If you’ve ever felt that familiar pang of disappointment when your eagerly awaited package’s tracking seems frozen in time, know that you’re definitely not alone. It’s common to get frustrated with tracking delays because you often don’t understand why they’re happening. Let’s explore the reasons behind those frustrating tracking silences and, more importantly, discover what you can actually do about them.
The first thing to do when your tracking is delayed is to check the shipping company’s website for any news. Often, shipping companies experience delays due to things like a high number of orders, weather, or problems within their own operations. During busy times like holidays, or during unexpected events, shipping systems can get overwhelmed and temporarily slow down package movement and tracking updates. You might find information about service problems or slowdowns if you check the shipping company’s website or tracking tool. Even though finding this information might not immediately fix the delay, understanding the cause helps you know better when to expect your package.
Generally speaking, packages going to other countries take longer than domestic shipments. International shipping has many steps, including customs inspections, transfers to different carriers, and the use of different transportation centers. These steps can cause delays, particularly if you don’t have all the paperwork or if local laws require more steps. If your package is being shipped to another country, be sure to consider these things:
- Customs Processing: Packages need to be cleared by customs in both the country they’re sent from and the country they’re being delivered to. Depending on how much the parcel is worth, what’s inside, and the documents included, this customs process can take anywhere from a few hours to several days.
- Transit Times: International shipments often have multiple steps of transport, like flying, shipping over water, and delivery to a specific area. A delay in any of these steps affects the overall delivery time of your package.
To better keep track of your international parcel use Trackingpkgs, a tool that gathers tracking data from different shipping companies.
A very common reason for delayed tracking is when parcels are held by customs. Bigger parcels are more likely to get a closer look when going through customs. If you have incomplete or incorrect paperwork, customs processing will take longer as officials check the contents and calculate any duties and taxes. To reduce the chances of customs delays:
- Make sure the sender has included all necessary paperwork, like invoices.
- To avoid further delays, be prepared to pay any customs fees quickly.
- Check the tracking information for “Customs Clearance” or “Held by Customs” to see if your parcel is being inspected.
If your parcel seems held up in customs, calling the shipping company can help you understand what’s going on and what to do next.
The tracking information may not always be updated right away, even if your parcel is being transported. Parcels are often scanned by shipping companies at important stops; delays in these scans can cause gaps in the tracking information you see. For example, your parcel may already be on its way but will only be scanned at the next location, making it seem like it hasn’t moved yet.
Here are some situations where delays in tracking updates are more common:
- If you are sending a parcel to a remote area, it might be scanned less often during its journey.
- When shipping companies scan parcels in groups, it may take 24 to 72 hours for the tracking updates to appear.
In these cases, it’s important to be patient. Give it a few days before you think your parcel is lost or delayed if the tracking hasn’t been updated. If none of the above reasons seem to fit, and your parcel’s status hasn’t changed for a while, then the best thing to do is to contact the shipping company.
Customer service phone lines or online chat options are available with most shipping companies where you can ask about your parcel. Get ready to give them your tracking number and other information about your order when you speak to customer service. Talking to the shipping company directly can:
- Determine if the parcel is still being transported.
- Find out about any specific problems causing delays.
- Provide more information about when the parcel is expected to arrive.
Even though some delays are unavoidable, here are things you can do to reduce the chances of problems with tracking. Select shipping companies known for delivering on time. Especially for international orders, make sure all the required paperwork is included with your parcel. Keep track of your parcels using Trackingpkgs, which combines tracking information in one spot. This will give you a clearer picture of where your parcel is and keep you updated on its progress.
You can easily track parcels with Trackingpkgs, which provides real-time updates from multiple shipping companies. You can use Trackingpkgs to keep an eye on all your parcels from one interface instead of going to each shipping company’s website. With Trackingpkgs, extra features, such as email alerts for when the status of your parcel changes, keep you updated without having to check constantly. By signing up with Trackingpkgs, you are able to:
- Get detailed tracking information for parcels sent within the country and to other countries.
- When you sign up to Trackingpkgs, you get notified with all the latest updates for your packages, giving you the ability to know when they are to be expected.
- Feel secure knowing where your parcels are with Trackingpkgs.
It’s annoying when tracking is delayed, but knowing the common reasons can make it easier to deal with. Whether it’s an issue with the shipping company, a customs hold, or delayed updates, there’s usually a reason and a way to fix it. You can track your parcels more effectively and with less stress by staying up to date and using tools like Trackingpkgs. For more thorough tracking and up-to-date information, consider signing up for Trackingpkgs today to better manage your parcels.
