DHL Shipping Price/Proxy Use

Just contacted one proxy about a price estimate for a Dream Choice. I know EMS is not an option for a lot of countries including mine, the US, so I asked what it would cost for DHL. I was quoted $400usd--just for shipping. I think the sound of my jaw dropping to the floor woke my husband up.

Can anyone verify this that just recently got a Dream Choice doll or any big package from another country? I purchased a Smart Doll back in April and DHL for that package was $60 usd, quite a big difference to $400. If that is really what it costs to get a package from Japan using DHL, I guess I can kiss any idea of getting a Dollfie Choice goodbye.

I wonder if the price difference is because one get corporate rate vs retail consumer rates? But $400 sound awfully too much even for a dollfie dream at consumer rate. Maybe $100-150 from my experiences with DHL.

DHL prices have spiked hard. They know they're the only option given current events, so they've been increasing their prices 3,4, 5 times and more.

 

 

@Aireoko, that was my thought as well. I just did a rough estimate for shipping something of similar size and weight to Japan and only came up with a total of $120.

@Gabriel, I don't know what their prices were before aside from purchasing a Smart Doll from Japan in April, but the $400 seems incredibly high. I fully expect shipping to be a nice chunk of change, but no matter the doll I can't justify spending that kind of money on shipping.

$400 for DHL??? Excuse my French, but what in the ever-loving hell? I've been using DHL for months now and have yet to pay more than $40 even on heavier boxes. I definitely would not be ordering through a proxy right now if that rate is true, however.

13 minutes ago, Deyja said:

I just did a rough estimate for shipping something of similar size and weight to Japan and only came up with a total of $120.

Remember that (much like airline tickets) the rates are not the same for both ways.

I checked on DHL Japan what shipping something roughly the size and weight of a DD would cost from Japan to the US and it would spit out something like 36,000 Yen, which isn't that far off 400 Dollars.

@Selenae, French excused. I uttered a few French words myself! It's too bad they wouldn't just take the doll apart and ship it in a smaller box if that was the case.

@Tierparkzone, thank you for the info. That's really a shame. This has not been a good year at all.

Edited July 30, 2020 by Deyja

Big yikes.  I also put through a quote using a DD listed from Mandarake as my source and got 35,211 JPY as the price.

I have a friend who works for a business who gets freight shipped via DHL and they're having lots of problems with it too.  Flights aren't being cleared and so DHL is having to hold their packages until it can get a flight over.  I don't know if individual DHL packages are effected the same way, but I wouldn't be surprised.

There's a lot of global mail issues and changes happening right now too.  On July 1st the UPU regulations increased inbound package rates within the US to try and re-balance things from Asia (specifically China) from having such incredibly cheap shipping prices compared to items mailed within the US, so I imagine many things are going to change very soon, unfortunately.  I'm definitely not looking forward to it, and the pandemic isn't helping at all.

Edited July 30, 2020 by OccultBeast
UPU info

5 minutes ago, OccultBeast said:

Big yikes.  I also put through a quote using a DD listed from Mandarake as my source and got 35,211 JPY as the price.

I have a friend who works for a business who gets freight shipped via DHL and they're having lots of problems with it too.  Flights aren't being cleared and so DHL is having to hold their packages until it can get a flight over.  I don't know if individual DHL packages are effected the same way, but I wouldn't be surprised.

There's a lot of global mail issues and changes happening right now too.  On July 1st the UPU regulations increased inbound package rates within the US to try and re-balance things from Asia (specifically China) from having such incredibly cheap shipping prices compared to items mailed within the US, so I imagine many things are going to change very soon, unfortunately.  I'm definitely not looking forward to it, and the pandemic isn't helping at all.

It doesn't sound like much of anything is going to get better. Thank you for the info. I'm just still in shock at how much shipping is for a doll. I'd expect that for a piece of furniture or a very large package. I unsaved all the info and bookmarks I had for the Dream Choice faces and what not. No point. 😕

Just now, Deyja said:

It doesn't sound like much of anything is going to get better. Thank you for the info. I'm just still in shock at how much shipping is for a doll. I'd expect that for a piece of furniture or a very large package. I unsaved all the info and bookmarks I had for the Dream Choice faces and what not. No point. 😕

Hopefully things can find a way to even out, even if it takes another year to do it.  The pandemic is really putting a lot of strain on all parts of life, we just have to hope we can figure out a way to smooth things out and all work through this together!

One thing to remember about DHL is that their system isn't really designed for one-off consumer shipments. Much like UPS and, to a lesser degree, FedEx, they're built to serve high-volume businesses. And those high-volume businesses get *big* discounts because they have daily pick-ups and drop-offs with dozens (if not hundreds) of packages. I got a package shipped pretty recently via DHL from HobbySearch, for which they charged me about $40. The exact same box, quoted through DHL Japan, is nearly $300. I'm betting HobbySearch didn't just eat $260 for my benefit.

