I’ve seen it at Chicago Pipe Show; and even though Ohio isn’t as big, with no Chitown show again this year? I’m pretty certain you’ll be able to find it at Ohio.
Estervals To Recommence Shipping to USA [5.23.21]
- Thread starter greeneyes
- Start date
Exactly so. Nowhere does the communion from them mention Customs.
Alanas objective when she started her shift was close x number of files.This is just one of however many files she had to start the day off with. One down, one less to go.
I had really hoped that DHL express would be the solution. It still might work most of the time, even almost always, but how many returns and the accompanying hassles with cc companies will Estervals accept?
I have to commend @greeneyes for going above and beyond to reopen the trade route, and maybe he will find a solution. But the current situation resembles nothing so much as playing Russian Roulette with 5 loads.
And I really doubt that Esterval's is going to be anxious to incur further losses on attempted shipments to the US. It's a bitch to be them. Can't ship to the EU, nor the US. You'll have to find a mule to do a walk-in purchase and smuggle it out.
Congrats to those who got shipments before DHL got wise to what was going on.
The party is indeed, over.
And I really doubt that Esterval's is going to be anxious to incur further losses on attempted shipments to the US. It's a bitch to be them. Can't ship to the EU, nor the US. You'll have to find a mule to do a walk-in purchase and smuggle it out.
Congrats to those who got shipments before DHL got wise to what was going on.
The party is indeed, over.
I think it was premature to declare victory but I'm not sure it's completely down the tubes yet either.
I don't want to be a "spoilsport", but I already said it a few posts before, DHL banned the transport of tobacco in April, I don't know if because of European regulations or why, but it prohibited
So yeah, the old saying around here is still true: get tobacco while you still can.
This is all such an enormous pain in the ass. The boxes weren't being delivered by USPS because they weren't able to find the address quickly enough in the unfamiliar DHL customs form affixed to the box. Because Estervals was convinced it was a customs issue, I was never successful in my several attempts to get them to affix large, legible labels on the box. Deaf ears, every time. DHL Express was an apparent "save" for Estervals because they believed it would correct the customs bogeyman, and a save in my eyes at it would obviate USPS involvement.
I don't understand why a simple thing such as providing clear, country-specific labeling, is excluded from the list of viable options for a business who is attempting to find a shipping solution for a country that has one of its largest customer bases. It's as if being right is more important than fixing the problem.
I'm going to speak to someone at DHL and attempt to at least understand what happened. I'm also going to write Estervals an email and ask if they would humor me one last time by sending an order "the old way" (i.e. DHL►USPS) with my name and address plastered in large font on all six sides. They have to be desperate to save USA shipping after losing Europe.
Brushing that aside briefly, I ordered from Gerd Jansen's Pfeifendepot back in 2019 without a hitch and it seems that Pfeifen Shop Online also ships to the USA. The prices include VAT, though, and there's no exception for non-EU shipments either.
Anyone have any recent Pfeifendepot experiences they'd like to share with us?
I don't understand why a simple thing such as providing clear, country-specific labeling, is excluded from the list of viable options for a business who is attempting to find a shipping solution for a country that has one of its largest customer bases. It's as if being right is more important than fixing the problem.
I'm going to speak to someone at DHL and attempt to at least understand what happened. I'm also going to write Estervals an email and ask if they would humor me one last time by sending an order "the old way" (i.e. DHL►USPS) with my name and address plastered in large font on all six sides. They have to be desperate to save USA shipping after losing Europe.
Brushing that aside briefly, I ordered from Gerd Jansen's Pfeifendepot back in 2019 without a hitch and it seems that Pfeifen Shop Online also ships to the USA. The prices include VAT, though, and there's no exception for non-EU shipments either.
Anyone have any recent Pfeifendepot experiences they'd like to share with us?
Gerd Jansen's Pfeifendepot
I have two orders placed and paid for. One says it is completed, but no trace of tracking number or anything else, the second one is in process, although I paid by bank transfer.
I made a mistake in the order number and wrote to Gerd about this and he replied very kindly that it was not a problem and that they had understood the transfer.
I replied asking if there was any way of tracking the shipments and he did not answer me.
I have another order in my basket, I sent another email asking if I could still order or they were no longer shipping to the EU and I am still waiting.
when I know something I will report about it
it seems that the safest way to get through customs is by regular mail...no shipping companies, at least for now, on July 1st in the EU we will see.
Yes, so I believe Gerd has learned (for better or worse) something that Estervals has not yet learned.
Payment is via non-refundable bank wire. Purchase is 100% risk on the buyer, not the seller. And it seems to me that in reflection of this attitude, Gerd's customer service seems to be fairly hands off. I can't say I blame him, necessarily. If I had to answer every single email that Estervals and Pfeifendepot gets with each little logistics problem and payment error, I too would likely settle into a valley of indifference as long as it didn't affect my "no problems" business clientele.
