‘Where is my order?’ (WISMO)

This is one of the most common questions online sellers like us receive from our customers. To avoid such a question, you certainly create a customized email template to notify your customers from Shopify when the order is fulfilled. But you may not know that carriers also send notification to consignee via email or text when creating shipping labels in Ship&co.

If this sounds like a daily question from your customer support center and process you have been working on for your Shopify store, let us give you some clear ideas on how DHL, FedEx, and UPS allow you to track the packages and notify your customer about delivery.

1. What's the package delivery notification option DHL, FedEx and UPS have?

As an online seller, it’s good to understand the package tracking/notification system of the carriers you are using. When making shipment inside Ship&co, if you are using DHL, FedEx, or UPS, your buyers will receive email and/or SMS alerts for the delivery updates to track the status of critical shipments as default. As a shipper, you don’t need any settings for this. Just click & pack, to make your shipment ready.

2. What notifications will your recipient receive?

Here’s the list of types of notifications that can be made by DHL, FedEx, and UPS.

DHL Shipment Notification options

  • Picked Up Notification - Confirms when DHL picked up parcels from shipper
  • Customs Clearance Notification - Notifies when the shipment go through customs clearance process
  • Clearance Delay Notification - Notifies if there is any issue causing the delay in customs clearance
  • Out for Delivery Notification - Inform when the package is sent out of DHL facility
  • Exception Notification - Notifies when a shipment does not meet its original scheduled delivery date due to a variety of reasons
  • Delivered Notification - Notifies when the shipment is successfully delivered.

FEDEX Shipment Notification options

  • FedEx has received the package -  Notifies when a shipment addressed to you has been given to FedEx for delivery
  • Send the current status - Confirms that FedEx is process on your shipment
  • Estimated delivery updates - Notifies you the day before a shipment’s delivery and the day of a shipment’s delivery to you, or when a package for you is ready for pickup at a FedEx location
  • A delivery exception has occurred - Notifies when a delivery issue has occurred with one
  • Delivery has been made - Notifies when a delivery has been made to you at your address

UPS Shipment Notification options

  • Ship Notification - Confirms that UPS has received information from the shipper regarding shipments
  • Exception Notification - Notifies you when and why a shipment will not meet its original scheduled delivery date and provides a rescheduled date of delivery
  • Delivery Notification - Confirms the delivery of a shipment

Tip to track: thing you should do as a online seller

Above all, it’s crucial to MAKE SURE TO GET a phone number and email address from the consignee to ensure they'll get all the information needed from the carrier.

3. What does Package tracking terms and delivery status mean?

Here’s a simple breakdown for the definition of some tracking terms you usually find on shipment updates from DHL, FedEx, and UPS.

DHL Package tracking terms and delivery status

  • Shipment information received: The shipper has printed the shipping labels and the parcel is now waiting for pickup by DHL
  • Shipment picked up: The parcel has been picked up by the DHL driver.
  • Customs clearance status updated: The parcel went through customs or is going through and being processed. In this case, please see the note: if it shows ‘The Customs clearance process may start while the shipment is in transit to the destination.’, it means that the parcel has been pre-approved by customs and it will pass through customs unless they need more information.
  • Shipment has departed from a DHL facility: The parcel is going out / dispatched from that specific hub of DHL to the destination country.
  • Arrived at DHL Sort Facility: The parcel has arrived at a warehouse where it will be checked, scanned, arranged and get dispatched based on the shipping address on the package.
  • Shipment is on hold: There will be a delay in the delivery of the parcel for a variety of reasons such as post congestion, bad weather conditions, and etc.
  • Clearance processing complete: The customs clearance and duties for your shipment are all paid.
  • Out for delivery: The parcel has been given to the driver and taken to its final destination.
  • Returned to shipper: The parcel is returned back to the original country due to a variety of reasons such as undeliverable package, customs clearance issue, and etc.

FedEx Package tracking terms and delivery status

  • Label Created: The shipper has printed the shipping labels and the package is now waiting for pickup by FedEx
  • In transit: The package is on its way to its final destination. It does not necessarily mean that your package is in a moving vehicle such as an aircraft or truck, it may be at a FedEx facility.
  • Out for delivery: The package was scanned by a package handler and placed onto a pallet to be loaded onto a FedEx truck for delivery.
  • No scheduled delivery date at this time: The estimated delivery date may not be available at this time or that FedEx does not have the package in its possession yet.
  • Scheduled delivery is now pending: The delivery schedule of the package is not ready and pending. Delivery commitments change based on the type of delay and our effort to mitigate the delay.
  • Delivery exception: An unexpected event is preventing delivery of your package. Some examples of delivery exceptions include a customs delay, holiday closure impacts, missing documentation or other situations.
  • Delivery is held, unable to collect payment: FedEx attempted to contact you about a shipment that requires the payment of charges, including duties, taxes and other related fees, prior to delivery.
  • Clearance delay: Shipment is in the Customs and it can be delayed due to a variety of reasons such as missing documentation, and etc.
  • Operational delay: Shipment is delayed due to a variety of reasons such as incorrect recipient address or postal code, and etc.
  • Weather delay: Shipment is delayed due to the natural events outside of the control of FedEx such as snow, hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, or storms.

UPS Package tracking terms and delivery status

  • Label Created: UPS has received the shipment details and billing information from the sender of the shipment in the system.
  • Shipped/On the Way: UPS has received the package of shipment and the shipment will remain in this status until it’s out for final delivery.
  • Out for Delivery Delivered: The local facility has received the shipment and given the package to a driver for final delivery.
  • Delivered to a UPS Access Point: The shipment has been delivered to the final destination, with a timestamp of the delivery recorded. If the shipment doesn’t require a signature, UPS driver will try to find a safe place, to leave the shipment to keep it out of plain sight or harmful weather, including a front porch, side door, back porch or garage area, among others.
  • Transferred to Post Office for Delivery: A selected UPS Access Point location has received the shipment and it’s ready to be picked up at the receiver’s convenience.

About Ship&co

Ship&co is a shipping management solution connecting your Shopify store to DHL, FedEx, UPS and many carrier systems, allowing you to create shipping labels in a few clicks and automatically fulfill your Shopify orders. As a seller, you will be able to track shipments by clicking on the tracking number/airway bill number shown inside Ship&co Shipment dashboard. It will link you to the tracking page of each carrier, allowing you can easily track your shipment.

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