2528  Juan Bianco Bandoneons - no fraud, but take care with Correo Uruguay and DHL

Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 17:30:15 +0200
From: Ecsedy Áron <aron.ecsedy@OM.HU>
Subject: Juan Bianco Bandoneons - no fraud, but take care with Correo Uruguay and DHL

Dear List,

Recently I wrote about a bandoneon I ordered from Juan Bianco's Bandoneon store in Montevideo, Uruguay (through the internet) which did =
not arrive. I was interested whether I was tricked or not, as noone seemed to be responsbile for losing the instrument.

I must say, that Mr. Bianco did send the bandoneon all right, but the postal service of Uruguay and DHL cooperatively lost it.

The instrument did turn up at the consulate of Uruguay in Hungary (there is no embassy):

- Mr. Bianco sent the package with insured air-mail at Correo Uruguay
- Correo Uruguay simply commissioned DHL to deliver all their packages (including mine) to Hungary
- DHL took the ENTIRE sack of packages to the consulate and considered it delivered
- Correo Uruguay refused to take any steps when both Mr. Bianco and I was complaining about the lost packages, as DHL reported to them that =
the package was delivered
- DHL refused to disclose any information (including name and address) to anyone except Correo Uruguay (who did nothing in the first place)
- After threatning DHL that I will denounce them of smuggling an item into the country without a customs procedure they told me that it was =
delivered to the consulate (which is foreign territory, so no customs procedure required)

Though I guess most people on the list are not likely to buy a bandoneon, but I had to make sure nobody thinks that Biancos Bandoneon =
Store are fraudsters.

Also, I cannot encourage you more to use some other delivery service than DHL... they were pretty much acting like a multinational giant =
should (not): they did not let me speak to any manager, they were clinging to legal constructs and were denying (even in the end) that =
they were responsible. (even though they couldn't provide me proof as they delete and destroy all documents 3 months after delivery) So they =
were pretty uncooperative.

Of course Correo Uruguay did something similar, however it must be told that the package had my name and address on it with 1-inch block =
letters.

Cheers,
Aron

PS: The instrument has a beautiful sound. :)