The Difference Between Process, in Transit and Ready to Ship

"Ready to Ship" (RTS) not only represents a commodity status, but also a core strategy for enterprises to improve customer experience and reduce logistics costs. Imagine: a batch of hot-selling products from China are still lying quietly in the corner of the warehouse after overseas buyers place orders - unpacked, unlabeled, waiting to be processed. Every day of delay means rising inventory costs and declining customer satisfaction. "Ready to Ship" What does it really mean? How is it different from other order statuses such as "Processing" or "In Transit"?

In this blog post, we will deeply analyze "Ready to Ship", explain how it affects your distribution strategy, the difference with Process/In Transit, and provide solutions to user pain points to help you seize the global market opportunity.

The difference between Process, In Transit and Ready to Ship

Processing (Processing)

This is the starting point of the order. When your order enters the system, the fulfillment center starts to take action: order review, inventory lock, picking goods, fine packaging, printing shipping labels, and completing boxing. This stage takes the longest time and is easily affected by operational efficiency.

Ready to Ship / Ready to Dispatch (Waiting for Shipment)

This is a key milestone status! The goods have passed quality inspection and completed packaging, all order information has been synchronized to the logistics system, and can be immediately arranged for shipment (also known as "Ready to Dispatch"). It is the last green light in the warehouse. The goods have completed all pre-processes (packaging, labeling, boxing, customs declaration documents), and are ready to be shipped, just waiting for the logistics carrier to pick up. Goods in this state can enter the transportation link at any time, greatly shortening the delivery cycle.

In Transit (In Transit)

The goods have left the warehouse and are in the transportation network of the logistics carrier (sea, air, land transportation), and are heading to the destination or the next transit hub. The timeliness of this stage is mainly determined by the carrier and service type.

The main features of "Ready to Ship" orders

Final packaging: The product is safely packaged according to transportation requirements.

Accurate labeling: Generate shipping labels, customs documents, and tracking numbers.

Quality inspection: Check items for damage or discrepancies.

Inventory update: Inventory levels are adjusted to reflect dispatched items.

For international sellers, ensuring orders are truly ready to ship can minimize delays, reduce errors, and improve customer satisfaction.

Why is "Ready to Ship" a game-changer for international sellers?

When goods reach the RTS status, it means:

Inventory becomes a saleable asset in seconds: RTS inventory is equivalent to "immediately cashable" working capital, greatly optimizing inventory turnover.

Shorten international shipping lead time: Save several days of processing time, increase the speed of goods on the ship/plane by 30%-50%, and buyers receive goods faster.

Reduce storage cost pressure: Reduce the time that goods stay in the fulfillment center, directly reducing long-term storage fees.

Improve supply chain predictability: RTS status is clear, shipping plans are more accurate, and delays and buyer inquiry pressure are reduced.

FAQs about "Ready to Ship"

How to speed up the "Ready to Ship" status?

Pre-pack high-demand items during off-season. Automatically label to reduce human error. Partner with a 3PL like Chinadivision to reduce turnaround time.

How does “Ready to Ship” affect international shipping costs?

The faster an order reaches the “Ready to Ship” status, the faster it can be consolidated into bulk shipments, thereby reducing unit costs. Delays result in increased storage fees and missed carrier discounts.

How does RTS status optimize international head-leg transportation?

Bulk RTS shipments can be assembled and packed faster to meet ocean/air freight cut-off times, avoid missing ship dates/flights due to processing delays, and significantly reduce unit transportation costs.

Does “Ready to Ship” status mean same-day shipment?

ChinaDivision promises same-day shipment for “Ready to Ship” orders confirmed before 15:00 CST daily. This is especially critical for time-sensitive products.

How Chinadivision optimizes “Ready to Ship”

At Chinadivision, we focus on helping B2B and e-commerce sellers achieve faster, cheaper, and more reliable international shipping.

Smart Inventory Management

Real-time inventory tracking avoids "processing" delays. Provides pre-stocking options for high-volume sellers. Full-process barcode management + real-time WMS synchronization + regular cycle inventory, inventory accuracy > 99.9%.

Smart Stocking Management

Predict demand based on historical order data and automatically generate stocking suggestions; Support multi-level inventory layout of bonded warehouses and overseas warehouses, and global delivery in as fast as 3 days.

Automatic Order Processing

The AI-driven system can reduce labeling errors and speed up packaging. Integrate with major e-commerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon). Automated order processing system + intelligent warehouse layout, the average time from order arrival to RTS status is shortened to 24-48 hours.

Global Carrier Partnership

Discounted prices from DHL, FedEx, USPS and regional carriers. Multi-channel fulfillment of DTC and B2B orders.

Customized Logistics Network

Integrate air, sea and rail resources to provide "door-to-door" tariff prepayment services; Provide full insurance and priority customs clearance channels for high-value goods.

Transparent Tracking and Reporting

Customers receive real-time updates from “Processing” to “Delivered.” Sellers access dashboards to monitor fulfillment KPIs.

Ready to streamline your shipping process? Contact Chinadivision today! Located in Shenzhen, Chinadivision is strategically located adjacent to the Hong Kong transportation hub to minimize delays. We have long-standing relationships with a wide range of carriers, allowing us to pick up goods flexibly and frequently to move your “Ready to Ship” orders to “In Transit” as quickly as possible.

If you are tired of delays, high costs, and frustrated customers, Chinadivision is your international fulfillment partner, with professional warehouse management, seamless logistics connections, and deep compliance experience to ensure that your goods are processed, ready to ship, and arrive at global customers on time as quickly as possible. Our team focuses on optimizing every stage of order fulfillment - from “Processing” to “Ready to Ship” and beyond.

“Ready to Ship” is more than just a literal meaning, it’s about mastering your order fulfillment workflow to stay competitive in the global market. By working with a trusted third-party logistics provider like Chinadivision, you can eliminate bottlenecks, reduce costs, and provide a seamless experience for your customers.