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First Impression Information Kuwait Personal Shopping

First Impression: DHL EasyShop

I just received my first package with DHL today and I have decided they will be my primary shipping courier from now on and here is why.

1) I was able to sign up, open an account and pay for it all online and in a few minutes

2) Their mailbox is located in Ohio which means I no longer need to pay the 8.375% New York sales tax

3) It seems they ship packages the next day which means my package doesn’t sit in the mailbox in the States for long

4) They have EXTREMELY detailed tracking (check this)

5) Because they have extremely detailed tracking I can use the iPhone app Delivery Status to keep track of my packages

6) They’re fast. Package shipped December 2nd, arrived to Kuwait December 5th, cleared customs and was ready to pick up on the 6th

7) They don’t deliver but they have 4 pick up locations, Khaleejia in Kuwait City, Ardiya, Fahaheel and Camp Arifjan. The Ardiya branch is open till midnight everyday except on Friday they close at 9. The Kuwait City branch closes at 9 every day.

8) You pay based on weight and the size of the package doesn’t effect how much you pay

9) It’s KD3.5 for the first half kilo and then its KD2.5 for every half

Now to clear something up. Like Aramex, you also have to pay customs for packages over $100. The stories about Aramex making up this 5% to make more money is not true. But, unlike Aramex, with DHL you pay 5% customs and KD3.5 handling fee. With Aramex its just a KD1 handling fee. Now the advantage of DHL is they clear the package the same day while with Aramex it currently looks like its taking over a week.

I picked up my Drobo today and I paid KD31 shipping and KD8 for customs and handling. Overall I found DHL cheaper than Aramex. Why? Because you save on the New York sales tax, because you pay based on actual weight and not volumetric weight and because you pay KD2.5 for every half KG instead of Aramex’s KD2.750.

If you want to sign up for an account here is the link to their website [Link]

Note: Ignore the shipping price that’s displayed in your DHL account when tracking a package. My Drobo according to the online invoice was going to cost me KD70.57 in shipping fees but that was based on volumetric weight which was calculated to be 11.02 kg. Before I picked up my package they put it on the scale and it weighed 5.5 kg and thats what I paid for.

102 replies on “First Impression: DHL EasyShop”

Well Mark, my shipment arrived in my mailbox November 30th, i still didn’t not a call neither anything, it’s in Kuwait but i don’t know what’s up really.

You have to be more specific, your package arrived to your DHL mailbox? Did you log in to your account and check the status? Log in to your account and click on Delivery Status on the right. Do you see your package there?

Well if you think about, if DHL would deliver your package like Aramex, then the price might be the same if that service is available.

I don’t think any courier service would deliver your package for FREE. There is always something to make up for the fuel, car, and driver salary.

I guess if it really comes down to it if you add all of these things up….they may be the same after all.

Minus the detailed tracking of course.

TweeZ I don’t think so since you would still save the 8% tax which is a big chunk when you order stuff like laptops. And waiting two weeks to get your package is not the same as waiting 4 days. It’s not like price is the only advantage of DHL, its the whole experience which was very smooth and hassle free.

Now of course this is based on 1 shipment so not really much to go by, Thats why I called this a first impression and not a review. I am also curious to see how DHL will change (if it will change) once they get more customers.

When I first got my Aramex account in 2001 I used to go over to their Kuwait City branch and pick up the package. They didn’t have delivery.

yep, then it slowly started becoming expensive because of the FREE delivery service to all of the new customers.

I predict the same will happen to DHL in the long run.

All courier services in Kuwait will get the Aramex syndrome once they start having lots of cutomers to take care of. Hey, maybe that’s why the delivery takes a while….lack of drivers maybe.

I checked everything, i saw it was just checked from clearance, i believe that’s the customs, but no one seems to pick it up from DHL, which is weird.

even if it’s been week now, I’ll never go back to Aramex.

Even if the prices of oil became cheaper, they don’t decrease prices, that’s the economy, i haven’t seen anything decreased in Kuwait, i mean the world crises been hard on the world market, but in Kuwait, it didn’t change.

