DHL International Express- Thumbs Up

My earlier experience with ordering an OpenPort cable from evoscan NZ, went sore thanks to the cheap, un-tracked shipment method I selected. After a long wait of 8 months and contemplating, ordered another cable last week, on 15-Jul-2010. This time opted for the DHL Internation Express courier option costing a whopping $47(the cable price was $57 !). I was in constant touch with Hamish at evoscan, who informed that the cable was shipped on 18-Jul-2010. After that, I was refreshing the DHL site 24x7. tracking the journey of my courier and waiting for the shipment status updates. After all, it was my second experience in buying something online, that too as desirable thing like an OBDII datalogging cable. After a long 6 days wait, on 24-Jul-2010, around noon, got a call from the DHL office, Trivandrum informing my package has arrived. Twenty minutes later, I was holding my cable, grinning like a child. I must admit, it was fun tracking the package through each stage and waiting for it to arrive. To remember the buying experience of my coveted cable forever, here goes the complete tracking info, lifted from the DHL online tracking tool.

Airwaybill Number		Origin Service Area		Destination Service Area		Status
1699396101		Auckland - New Zealand		South India Regional Area - India		Signed for by: SARAT Shipment delivered July 24, 2010 13:46

1699396101 - Detailed Report
Date		Time		Location Service Area		Checkpoint Details
July 20, 2010		16:48		Auckland - New Zealand		Shipment picked up
July 20, 2010		17:20		Auckland - New Zealand		Processed at Auckland - New Zealand
July 21, 2010		07:44		Auckland - New Zealand		Processed at Auckland - New Zealand
July 21, 2010		07:50		Auckland - New Zealand		Departed from DHL facility in Auckland - New Zealand
July 21, 2010		22:37		Singapore - Singapore		Arrived at DHL facility in Singapore - Singapore
July 22, 2010		00:42		Singapore - Singapore		Processed at Singapore - Singapore
July 22, 2010		00:55		Singapore - Singapore		Processed at Singapore - Singapore
July 22, 2010		03:06		Singapore - Singapore		Departed from DHL facility in Singapore - Singapore
July 22, 2010		12:34		New Delhi - India		Arrived at DHL facility in New Delhi - India
July 22, 2010		14:14		New Delhi - India		Clearance processing complete at New Delhi - India
July 22, 2010		14:26		New Delhi - India		Processed at New Delhi - India
July 22, 2010		16:09		New Delhi - India		Processed at New Delhi - India
July 22, 2010		16:17		New Delhi - India		Departed from DHL facility in New Delhi - India
July 22, 2010		23:58		Madras - India		Arrived at DHL facility in Madras - India
July 23, 2010		07:15		Madras - India		Processed at Madras - India
July 23, 2010		07:46		Madras - India		Processed at Madras - India
July 23, 2010		07:47		Madras - India		Departed from DHL facility in Madras - India
July 23, 2010		09:32		Madras - India		Arrived at DHL facility in Madras - India
July 23, 2010		16:44		Madras - India		Departed from DHL facility in Madras - India
July 24, 2010		12:00		South India Regional Area - India		Shipment on hold
July 24, 2010		12:15		South India Regional Area - India		Awaiting pick up by recipient as requested
July 24, 2010		13:44		South India Regional Area - India		With delivery courier
July 24, 2010		13:46		South India Regional Area - India		Shipment delivered

Lessons Learnt: For any online purchases of significant cost, never go for an untracked cheap shipping option. The additional money spent on the courier charges is worth than the money lost in the missing item and the mental agony. My experience is that DHL rocks, though some online reviews says horror stories. The item was tracked in each of its stages and the customs clearance was also fast. Highly recommended for my future endeavors if any.