So some bigger shippers may be able to negotiate reasonable rates via sheer quantity, but smaller sellers like proxies won't have that kind of clout.

@Cauldroness Thanks for that explanation, the high rates make much more sense now. This most certainly makes a Dream Choice doll order impossible now, however. I can't justify that shipping cost, no way in hell. 😕

The ‘confused’ reaction isn’t strong enough for that post, we need a ‘WTF?!!!’ One because...WHAT...

it’s sad that it means Dream Choice is completely impractical for you now but that also gives me a rough idea of how much DHL might cost for my friend to send me the growing box of stuff they’ve been proxying me for a few months now ._. 

I guess we can only wait until EMS opens up again. 

Remember, this isn’t permanent - and it doesn’t mean you can never do Dream Choice ever. Not that I want to hope too hard but maybe during the wait for EMS volks might finally start doing an online thing for it even if in an extremely limited capacity. (Yes I know this is very optimistic, and is more just me thinking aloud about what could happen if Doll Point is forced to close again since Japan seems to be in its second wave)

Edited July 30, 2020 by Monty

@Monty It is certainly very disheartening, though. I was going to try and get an order for a DCH-20 in early next year, but that is not happening now. It makes me wonder how in the world these people going through proxies for DC are able to afford it.

I just order an Obitsu head from Japan and they are shipping by DHL. The shipping price was $2000 jpy about $20 it cost most than the head I only pay 1500 jpy for the head. But usually EMS is about the same.

15 minutes ago, MrFjmg03 said:

I just order an Obitsu head from Japan and they are shipping by DHL. The shipping price was $2000 jpy about $20 it cost most than the head I only pay 1500 jpy for the head. But usually EMS is about the same.

I also paid similar for something from amiami a few days ago. But like Cauldroness said, companies get very different rates versus individuals, and proxy services (and my friend...)are more like individuals than actual companies. 

I thank you all for the replies. @Cauldroness that explanation is sound, and I thank you for the info. I won't lie that I'm bummed, because I can't get a Dream Choice girl now. It's just feel really depressed by all that has happened in the world and not winning the Dollfie Icon lottery. With two disabilities, dolls are one of the few joys that I have in this world.

 

The other proxy I contacted wouldn't even quote me a price for a DDC and told my that they would hold my doll until if and when EMS became and option again to ship with. That literally could be the 12th of never, and that is a lot of money to have held up on the other side of the Pond.

I ordered a Dream Choice and she was shipped a couple days ago via Yamato. The proxy quoted me: $279 DHL and $53 Yamato. It will take longer with Yamato but I did not want to pay hundreds for shipping... 😬

50 minutes ago, DaemonNoyz said:

I ordered a Dream Choice and she was shipped a couple days ago via Yamato. The proxy quoted me: $279 DHL and $53 Yamato. It will take longer with Yamato but I did not want to pay hundreds for shipping... 😬

I don't know if I can even get a doll now due to a family emergency, but just in case things work out, what proxy did you use?

3 minutes ago, Deyja said:

I don't know if I can even get a doll now due to a family emergency, but just in case things work out, what proxy did you use?

Japan Doll Direct

1 minute ago, DaemonNoyz said:

Japan Doll Direct

Ah, okay. I had messaged them for an estimate for a Dream Choice doll and shipping but they wouldn't give me specific numbers until I told them exactly what I wanted (eyes, wig, skin, doll...etc). They mentioned they'd hold the package till EMS started up (if they ever will again), expensive DHL, and Yamato. I had never heard of Yamato before. How much was your MDD you purchased through them if I may ask?

2 minutes ago, Deyja said:

Ah, okay. I had messaged them for an estimate for a Dream Choice doll and shipping but they wouldn't give me specific numbers until I told them exactly what I wanted (eyes, wig, skin, doll...etc). They mentioned they'd hold the package till EMS started up (if they ever will again), expensive DHL, and Yamato. I had never heard of Yamato before. How much was your MDD you purchased through them if I may ask?

Sure, Can I PM you?

33 minutes ago, DaemonNoyz said:

Sure, Can I PM you?

Yes, absolutely

Oh, I've heard of Yamato before, but never actually used them. I wonder if they're a viable option. 🤔

40 minutes ago, Selenae said:

Oh, I've heard of Yamato before, but never actually used them. I wonder if they're a viable option. 🤔

I had never heard of it either. All I know is the bigger companies like Fedex DHL along with SAL, RA, and EMS. Would be interesting to hear peoples' experiences with it and how long it actually takes for shipping.