Well DHL stop this volumetric thing as they wanted more customers and i assure you, they do how a large base now, my brother had his account for years with them, only downside before it used to cost a lot when you ship, and when i say a lot i mean triple to what Aramex charge.

Frederic no one calls you when the package is here. You just go pick it up. Call this number and give them your tracking number: 24318300

My 1.5tb drives that shipped on the 3rd are currently showing me this:

December 06, 2009 21:23 Kuwait – Kuwait
Arrived at DHL facility in Kuwait – Kuwait

December 06, 2009 21:53 Kuwait – Kuwait
Clearance delay

December 06, 2009 21:53 Kuwait – Kuwait
Processed for clearance at Kuwait – Kuwait

I did not say that companies lose money by having more customers. I think I was missunderstood.

What I’m saying, is that IF companies get the aramex syndrome, they risk losing customers…like yourself.

DHL reminds me of Aramex when it first started, back when I used to pick up my packages from Salmiya next to Al-Manara book shop.

Aramex was not popular back then, but as soon as more people knew about it, it started getting expensive…especially when they added the FREE delivery service.

My prediction is that the same story might, and I certainly hope not, happen with DHL EasyShop in the long run once they start getting more customers.

SWOS: So you ignore the fact that you don’t pay the 8% tax and the fact it costs 250fils less per half kilo and instead focus on the extra KD2.5 you need to pay for custom clearance?

I mean if you prefer you could always go back to paying the NY tax and KD2.750 per half kilo just so that you can pay one dinar to clear packages 😉

(wears tinfoil hat)

Interesting, me and a friend noticed that packages from non-DHL easyshop (myus for example) stay in bahrain for 1-2+ days.

I need more data to work with though 🙂

I am about to sign up with them, just needed to ask 1 question, what would be the complete shipping charge (including,customs,handling,taxes) of an Ipod Touch 64 GB.

I know you guys won’t be able to tell be the exact figure but a guess would be nice.

(Haven’t Done Online Shopping Before)

Mark you said that DHL has 4 pick up locations; my question is, how do you know which one your package is at when you go to pick it up?

I’ve just seen the answer to my question! You select the location when you sign up!
Does anyone recommend any of the 4 locations? Of course the closest to where you live would be good but I’m wondering if any of them are less crowded, have better parking etc. than the others.

Do you know what is really F-ing stupid? That Aramex doesn’t take the time to monitor their bad press and address it. I have written about Aramex – you have consistently written about Aramex. Do they not understand the words “Customer Service” and/or “Quality Assurance”.

DO A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY, ARAMEX!!!!

Guys,

How about YouShopWeShip, it offers the cheapest rates at about 2.750 for 1/2 kg.
Has anyone tried that out???

Desert Girl: Actually I think thats one of Aramex’s advantages over DHL, that they do monitor press and try to solve the problems of the customer. For example I posted about this reader who received a damaged package 2 days back, yesterday Aramex refunded the guy the full amount. I am not sure what DHL would have done and I am not sure who to go to at DHL if there ever was a problem. Aramex monitors blogs and tweets and they participate and interact with the readers. So I’d to give it to Aramex in that regards.

its only the begining , after customers increase they will be as bad as you shop we ship , which you recomanded by the way mark 😉

Hey did u know that the customs should take the 5% on 100KD!!! NOT 100$ as Aramex claims and also if it for personal use you shouldnt pay anything .. im going to the press with this.

then what is Hamad yapping about?! Lol, he’s going to the press without checking his facts!

I also highly doubt that the press will give two shits about this issue anyways.

Mark,
You have made similar posts regarding UShopWeShip’s superiority to Aramex and are now doing the same with EasyShop. However, UShopWeShip’s service has clearly declined in the past year or so and you fail to even mention USWS in any of your recent blog posts, let alone provide a comparison of EasyShop with USWS (which is only fair). Why is it that you never speak of them anymore, and why are you disregarding the comments above regarding USWS? I signed up to USWS based on your recommendation and evidence that USWS is far better than Aramex, yet in subsequent blog posts you state that you use Aramex! Care to explain? 😉 😛

Jaybeans i have mentioned this clearly before that there is no one solution for all company. I currently use usws, DHL and Aramex for my shipments and am considering a myus account for heavier stuff. If you find one company not working for you change. Why should u be stuck with the same company if you are not satisfied? When Aramex improve or DHL gets worse I will change again, it’s great to have this option.

