How Different Express Delivery Companies Handle Package Delays

International package delays not only affect customer satisfaction, but may also lead to problems such as order cancellations and inventory backlogs. Whether it is bad weather, the complexity of customs clearance, or operational problems within the express delivery company, the package may not arrive on time.

According to DHL's "2023 Global Trade Trends Report", more than 67% of international packages have experienced unplanned delays, and only 23% of companies have established systematic response plans. Understand how different express delivery companies handle international package delays and how to effectively solve these problems. This article will explore the common causes of international transportation delays and provide feasible solutions for B2B companies and e-commerce sellers from the perspective of professional fulfillment agency service providers.

Common causes of international package delays

Internal problems of logistics companies

Due to problems such as warehouse management and logistics route planning, packages may be delayed within the logistics company. Shortage of couriers or sorting personnel may result in packages not being delivered in time.

Shipping Mode Selection

Different modes of transport (sea, air, land) may have different risks of international shipping delays.

Weather and Natural Disasters

Bad weather and natural disasters are one of the main reasons for international package delays. For example, Italy recently experienced floods that extended package shipping times in some areas. Similar situations also occurred in Japan, where natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes frequently affect logistics and transportation.

High Demand and Peak Seasons

During busy shipping seasons such as Black Friday, Christmas or the Lunar New Year, global shipping volumes surge, leading to backlogs and express package delays.

Labor Strikes

Labor strikes also have a significant impact on logistics and transportation. For example, public worker strikes in Italy and Mexico caused package delays of up to a week.

Customs Clearance

Customs clearance is an inevitable part of international package transportation, but problems in the customs clearance process can also cause delays. Customs at the destination conducts routine spot checks on goods or customs requires packages to provide a valid customer phone number, otherwise they cannot be cleared.

How different express delivery companies handle international package delays

USPS (United States Postal Service)

USPS is one of the world's largest postal service providers, but it has also faced package delays in recent years. According to the American Postal Union, USPS package delays are mainly due to poor planning, poor management and understaffing. If the package is delayed for more than seven days, customers can submit a "missing mail search request" and provide detailed information about the package, such as the sender and recipient addresses, package size, tracking number and package contents.

DHL

DHL is a world-renowned express delivery company known for its efficient logistics services. When dealing with package delays, DHL usually informs customers of the status of the package in a timely manner through its advanced tracking system. DHL will also proactively communicate with customers to provide the cause of the delay and the estimated recovery time. DHL's advantage lies in its strong global network and professional customs clearance team, which can effectively reduce customs clearance delays.

DHL has extensive experience in handling package delays:

Real-time tracking: DHL provides an advanced tracking system, and users can check the shipping status of the package at any time.

Customer support: DHL provides multilingual customer support to ensure that users can get help in a timely manner.

Delay Compensation: DHL provides a corresponding compensation policy for delays caused by DHL.

FedEx

FedEx is another leading global express delivery company, widely recognized for its fast shipping and reliable customer service. When dealing with package delays, FedEx will actively solve the problem through its customer support team. FedEx also provides a variety of shipping options, including priority shipping and emergency shipping services to ensure that the package is delivered as soon as possible.

FedEx provides a variety of solutions for international package delays:

Package tracking: Through the FedEx official website or mobile application, you can track the status of the package in real time, understand the specific location of the package and the estimated time of arrival.

Delay Compensation: FedEx provides a certain compensation policy for delays caused by FedEx itself.

Customer Support: FedEx provides 24/7 customer support, which can be contacted at any time to solve the package delay problem.

UPS

UPS is one of the largest express delivery companies in the world, known for its efficient logistics system and extensive service network. When dealing with package delays, UPS will promptly inform customers of the status of the package through its advanced logistics management system. UPS also offers a variety of transportation options, including land, air and sea transportation, to meet the needs of different customers.

