Many backers in the latest batch shipments to the EU with tracking numbers from August or September have reported that DHL is showing their shipment as cancelled from their side. This is happening due to what DHL think is a no-show.
It’s somewhat like this: our forwarder booked a ticket but the passenger hasn’t shown up at the gate. So the airline declares the ticket cancelled. But once the passenger shows up at the gate with their ticket in their hand, they’re still transported regardless of what the airline said before, as they have a ticket that was paid for.
As we’ve explained many times before, including in our [FAQ] Tracking and Shipping #4, the shipments to the EU are shipped in bulk to a EU country, usually Belgium, where they clear customs and then are shipped to Germany for handover to DHL DE, who scan the labels and start the final legs of the shipments.
So in our case the tracking labels were booked so long ago, and the handoff to DHL DE not having happened in the normally allowed timespan, that DHL marks the shipment as cancelled (because why haven’t they gotten it handed over to them yet?). But our forwarder is still intent on delivering the goods to them, and as soon as they do, DHL will say “okay, we got the goods with these tracking labels, they’re paid for, so we’ll get them to the consignees now” and the tracking info goes live as soon as they scan the labels on the packages.
For this shipment there were additional documents requested by the Belgian customs authorities, which we were made aware of yesterday and provided to them today. So hopefully the goods will clear the Belgian customs tomorrow or so and be transported to Germany and handed over to DHL there.
So rest assured that the cancellation you see is not from our side nor does it mean you won’t be getting your projector. Your projector is still on its way to you and should be with you by next week if all goes accordingly.