DHL charges 2.99 euros for a second delivery attempt: what it means for your online store

DHL will start charging online retailers for a second delivery attempt. If the first delivery fails because the customer isn't home, a new attempt will cost the sender 2.99 euros. Until now, that second attempt was simply part of the standard service.

The change is part of a wider round of price changes DHL announced to its business customers. For now it only applies to customers and businesses in Germany, but DHL is expected to roll these rates out to other markets eventually. If you ship to Germany, or use DHL in your own country, this is news worth keeping an eye on.

What exactly is changing at DHL?

Here are the announced changes at a glance:

• Second delivery attempt: 2.99 euros each time one is initiated. The retailer pays, not the recipient.
• Letters in Germany: from January 1, 2027 a letter will cost 1.15 euros, about 70 percent more than today. According to DHL, that is still below the European average of 1.52 euros.
• Synthetic pickup scan: a new scan when large volumes are handed over, so shipments show up in tracking sooner. This should stop retailers on eBay and Amazon from being unfairly penalized for delays that actually happen in the parcel center.
• One-time code for valuable goods: the parcel is only handed over when the recipient presents a code. Anyone in the household with the code can accept it.
• No parcel lockers: for products with special requirements, such as temperature-sensitive food, retailers can block delivery to parcel lockers for 1.69 euros.
• Immediate return: for 4.50 euros per shipment, a parcel goes straight back after a failed first attempt, so perishable goods don't sit in a parcel shop or locker.

Criticism from e-commerce: "retailers will have no control"

The German e-commerce association bevh is critical. According to Juri Schütt, public affairs officer at bevh, charging for a second attempt means DHL is once again deviating from its core service promise: reliable delivery to the customer's doorstep.

The main objection is that retailers can't verify whether the first attempt really failed because of the customer. They pay, but have no insight into what happened at the door. According to bevh, the carrier is potentially rewarding itself for its own poor performance. True service, the association says, would mean reliable processes and freedom of choice for retailers and their customers.

What does this mean for your online store?

2.99 euros sounds small, but it adds up quickly. If even a few percent of your parcels fail on the first attempt, thousands of shipments a month can mean hundreds of euros in extra shipping costs that you don't see upfront in your rate. And because you can't check whether the customer was really not at home, you have little control over those costs.

It's also a signal. Carriers are increasingly passing costs on to senders through surcharges, extra services and price increases. If you work with just one carrier, there's little you can do about it.

Five ways to reduce failed deliveries and extra costs

1. Let customers choose a pickup point at checkout. A parcel that goes to a pickup point doesn't need a second attempt at the door.
2. Validate addresses at checkout so typos in street names or house numbers don't cause a failed attempt.
3. Send clear tracking messages with the expected delivery day, so customers know when to be home or can change their delivery.
4. Track how often a first attempt fails per carrier. That shows you in black and white what a paid second attempt would cost you.
5. Work with multiple carriers, so you can pick the one with the best terms per country or shipment type, and switch easily when rates change.

How Zineps helps

With Zineps you connect multiple carriers to one shipping platform. You create labels with the carrier that best fits each shipment, compare rates and switch easily when a carrier changes its terms. That way you're not dependent on the pricing decisions of a single carrier.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a second delivery attempt cost at DHL?

DHL charges 2.99 euros for a second delivery attempt when one is initiated. The sender, meaning the online retailer, pays this fee.

Does the new fee apply outside Germany?

For now, the price changes only apply to customers and businesses in Germany. DHL is expected to introduce the rates in other markets eventually, but nothing has been announced yet.

Why are retailers critical?

Retailers pay for the second attempt but can't verify whether the first attempt really failed because the customer wasn't home. The German association bevh calls it a deviation from DHL's core promise of reliable delivery.

How can I prevent failed deliveries?

Offer pickup points at checkout, validate addresses, tell customers the delivery day and work with multiple carriers so you can choose the best option per shipment.

Want more control over your shipping costs?

Want to see how multiple carriers can make you less dependent on surcharges like this one? Get in touch and we'll look at what fits your store best.

Source: Ecommerce News Europe, November 3, 2026 (ecommercenews.eu).