipping just means they will ship it in 2 days  by economy,   And How are they listing with 3 days handling time Standard shipping but it will take 3 weeks.. ( i added Picture) its only 4 hours away from me?

[saturnotaku]

The only time DHL delivers last mile is if you're receiving an international package. 

I get parcels from their version of SmartPost all the time. Delivery falls within the same timeframe as comparable UPS and FedEx services - generally 5-7 business days depending on origin.

[brevard_ed]

Thanks for the corrections, I did mean DHL. From now on I will clarify with seller if they really mean First Class USPS . First class USPS is petty fast, DHL added about 4 days to shipping with no interim tracking.

Once it worked in my favor on a guaranteed delivery date. DHL was involved and delivery was 4 days late and eBay gave me a $5 coupon. Now the same seller doesn't offer guaranteed delivery.

[berserkerplanet]

>>The only time DHL delivers last mile is if you're receiving an international package.

Do they? I haven't dealt with DHL as a shipper in a decade (since they stopped running their yellow vans around and picking up from dropboxes), and have never received a DHL incoming pkg, but everything I can find indicates they have essentially zero presence on the ground in the US.

When they discontinued domestic shipping operations, I'm guessing that took out their smaller international delivery network also, and they hand off the international stuff to US shipping partners for last mile delivery also.
https://money.cnn.com/2008/11/10/news/companies/dhl/index.htm

Since they are not permitted to fly anything between airports in the US, and hand it off to UPS, FedEx, other air transport contractors to get it from the inbound international airports to other regions anyway, it would make sense for the other contractors to perform the last mile.

Have you actually seen yellow DHL vans delivering and/or DHL employes in uniform since 2008?

I am truly curious whether they still have any delivery infrastructure in the US. They offer no domestic express services in the US, but must have some sort of outbound ground trucking network in place to handle the Smartmail regional transport, freight, and outbound and inbound international shipments.


>>I get parcels from their version of SmartPost all the time. Delivery falls within the same timeframe as
>>comparable UPS and FedEx services - generally 5-7 business days depending on origin.

I'd expect that. All the services are pretty the same. Handoff fumbling to USPS delays would be about the only differences, but good to know they are all about the same.

[peterkirby]

It looks like the item's location may be misrepresented. Sometimes you can spot these because the estimated delivery time will take 10 or more business days, despite claiming to ship from the USA, to the USA. This is done by claiming a very long handling time, to try to avoid being dinged by eBay for slow delivery.

Overall it works like this: (a) Establish some kind of fake presence in the USA, (b) get the lower costs of being in another country, (c) often even get lower postage for sending from a developing country due to international treaties, (d) try to control the negatives you get for being slow and sending from a different location ... and, profit.

As a buyer, you can refuse to buy from sellers whose estimated delivery time is longer than about 6-8 business days despite a claimed domestic presence. You can usually find a different seller with a better handling time.