Verified: 21 March 2026 05:30 pm CET
Industry: Parcel & Logistics Services
Jurisdiction: Germany
Primary Regulator: Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA)
Important Safety Warning: Beware of rampant SMS and email phishing scams (Smishing). Scammers constantly send fake text messages claiming your GLS package “has an unpaid customs fee” or “could not be delivered,” alongside a malicious link. GLS Germany staff will never ask for your account password, or demand payment via a generic payment link sent via text message.
Level 1: Customer Support (Kundenservice)
- How to complain: Submit your issue via the official GLS online contact form, or call their central customer service hotline at 06677 / 646 907 000. (Pro-Tip: If you are disputing a lost or damaged package, you must initiate a formal investigation/claim directly through their web portal using your parcel number).
- Source Verification: * Source Verification: Impressum - GLS Germany
- Availability: The central customer service hotline operates Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 19:00 (CET).
- Source Verification: Kundenservice - GLS Germany
- Timeline: GLS aims to respond to standard inquiries within a few business days. However, formal investigations for lost parcels can legally take several weeks to conclude as they trace the package through international hubs.
Level 2: Formal Written Complaint & Mahnung
- Who to contact: Formally escalate your financial dispute (e.g., denied claims for a damaged package, missing shipments, or ignored refund requests) by sending a registered letter with return receipt (Einschreiben mit Rückschein) to their legally registered headquarters. Do not send legal notices to a local depot. Address it to the Management Board, GLS General Logistics Systems Germany GmbH & Co. OHG, GLS Germany-Straße 1 – 7, 36286 Neuenstein, Germany. Clearly state your tracking number, claim amount, and set a legally binding 14-day deadline (Mahnung) for payout or resolution.
- Source Verification: Impressum - GLS Germany
- Timeline: The legally binding deadline of 14 days (set via your Mahnung) provides the logistics operator a strict timeframe to resolve the issue before they legally default (in Verzug geraten).
Level 3: Regulatory Authority / ADR
- Authority: You do not have to rely on GLS’s internal decisions for damaged or lost goods. You can submit your case for free to the Schlichtungsstelle Post der Bundesnetzagentur in Bonn. Under the German Postal Act, participation in this arbitration process is mandatory for GLS when initiated by a private consumer.
- Source Verification: Schlichtungsstelle Post - Bundesnetzagentur
- Timeline: You can file a complaint with the Schlichtungsstelle immediately after receiving a final rejection letter from GLS regarding your damaged/lost package claim, or if they fail to respond to your formal 14-day Mahnung.
Level 4: Legal Action
- Pre-Litigation: Before initiating formal court proceedings, you can seek case-specific legal assistance from your local Consumer Advice Centre (Verbraucherzentrale) to evaluate your claim and the specific liability limits (which are typically capped at €750 for standard GLS parcels).
- Source Verification: Verbraucherzentrale - Post & Paket
- Court/Arbitration: If the Schlichtungsstelle cannot resolve the issue, you can initiate the judicial dunning process (gerichtliches Mahnverfahren) online to obtain an enforceable payment title against GLS Germany, or file a civil lawsuit at your local district court (Amtsgericht).
- Source Verification: Gemeinsames Mahnportal der Länder
Community Action: Is GLS still refusing to reimburse you for a lost parcel, or claiming a package was “delivered safely” when you never saw the driver? Reply below (do not share your passwords, full tracking numbers, or PINs), and our community will point you to the right legal templates!