A container from Europe arrived in 2008. The supplier filled out all the correct info on the Commercial Invoice, the Packing Dec and the Bill of Lading. It arrived in Port Melbourne, and the "night staff" ticked the wrong box. Instead of going from the wharf to Sunshine, it went to Newport. That's just a "tick box" - does not seem like much - but - At Newport, they empty the container. That's the AQIS inspection depot. My Driver goes to Sunshine to pick up the container, only to find it was not there, and it was moved overnight to Newport and then the staff emptied the container, and as per process, my pinballs were inspected. Every single game was removed. My container (58 games) lay in a warehouse with forklifts buzzing around, and priceless EMs and SS games with backglasses exposed. It WAS a big deal. what should have cost $700 suddenly cost me 2 transport trips, then a Hire truck for 2 days. no help from anyone (accept a fellow pinhead - Marco). AQIS don't care, my former Freight forwarder didn't care and the Staff at Newport wanted my games gone.
WOW, what a mess !!
I know how it feels, but on a smaller scale
I've got many stories about importing stuff by air freight (using DHL, EMS and so on), that gets delivered to my door.
Tracking is a massive help, but once it lands in Aus, DHL use a third party courier and this is where trouble starts.
Once the third party is involved, DHL's Tracking stops ! then there's no of finding out who the third party is, unless I call them.
By the time the boxes get to me half the time, they've been thrown around so much the box spits open and who know whats missing ?
Then there's customs, ripping through my boxes to check whats in them !
Many items have been ruined over the years as anything that is bubble wrapped, customs just run the stanley knife through it !
But yeah many a time I'm stressing out about my orders getting here on time and safely.
