Why is my DHL shipment on hold? (all you must know)
Online shopping is great. After all, who doesn’t like to order something in a few clicks and have it delivered right to your door? While the mechanics may seem simple, there is a lot more work to do to get your order (especially the shipping process).
This is probably most noticeable when there are shipping issues. One such issue you may encounter is getting a “DHL Shipment Suspended” message. Read on to find out what it means and what you can do about it!
Why is my DHL shipment on hold?
A hold is a tracking update used by DHL to indicate that a package is no longer moving due to unforeseen delays. Shipments are delayed due to port congestion, bad weather, lack of delivery vehicles, holidays and lack of paperwork. Most shipments start shipping again within a day or two of 2022.
If you’re still confused about why your DHL shipment is on hold, this article will give you all the information you need, keep reading!
What does “DHL Shipment Hold” mean?
“Shipment on hold” is a tracking update used by DHL to tell customers that their package is no longer moving due to unforeseen delays.
Packages may stop delivery for a number of reasons, such as severe weather, lack of transportation, or border closures.
(I’ll provide more details on these reasons in a later section.)
This message does not mean DHL lost the package or the seller cancelled the order.
Instead, it indicates that something happened in transit that prevented DHL from delivering your package to its destination.
It is important to note that seeing this message usually indicates that your package will arrive later than expected.
Other possible reasons
DHL’s shipment suspension news is frustrating. Not only because it means your package will arrive later than expected, but also because it’s vague.
In other words, you know there’s a problem with the shipment, but you can’t explain why.
Unfortunately, I can’t give you the exact reason for the delay, but I can offer some possible explanations.
Once you understand what types of events can slow down DHL shipments, you can do some research and try to figure out the specific reasons for your package delays.
DHL packages may be put on hold for any of the following reasons:
port congestion
One of the most common reasons DHL packages are put on hold is port congestion.
This happens when you order from another country and DHL has to pass the item through customs.
At customs, employees check packages and shipping documents to ensure that nothing illegal or dangerous has entered the country.
Most of the time, the process is smooth and works smoothly. Other times, customs are supported due to the volume of packages. This is especially true during the holidays.
In most cases, port congestion will not cause much delay, as most packages clear customs after a day or two. After that, they resumed their normal progress.
severe weather or natural disaster
While shipping companies are good at getting packages to their destination in time, some things are out of your control, and weather is one of them.
Events such as tornadoes, hurricanes, snowstorms and earthquakes can prevent drivers from delivering and delivering packages.
In these cases, drivers must wait until the weather improves or find an alternative route. Naturally, both of these scenarios mean your package will be on hold for a few days.
social chaos
DHL delivers mainly in Europe, a continent known for protests and marches. In some cases, social unrest may even lead to border closures until the unrest subsides.
Such incidents slow down packages as DHL drivers need to find alternative routes around the protests.
In more severe cases with borders closed, your package could be stuck in a country until the event is over.
route change
Routing changes can occur for many reasons. For example, a driver might get sick on the road, or a delivery van might break down.
In both cases, a new driver or van is required to complete the delivery.
It’s not always easy to find available staff or vehicles, so your package is likely to be delayed by a day or two.
Missing or incomplete paperwork
Any form of shipping requires paperwork and documentation. If there are problems with customs forms or shipping labels, the progress of your package may be delayed.
This may be because customs cannot process the shipment without knowing the contents of the package.
Or, it could be because the driver can’t read the shipping label and doesn’t know where to send the package.
Likewise, sellers may forget to provide basic information when preparing goods.
If any of these situations occur, DHL may need to hold the shipment until they receive the necessary information.
Usually, DHL will contact the shipper for the missing document.
Depending on how quickly this happens and how responsive the shipper is, your package may be moving again within a few days.
lack of transportation
DHL is smaller than carriers like FedEx and UPS. As a result, they have a limited number of vans, planes and boats.
When things are busy, they may have to wait longer than usual until one of the vehicles is available.
In most cases, this will only slow down your shipment by a day or so.
How long will my DHL shipment be on hold?
Because there are many explanations for why a DHL shipment ends up on hold, it’s hard to tell how long your package will be on hold.
That said, you can get a rough estimate by researching any holidays, border issues, or weather events.
Things like minor road construction or holidays can delay your package by a day or two, while complex border issues or social unrest can cause longer delays.
Whatever the case, your best bet is to call DHL. They can’t give you an exact answer, but they probably have more information about the situation than you do.
To learn more, you can also read our post on DHL, DHL eCommerce, and why DHL takes so long.
in conclusion
It can be worrisome or annoying to see a shipment hold on your DHL tracking information, but hopefully this article has shown you that delayed packages are a relatively normal occurrence.
In fact, anything from bad weather to social unrest can slow down your package for a day or two. But luckily, these delays are usually temporary and resolve on their own.