Anybody know which is the best DHL location to select for the pick up?
I really want to sign up but don’t know which one to select!

Select the closest one to you or one based on your timings. The Kuwait City branch is small and only has 1 person working there so please no one use that so that I don’t have to wait an hour to get my package.

Mark,

I came here to comment on that exact thing!

People please take my advise and don’t use khaleejia branch as your pickup point. the way to and from there is sooo annoying and crowded and you have to wait in line forever to pickup your package. I will switch to Ardiya branch which is like 3 minutes from the avenues.

Wala whatever I chose the closest thing to me and that happened to be the Kuwait City branch. I am not going all the way to ardiya to pick up a package.

Just got my 2 packages from aramex shipped on 28th and 1st. Not bad 7-10 days including customs.

But very unhappy that the first package value was listed as 188$ which was the cost of item before amazon deducts the free shipping charges and promotional discounts. I had paid only 97$ to amazon after discounts. I had anticipated this will happen and kept an amazon copy of invoice with me before the delivery guy came.

Aramex charged me an additional 3 KD for customs. I refused to pay and called customer service. They were courteous enough to cancel the customs charges and asked me to give a copy of the original invoice to the delivery guy.

How can they charge customs on the original value of the item before discounts instead of the actual value we paid?
Everyone still on aramex, be careful and keep an invoice copy ready with you when the delivery guy comes.

Hi Mark
When I did the registration it did not ask me for any fees at all
And they gave me UK & US Addresses

It seems my account is active without the one time fees

Is that normal or what
I am afraid to start using it and then found that some thing went wrong

ok i’m not yapping things or starting rumors i went to the customs myself and i have got facts , im not stupid that when i present something to the press that it turn out to be wrong and im NOT going to be the stupid ones who pay extra for companies who wants to rip off even one of the managers at the customs told me “did you consider the fact that the companies are ripping you off and not us?” i also have facts that when my friend went to the customs he has 2 items that are THE EXACT same price he payed 2 different types of amounts they are doing things as 3ala kifhom NOT by the rules.

@ Hamad
Who are doing things 3ala kayfhom?
Please explain to us

If it is true what you are saying and can be proven, then you might actually have something here that is worth a story.

@ TweeZ
the customs itself are taking as they like without people checking for example my friend ordered 2 things exactly the same price . one arrived early and one a couple of days after, he paid 2 different amounts to the customs !!! even their rate that they convert $ to KD is wrong. Please check your bills and see for yourself if it is really true. even when i said “Show me the papers that says you have to take from me any kind of money they said they dont have !!”

yes i know that there is a story and if you have anything that you think its not fair with papers or invoices please tell me it will help.

So, the corruption is from customs? Well, I’m not surprised.

Here is a golden tip for eveyone that visits this blog. If you have ANY complaints regarding any issue that deals with commercial goods or services, please do not hesitate to call this number:
135
That number is for the consumers protection service, 7imayat almostahlik. If you have a searious case like unfairness, commercial cheating or fraud and can PROVE IT, please give them a call.

Lol stupid customs. God this is so annoying, a few days ago some auto parts came and I paid it’s shipping weight plus 5% for customs, now some beauty product that is worth around 30 dollars for my mother came in and I get charged 13 kd customs with dhl easyshop. If you want something that’s not a gamble each time you order go with Aramex as it’s always 5% 1 kd, but you have to wait quite a while before it releases from customs. Sadly I can’t wait so I am stuck dealing with these assholes. (customs, not dhl easy shop).

I don’t know mark, some crap about Stamp and Bayan. For my mothers nail polish thing, it cost 30 USD and you know the 5% rule only applies with items more than 100 USD. With my two previous shipments with DHL I paid one with custom fees since it was above 100 USD and one without, just shipping. I just hope it isn’t random and just related to products similar to beauty products and such.