I would also be inclined to agree with you regarding regular mail, but I'm irritated, generally, at the lack of clear guidance in terms of tobacco shipment regulation on the part of both public and private shipping parties. It seems intentionally arbitrary and vague.
Wrote to Andreas, Estervals CEO, regarding this issue.
He knows about the situation. His opinion is that the buyer should have contacted DHL to pay the customs fees. Whether or not customs fees are actually the issue, the buyer has chosen not to contact DHL to attempt to have his package released so we will never know exactly what the issue is beyond the scope of the explanation given in the email that was posted.
Furthermore, Andreas has indicated that this instance is the only one of its kind, and that all other new shipments to the USA have been successful.
I think at this point it's a matter of personal judgement whether you consider purchasing from Estervals (or anywhere else in Germany) a safe and viable option.
Whether this particular seizure is indicative of the general untrustworthiness of future shipments, or whether this is merely an outlier in what might be a generally more-reliable shipping modality is a matter that remains for you to decide.
For my part, I've decided to chance a ~$100 order at both Estervals and Pfeifendepot for some of the "can't live without" facings before something else happens and the whole thing blows up permanently.
He knows about the situation. His opinion is that the buyer should have contacted DHL to pay the customs fees. Whether or not customs fees are actually the issue, the buyer has chosen not to contact DHL to attempt to have his package released so we will never know exactly what the issue is beyond the scope of the explanation given in the email that was posted.
Furthermore, Andreas has indicated that this instance is the only one of its kind, and that all other new shipments to the USA have been successful.
I think at this point it's a matter of personal judgement whether you consider purchasing from Estervals (or anywhere else in Germany) a safe and viable option.
Whether this particular seizure is indicative of the general untrustworthiness of future shipments, or whether this is merely an outlier in what might be a generally more-reliable shipping modality is a matter that remains for you to decide.
For my part, I've decided to chance a ~$100 order at both Estervals and Pfeifendepot for some of the "can't live without" facings before something else happens and the whole thing blows up permanently.
As I was told last year by Customs, and as is clearly the case now, Customs isn’t involved in any of the Estervals BS. People who think differently, and this includes Esterval’s, are cognitively impaired.
Customs doesn’t send merchandise back. It impounds it. People who don’t grok this, and this includes Esterval’s, are cognitively impaired.
If the issue with Esterval’s shipments is due to their labeling and they are unwilling to address that issue for a market they are interested in retaining they are thick as a plank.
My experience with them is that they think they’re right and everyone else is wrong. Good luck with that.
And if what Esterval’s told me is correct, they’re screwed with every returned shipment because German Customs seizes the returned shipment, holds it for six weeks while charging fees for holding it, before destroying it. Esterval’s said they never regained physical possession of returns from German Customs.
No wonder they’re so grumpy.
They made a lot of money over the past several years. Hope they didn’t blow it all on Wiener schnitzel and beer.
Customs doesn’t send merchandise back. It impounds it. People who don’t grok this, and this includes Esterval’s, are cognitively impaired.
If the issue with Esterval’s shipments is due to their labeling and they are unwilling to address that issue for a market they are interested in retaining they are thick as a plank.
My experience with them is that they think they’re right and everyone else is wrong. Good luck with that.
And if what Esterval’s told me is correct, they’re screwed with every returned shipment because German Customs seizes the returned shipment, holds it for six weeks while charging fees for holding it, before destroying it. Esterval’s said they never regained physical possession of returns from German Customs.
No wonder they’re so grumpy.
They made a lot of money over the past several years. Hope they didn’t blow it all on Wiener schnitzel and beer.
I just received notification from Gerd that my second order has been completed.
at the same time a sms from DHL indicating that a shipment from Gerb is scheduled for delivery on the 9th, this shipment left Germany on the 2nd, two days ago.
I understand that this is my first order, which I placed on May 31, since I placed the second order on May 2, but at night, around 10 pm, which would have been impossible to send it. Today I have confirmed that this shipment, the second, is complete, i.e. that the transfer has already been received in your account (usually an international transfer takes 2 to 3 days).
therefore, I think it is working normally.
BUT...it comes by DHL and it is between EU countries so it does not need to go through customs for inspection, I will not be a reference if my shipment arrives well.
today I have received the last one from Esterval perfectly, but it does not declare on the outside nothing of its content, only my address and the sender's, between EU countries is not necessary to put it, at least for the moment on the outside, if when making the shipment, but it is normal to put decorative candles or something similar, therefore, DHL does not know what it transports, simply carries a package.
at the same time a sms from DHL indicating that a shipment from Gerb is scheduled for delivery on the 9th, this shipment left Germany on the 2nd, two days ago.
