International purchase/shipping woes

Factual Questions
1

I live in Belgium. I purchased a motorcycle via a business in Germany 15 weeks ago. I did this because I needed a US spec bike for future moving.

Well when I was preparing to purchase the bike 4 months ago I wasn’t expecting the entire summer to pass before I’d see delivery, and now I staring down the barrel at having to move for work and have things shipping. But I have no bike nor yet a delivery date to verify it will be here before my job has my house shipped!

Now I’m not in fear of any scam or ripoff as I am familiar with the company, have friends who have done business with them etc. I understand even from their point of view what has happened. They take orders to fill a container, when its full, it ships. I was the first order of a container and a couple late stragglers failed to pay in full on time - thus delay in shipping. I’m expecting to find out soon when it will be here, but I am concerned that it may be too late.

What can I do about this? I understand no one has intentionally screwed me, but I’m a bit off at the idea that I may have to drop another $750-1000 out of pocket to ship the bike to myself when I was kind of expecting it here a month ago or better

thoughts?

2

My thoughts? Your last two paragraphs seem to have summed it up.

Maybe call the shippers and get an ETA?

3

I’m already waiting a reply to get the arrival date. That wasn’t the point.

My concern as stated is, what if I find the arrival date is going to be AFTER all my belongings have been shipped to my future location by my employer(I suspect this will be the case). This is a concern because I have little flexibility on my end to adjust dates.

4

If they reply with an arrival date past your move can they ship to your new address?
I would apprise them of your situation and see what they can do for you.

5

Can you pick it up in person and drive it home?

6

Seems like you’ve already encountered the ripoff – four months after you paid in full, and the item still not delivered.

Here in the USA, the Federal Trade Commission’s Phone & Mail Order Rule (the 30-day shipment rule) makes such delays illegal.

7

That’s what I was going to suggest.

8

Thats what I am hoping for if it were needed. I just wonder if I have any justification and legal standing to demand they do so if necessary.

The bike is being delivered from the states. Once it gets to Germany it will be here in Belgium in short order. I cant get it off the boat any sooner than the dealer can.

I’m aware of FTC regulations, I’m American. But I’m not in America or dealing with an American business.

If you mean ripoff as in this is a shitty situation and I shouldnt be in it, then yes. But there is no question of the bike being delivered, only the timeframe

9

You’re in Belgium, and you’re buying an imported motorbike shipped from the US to Germany, and you were aware per your buddies experiences, that this German importer (or the shipper) only OKs the shipment to proceed when the container is near full.

This seems like a somewhat risky proposition re a guaranteed timely delivery from the get go. You wanted a special bike so you rolled the dice and now extended delays are jamming you up and it’s 4 weeks overdue. It’s unfortunate, but I doubt you really have much purchase to go after them given the situation at this point unless whatever contract you signed with them specifies a penalty for late delivery.

10

If it makes any difference I was told at the end of April in writing, just before the purchase was finalized, that the bike would be here early July.

I would nt have made a purchase like this had I any reason to concern over timeframe. But as it stands the bike is going to be somewhere around 2 months late.

I’m still awaiting answers(as expected, August is holiday month :rolleyes: and everything shuts down) I do not know yet If I can have the bike diverted to where I am moving, I dont even know where I am moving. I could be moving just a few hours away, or I could be moving back to the states. I wont know till long after all my things have been shipped away.
Let me be more specific… I’m perfectly capable of handling all the obvious. What I’m asking is what happens/can happen if things go sour? ie - the bike delivers after my belongings have shipped, and the seller cant/wont sent the bike to my new location(like I said, could be the states)?

I’m gong to be pretty heated if I have to deal with an intetnational legal crap, as I have no intention of forking out another thousand bucks to ship a $5K motorcycle that I was told would be here weeks/months ago.

and no, i cannot ride it anywhere. i’ll be either flying back to the states or driving my car to my new location