I closed my DHL easyshop account as I find it useless and more expensive than aramex. Also, I don’t do business with companies that don’t offer “home delivery”

KA fan it would be great if you can give us some details. saying they’re useless is just silly specially when everyone whos started using them is much happier with them than they were with aramex.

FIrst half kg
Aramex = KD3
DHL = KD3.5

Every half after that
Aramex = KD2.750
DHL = KD2.500

in addition, Aramex is located in NY so you pay an additional %8 tax on the items you purchase. DHL is located in Ohio so you save %8 tax you would have paid with Aramex.

DHL doesn’t deliver but your package arrives to Kuwait and ready to pick up in 4 days including the customs clearance. Aramex delivers but your package needs around 10 days to get to you with customs clearance.

Just to be clear, the biggest advantage DHL has going for it at the moment is the 8% saving in tax and the fact your packages get to you in 4 days compared with the 10 its taking Aramex. The 250fils savings here or the 500fils extra there really isn’t that much of a difference.

DHL:
1) 4 – 7 days delivery (my last package took 7 days to arrive to Kuwait -EXCLUDING customs delays)
2) You are charged on either volumneric or actual weight, whichever is higher (Obvious scam – you pay 2x the price of your total goods or 3x the price of your total goods if there were customs)
3) No home delivery (Kuwait city branch is crowded and difficult to find a parking space in addition to having only 1 – 2 guys working there)
4) Takes 24 hours to ship rather than “same-day” shipping + no consolidation to reduce shipping charge for multiple items.

Aramex:
1) 3 – 10 days delivery (similar to DHL)
2) CHEAPER even with customs charges than DHL + Aramex don’t have the volumneric weight crap for the S&S service.
3) FREE home delivery
4) UK mailbox as opposed to DHL.

Why do you keep saying Aramex is KD2.750 for every 1/2 kg. Aramex charges me KD3 for the 1st half and KD2.500 for every half after that. Even the rate calculator says KD3 first half KD2.5 every half after that.
Rate Calculator

Destination: Kuwait
Weight: 5.5
Unit: KG LB
Cost: 28 KWD

See 28 KWD subtract 3 KWD = 25 KWD
25 KWD divided by 10 = 2.5 KWD each half kg

I’m just saying — if your package is 15 lbs (7kg) or more your better off using MyUs. I just had a shipment sent over weighing 208 lbs. This is what I paid

Weight: 208.9 lbs or 94.7 Kg
Costs
Weight Cost: $645.80
Box Consolidation $90.00 = 32 boxes
Insurance Charge $28.00
Total Charges $763.80

LESS insurance which was optional, I paid 3.52 USD = 1.00426 KWD PER lb.!!!!

YES, YOU HEARD ME 1KD PER POUND!!! My package was sent via Fedex with a tracking #. My shipment was sent out on Dec. 7 scheduled to arrive Kuwait Dec. 15 (Air Freight is less expensive but takes longer)

I will let you know about customs charges when my shipment is cleared.

I just called to check on my 2.5 HDD , the charge is 18KD
I think this is ridiculous amount , since the item is less than USD 100 .
oh well I guess they went back to calculated weight , not actual weight .

I paid usd 89 for it , I’m not going to pay $70.00 for shipping and customs .

guys be warned . Easyshop is not as easy . I’d rather wait for Aramex to clear items and pay much less .

You are scaring me. Based on Mark recommendation, I switched from Aramex to DHL EasyShop. I just ordered iPhone car mount holder from Amazon for $29 including shipping. I can’t imagine myself paying DHL more than what the product cost me. I’m expecting the package to arrive within few days. I guess.. I’ll wait and see how things will turn out. Looks like I’m going back to Aramex.

KD6 for .55kg is just 500fils more expensive than aramex, thats not a big deal. the bigger deal is some people are reporting that for items that cost under $100 they’re having to pay ridiculous clearance charges. i haven’t experienced that yet but i am now shipping everything over $100 to dhl and everything under to usws and aramex.

i think EASYSHOP from DHL is the best, transit time is better than ARAMEX including customs clearence. DHL offered a Real good tracking and did not charge any custom duties or clearence charges as they promised when i opened my mailbox. I think you will have to pay clearence charges and custom duties only if your shipment value is above 100 $, however, aramex took almost 15 days to get my shipment from the mailbox, so i’m not going to use aramex. only difference is dhl is not delivering the package, you must the package from their office.

