Shipped but No Tracking ActivityUpdated a month ago
When orders are shipped and picked up by either USPS, UPS, or another carrier, but the tracking information shows no activity, a few common factors may be the cause:
- Delay in Carrier Scanning—Sometimes, packages are not scanned immediately upon pickup. It may take time for the carrier to scan the package at their facility. Until this scan happens, there will be no tracking updates, which gives the impression that the package is still awaiting pickup.
- Missed Initial Scan—Carriers may miss the initial scan due to high volume or human error. Even if the package has been picked up, it might not be scanned into the tracking system until it reaches a larger processing facility. A missed initial scan can cause a delay in tracking updates.
- Batch Scanning—Some carriers process multiple packages simultaneously and may not scan each package until later in the shipping process. USPS, for example, might pick up packages in bulk from a facility and scan them all together later.
- System Lag—Tracking systems may have delays in updating their databases. Even if the package has been scanned, it may not appear on the customer-facing system until there is synchronization between internal systems.
- Carrier Routing—Packages routed through a smaller hub or satellite office, where tracking updates are less frequent, might not enter the main sorting process right after pickup. This can delay tracking information for several hours or even a day.
- Weekends or Holidays—If the package is picked up late on a Friday or right before a holiday, it may sit at the carrier's facility until the next business day before it gets scanned and processed into the system.
Most of these issues are temporary and are resolved once the package progresses in the shipping process.