We summarized the most important issues regarding tracking packages with a tracking number and how to properly address them. If you have a different issue with your tracking number you can always contact the courier directly or shoot us a message. 

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“When I Entered My Tracking Number It Says The Tracking Number Is Invalid/Could Not Be Found”

When the Tracking App gives you an error or says the tracking number couldn’t be found, follow these steps. 

  • First you should check if you have entered the consignment number correctly – Tip: copy the number and paste it directly into the box to avoid typing errors
  • Maybe you are having general problems with your internet connection. Make sure other websites work normally. 
  • Maybe your package has not yet been handed over to the courier yet. But the courier already has been informed. Therefore, it is possible that the tracking and tracing does not work at the moment. This often happens when you order something from an online shop as they usually ship one time a day, but register your package right after you finished your order.  Just try again later.
  • Maybe the tracking servers are currently having problems – Try again later in this case. 

If this does not help to solve your issues, contact the courier directly. Sometimes packages do not get scanned as they are supposed to be. This has to do with the tracking system itself. Check the paragraph on how a tracking number works, for more information on that topic. 

“The Status Of My Tracking Number Did Not Change The Last Days”

Due to weather, traffic jams or other influences, it is possible that the actual delivery time of your shipment may deviate from the forecast. So it can happen that the usual delivery time of 1-2 working days is delayed. If the shipment status of your package has not changed for more than 6 working days, it is possible that it gets stuck. Then you can request an investigation.

It is also useful to know that the package tracking is not always displayed in real time. For example, a parcel that has just been delivered to the post office may not yet appear in the online view or may still be displayed in “in edit mode” even though it has already arrived at the recipient.

“I Did Not Get A Tracking Number At All”

In spite of the fact that having a tracking number available to is the standard industry practice nowadays, it isn’t always this case. There can be several reasons for that.  Possibly the delivery company doesn’t give one. Or on the other hand the client briefly lost access to their email account and had neglected to record it in advance. Possibly the following number exists yet doesn’t work. Whatever the case may be, don’t freeze.  If the package does not arrive within a reasonable time frame you should contact the person who send the package and the courier to address this issues. 

You will need the following information: 

  • Your contact details (including sender and recipient address)
  • your telephone number
  • A brief description of the package
  • The approximate value of the package

What is a tracking Number and how does it actually work?

Numerous dispatch organizations comprehend their clients’ should be continually updated on the status of their package. That is the reason nearly of shipping companies implemented a tracking system dedicated to this task. First, those package companies have permanently installed scanners in the parcel handling centers. These are attached directly to the conveyor belts and read the parcel label while the parcel is being transported at high speed through the sorting systems. On the other hand, there are mobile hand scanners that the parcel drivers carry with them. These are used, for example, to confirm the delivery or dispatch of a parcel. The touch screen of the hand scanner can also be used to save the signature of the recipient. Modern hand scanners, for example from China Post, also have a built-in camera with which transport damage to the parcel can be photographed. While the stationary scanners in the parcel depots feed their data directly into the shipment tracking system via a dedicated line, the hand scanners depend on a mobile data connection. The hand scanners connect to the central computer of the parcel service via a GPRS connection approximately every 2 hours and transmit all parcels delivered up to that time. Returns or undeliverable parcels are also recorded in this way and noted with the corresponding status in the shipment tracking system. Being able to follow your package online once was more of a bonus than a real necessity. But that changed. Today people get nervous about the package if they don’t know where it located.  These days, shippers get an affirmation email with the subtleties of the request. Right now, they can ordinarily discover a following number, which will show them in which travel area the bundle has been as of late filtered. They simply type in the number in the track and follow page of the organization’s site and get all the important data. Next, to the area, the client can discover the status of their shipment

Summary: This Is How A Tracking Number Works:

  • Your parcel, like every other parcel, has a unique barcode.
  • Before it arrives at its final destination, your parcel will have to pass by many transit locations.
  • In each one of them, it will be scanned. In this way, the tracking system gets updated and informs you of the whereabouts of your parcel.
  •  So, due to the nature of how this tracking systems work, problems can occur in the tracking without actual problems with your package itself. 
  • In theory, tracking a package with a tracking number works great, but sometimes problems occur. But: Not knowing where your package is located at a particular moment in time, doesn’t imply that it is lost or harmed.