Michael.Pls check this link https://www.borderlinx.com/m/total-cost-calculator & you will find that they are stating the following

“The volumetric weight of a shipment is a calculation that reflects the density of a package. A less dense item generally occupies more volume of space, in comparison to its actual weight. The volumetric or dimensional weight is calculated and compared with the actual weight of the shipment to ascertain which is greater; the higher weight is used to calculate the shipment cost.”

So they are the same as other couriers calculating the higher weight

Mark.Are you sure of this?I don’t think so.This is an international policy & I don’t think they will break it in Kuwait.In Saudi they are doing the same.I found this link in your site https://www.noeasyshop.com/
It’s not only DHL.All couriers are doing the same.I don’t know what happened with you when you received your Drobo but maybe they want to make some marketing activity through you (lol).

Hosam its a none fact thats been discussed a number of times already. DHL Kuwait charge on actual weight and not volumetric. If you don’t believe me just call them.

Hi there,

I signed up with DHL easy shopping based on your recommendation, and I bought a Camera, 15th of the month, and DHL received it on Dec 18th, everything was going fine until the tracking thing stopped on 19th stating: Departed from DHL facility in New York City-Gateway, NY – USA.

I called them couple of times, first yesterday 20th, where the operator said: I’m checking the system and the package in fact is on the way to Bahrain. But then there was nothing really on my tracking screen. I told myself time should solve that. and waited till today, when again I called them, another operator said that this delay is due to the weather problems in Europe. and I can’t really buy that when I’m actually entering the 3rd day after the tracking report has stopped !

here’s a copy of the report: https://i45.tinypic.com/2u7vxag.jpg

haha ..

Either my post scared them, or I had to face almost 3days delay … just a while after the last post .. my stuff reached Bahrain:

Arrived at Sort Facility Bahrain – Bahrain00:01 Bahrain – Bahrain

hi,

i wanted to buy clothes from ralphlauren.com and ship it to my aramex shop and ship address; just to found out that they dont deliver to their address anymore because customers complaining. is there any other solution to this? i checked dhl easyshop cost calculator, the cost was very high. any other way to do this?

i just need us address and since i have fedex account, fedex can go and pick up the item there and put it in my aramex address.

for the benefit of everyone that’s consider DHL easyshop, they don’t allow you to consolidate shipments. i know this has been mentioned in other places but it wasn’t clear to me until after i’d signed up.

Borderlinx (DHL’s forwarding partner i think) offers this service but not for kuwait via DHL or possibly otherwise. I wasn’t paying attention to this fact I guess but that’s why it helps to ask before you buy. I thought I could pick and choose what gets sent when but unfortunately that’s not that case for us desert rats.

Hi Mark,I need your help please.I am going to order a full size headphone from Germany and it costs about $600 shipped via DHL Germany.it’s weight is less than kilo,I think it is 900 grams but the box and headphones are big(jvc victor DX1000).I was wondering how much DHL will charge me?I once bought an mp3 player from USA for $120 and they delivered it to my home and didn’t take anything,no customs or anything.will they charge me for the $600 headphones?please tell me I really need to know.thank you.

I have been reading these reviews. DHL E does not work with particular, i know they open accounts only for companies. I have never tried anything online shipping, but surely i would go for DHL, never heard of Aramex worldwilde.
thanks guys for all these updates.

DHL easyshop just scammed me on my second shipment. stick to SHOPNSHIP!

here are the details:

3 pounds = 31 KD! yes: that is 31 kuwaiti dinars for a 1.3 kilo / 3 pound package. absolutely crazy.

the chart here (https://248am.com/images/pricechart.jpg) shows that i should have been charged 8.5 KD!

also note that i’ve been back and forth with them to enable SMS notices but so far after more than a month there’s no progress!

i know it sounds like a rant but trust me SHOPNSHIP never ripped me off this much.

im sorry shopnship…

further info: it looks like they’re playing the volumetric scam again contrary to what mark and the posters here have said. im being charged 31KD for a 18KD apple keyboard!

dirty DHL. very dirty. why dont you stick to ripping off your corporate clients and leave the individual shoppers alone.