UPS also has a complete mechanism for dealing with international package delays:

Package tracking: Through the UPS official website or mobile application, users can track the status of the package at any time and understand the cause of the delay in a timely manner.

Customer support: UPS provides a professional customer support team to help solve delay problems and provide solutions.

Compensation policy: UPS provides compensation services for delays caused by its own reasons.

Feasible solutions to solve the problem of global transportation delays

Use tracking services

Through the real-time tracking system, timely understand the transportation status of the package, prevent and respond to delays.

Optimize logistics plans

Planning logistics plans in advance is the key to avoiding package delays. Companies should try to avoid arranging the transportation of important orders during public holidays and natural disaster seasons. Choose the appropriate mode of transportation according to actual needs and avoid choosing high-risk transportation routes.

Choose a reliable courier company

Choosing a logistics service provider with good reputation and stable service can reduce the risk of delays. With its advanced logistics system and professional customs clearance team, it can effectively reduce package delays.

Provide accurate customs clearance information

Ensuring that the customs clearance information of all packages is accurate is the key to avoiding customs clearance delays. For example, Japanese customs requires that packages must provide a valid customer phone number, otherwise they cannot be cleared.

Use consolidated freight services

Consolidated freight shipping is a way to combine multiple small packages into one large package for transportation, which can effectively reduce transportation costs and delay risks. Consolidated freight service providers such as Chinadivision can design the most optimized transportation plan based on the specific needs of the enterprise to ensure that the package arrives at the destination safely and efficiently.

Common hot topics and answers

How long does it take for a package to clear customs?

The customs clearance time for a package varies from country to country and region, and generally takes 1-3 working days. However, during holidays or specific periods, the customs clearance time may be extended.

Is there a difference in customs clearance for sea, air, and land transportation?

Yes, the customs clearance process and time for sea, air, and land transportation are different:

Sea transportation: The customs clearance time for sea transportation packages is longer, generally 3-7 working days.

Air freight: The customs clearance time for air freight parcels is shorter, generally 1-3 working days.

Land freight: The customs clearance time for land freight parcels is between sea freight and air freight, generally 2-5 working days.

What is the compensation standard for express parcel delays?

The compensation standard varies from courier to courier, some are compensated by freight multiples, and some are calculated by cargo weight or value. We will strive for the maximum compensation for customers based on their specific circumstances and the regulations of the courier company.

How to avoid global shipping delays?

Choosing high-quality courier companies, providing accurate recipient information, preparing necessary customs clearance documents, and purchasing additional insurance services are all effective ways to avoid global shipping delays.

How Chinadivision can help you solve parcel delays

As a professional international order fulfillment service provider, Chinadivision provides a one-stop logistics solution to help you optimize your shipping plan, choose the most reliable courier company, and ensure that all customs clearance information is accurate. Our professional team can track the status of parcels in real time, and promptly discover and resolve potential delays.

Real-time tracking system: We provide an advanced parcel tracking system to ensure that customers can understand the shipping status of parcels in real time.

Efficient customs clearance service: We have a professional customs clearance team to help customers complete customs clearance procedures smoothly and reduce the risk of delays.

Diversified transportation solutions: According to customer needs, we provide a variety of transportation solutions such as sea, air and land transportation to ensure that the goods are delivered to the destination quickly and safely.

Customer support: Our customer support team is always available to help you solve problems encountered during transportation and ensure the smooth operation of your business.

In addition, Chinadivision also provides consolidated freight services, which effectively reduce transportation costs and delay risks by combining multiple small packages into one large package for transportation. Our services not only help companies reduce logistics costs, but also improve customer satisfaction and ensure that your business thrives globally.

If you are tired of dealing with shipping delays and want to simplify your international logistics, ChinaDivision can help you. Contact us now to learn how we can enhance your fulfillment process, save you time and reduce costs while ensuring timely delivery. Please feel free to get in touch with Chinadivision. We look forward to working with you to achieve a win-win situation.