I understand that this is my first order, which I placed on May 31, since I placed the second order on May 2, but at night, around 10 pm, which would have been impossible to send it. Today I have confirmed that this shipment, the second, is complete, i.e. that the transfer has already been received in your account (usually an international transfer takes 2 to 3 days).
therefore, I think it is working normally.
BUT...it comes by DHL and it is between EU countries so it does not need to go through customs for inspection, I will not be a reference if my shipment arrives well.
today I have received the last one from Esterval perfectly, but it does not declare on the outside nothing of its content, only my address and the sender's, between EU countries is not necessary to put it, at least for the moment on the outside, if when making the shipment, but it is normal to put decorative candles or something similar, therefore, DHL does not know what it transports, simply carries a package.
I will operate with Gerd Jansen's Pfeifendepot for the time being this month, it seems to be working well. Then we will see...
Anyway I have to say that both Esterval and DAN PIPE if they don't look for a solution it's because they don't want to.
A small German store with much less tobacco in their wallets today I asked them if I "launched" my shopping cart with more than 350 euros or they had already decided not to ship to EU countries, they answered me as always very kindly.
That of course, they would send me the tobacco as usual and that in the future I could continue to order and buy from them, they will continue to send because they have found a way to do it.
he who does not look for solutions seems to be because he does not want it, or they don't give a "damn" about many of their consumers...this makes me consider in the future, even if they return to shipping, not buying from them anymore.
Anyway I have to say that both Esterval and DAN PIPE if they don't look for a solution it's because they don't want to.
A small German store with much less tobacco in their wallets today I asked them if I "launched" my shopping cart with more than 350 euros or they had already decided not to ship to EU countries, they answered me as always very kindly.
That of course, they would send me the tobacco as usual and that in the future I could continue to order and buy from them, they will continue to send because they have found a way to do it.
he who does not look for solutions seems to be because he does not want it, or they don't give a "damn" about many of their consumers...this makes me consider in the future, even if they return to shipping, not buying from them anymore.
I just got off the phone with DHL Express, having reached them using the number given above.
There's no damned restriction on tobacco.
The woman didn't know what I was talking about. I had her explain it to me ten different ways. Only things that are prohibited Germany-to-USA are ivory, gambling devices and pornography, and since March 26th 2021 vape apparatus and accessories.
I read her the email that @tfdickson got and the DHL employee was at a loss for words and unable to explain why this had happened.
There's no damned restriction on tobacco.
The woman didn't know what I was talking about. I had her explain it to me ten different ways. Only things that are prohibited Germany-to-USA are ivory, gambling devices and pornography, and since March 26th 2021 vape apparatus and accessories.
I read her the email that @tfdickson got and the DHL employee was at a loss for words and unable to explain why this had happened.
Anyway, my cellar, with what's on the way in the next few days, is already approaching a somewhat indecent maximum, only in all imported tobaccos from USA or Germany that I like.... I think, with 50 years that I have and three pipes a day, if I make an approximate calculation, I have tobacco for about 25 years just with that and tobaccos that I like a lot, every day it is more and more common that I smoke only two, which would be almost 35 years.... I would reach 80 years old with what I have, I think...and frankly, I don't think my health will go that far, although you never know this, besides, in Spain I still buy some that are very common for me, Capstan Blue Navy Cut, Condor RR (that are re-distributed), St Bruno RR and that I smoke very frequently, almost every day I smoke at least one pipe of one of these three, and I don't count them, but I'm sure I have more than 100 cans or pouches in storage, and I still have to give a chance to the Peterson version of the Dunhill´s that is also sold in Spain, I bought a tin of Peterson Early Morning which is the one I liked the most of the Dunhill, if I find it nice I will also buy a few tins for the cellar.
I could not complain, I think
I could not complain, I think
well, it seems that everything is very confusing between the companies and they have left to the free interpretation of the employees some things...
It just isn’t like that in other countries, so cognitively impaired might be too strong a term.
I would say it is more of an attitude problem. Hank, Jr., understands what is needed
I should have qualified it to US Customs, since that's the entity in question. In that instance, cognitively impaired applies.
I had good experiences with Pfeifendepot prior to using Estervals. And paid a significant premium for doing so.
Well, this is the longest thread I have ever seen being discussed on PM, If it were me,I would not bother sending emails to various vendors across the EU,asking specific questions about DHL and so on,I reckon these vendors do not like answering queries nor do they like being on the headlines on various forums ,I'd simply put my order in ,and if it gets processed in two -three days time frame,,thats nice, if not ,then please mind you returning my funds ASASP, and thats about it, case closed.