Huda,
This is what I tried to explain to Mark.
DHL are not Angels & sometimes they are charging according to dimensional weight.Very sorry for what you have faced with DHL.

thanks hosam. i wish i had paid more attention to what you were saying vs. mark’s unsubstantiated information. i feel cheated by DHL easyshop and borderlink and will not be using their service again.

mark needs to do a follow up post to warn others.

compared to DHL, Aramex are absolute angels.

update from dirty DHL: “initially when they started they were offering the actual weight rates in december but they ended up making a loss because borderlinx charges them on whichever is higher (Volumetric or Actuals).”

go ARAMEX!

Hello All,

Please let me know if you have ANY problems with deliveries from MyUS.com and I will personally look into it. While we understand DHL has a right to compete with us, we will not allow them to slow the delivery of any of our customer’s packages.

We have provided great service to our valued customers for over 12 years and will continue to do so. I will monitor this message board daily for any updates. Thank you all for your help notifying us of any problems.

Sincerely,

Eric Baird, President
http://www.MyUS.com

Hi Mark,

What would be my best bet, price-wise, to send a box no more than 2kg of returned merchandise to the US from Kuwait? Also, a customer svc rep @ postaplus told me today that I may have to pay customs to ship out. Is this true even for returned merchandise?? I understand there’s no policy to refund the customs I paid for those items that I’m returning but it’d be really disappointing if I have to pay customs twice.

Thanx.

Has anyone tried TNT WorldShop, seems they also offer similar services & are located in the free trade zone.

They also mention on their website that the packages will be delivered in 3 days from the US.

Let me know if anyone has used it

Guys don’t get into this DHL easyshop is partnered with Borderlinx & Borderlinx sucks .. I have used Aramex shopandship for years & I never get my shipment re-weighted but whenever I use DHL easyshop Borderlinx re-weight my package. My last package was shipped by UPS to my US address & the weight was only 7lb but borderlinx changed the weight to 11.2lb !!!! 4.2lb extra?? I understand volumetric weight issues but why only borderlinx do this why I never get it with Aramex while I have shipped more than 50 packages with them. Why do Borderlinx charge me fuel surcharge ?? while others don’t.. In conclusion this was my last package with them & inshallah I wont use it again never & I just wanted to share this so you guys be aware.

This is the first and last time I use DHL easy shop. They have the worst customer service I have ever dealt with. They are not even associated with DHL. DHL has no power or say concerning your package until an airway bill is created and picked up by the courier. They over valued all my items, doubled them in value even though I sent the complete invoice to them. There is no feedback from customer service whatsoever, you get this automated message but no proper explanation. I even tried calling them, always got the voicemail, left my number, didn’t receive any call back. There is a gap between the day the merchant delivers and the day it shows in my box. There is also a gap between when they create the airway bill and the actual day it gets picked up by DHL. It took a long time for my package to reach. I will never use their service again and I will make sure none of my friends do. Extremely disappointed

I do not recommend them, definitely, they are unprofessional amateurs, my shipment is delayed for a week and they failed to respond to my several complaints, then they sent me an email that they shipment were returned for some mad reason I did not even understand
They are good only in charging you big money more than 3 times what others would charge you, but they do not deliver

Shipped a laptop weighing 2.5 kgs from the US using DHL EasyShop.
Shipped on Dec 22.
Reached Kuwait on Dec 23.(direct flight)
Customs cleared on Dec 28.
Delivery on Dec 29.
Total charges $67.75 / KD 20.62 (including $13 insurance)
My experience was not that bad. They didn’t sign the proof of delivery. So I had to wait till next day to get a confirmation that a thief didn’t make away with my order!

Customer care chat is available throughout day time. Once it’s shipped EasyShop has no control whatsoever and any queries are to be asked to DHL Kuwait. They are available through phone.

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