How to track USPS packages?

When you use USPS to mail a package, you can track its status to ensure its safe arrival. There are many ways to track USPS packages, and while all of these methods are worth trying, the USPS website provides the most up-to-date, timely, and comprehensive information. Here are a few methods to track your package's status:

• Online: Use the USPS Tracking® service on the USPS® website and enter your package's unique tracking number.
• SMS Tracking: Send a text message to 28777 (2USPS) with your tracking number. Note that this method may incur standard SMS and data charges.
• Through Smartphone: Download the USPS Mobile® app for iPhone® and Android™ to view real-time updates on your shipment.
• By Phone: To obtain tracking information, customers can visit the USPS contact page for phone numbers and business hours and then call the United States Postal Service directly to receive updates. For Deaf-Tethered Telecommunications Equipment/Teletypewriter (TDD/TTY), please call 1-800-877-8339; you can listen to automated announcements 24/7.
• Third-Party Logistics Providers: If you purchased shipping labels through a third-party logistics provider like ChinaDivision, you can easily track your shipments through a control panel by accessing the shipping details.

The above tracking methods assume you have received a tracking number from USPS. Typically, each USPS package comes with a tracking number. However, if you haven't received a tracking number, don't worry; you can still track your order. Simply contact the support team of your logistics software provider or USPS customer service. Before making a call, please ensure you have all the necessary details ready, such as your shipping type, package value, delivery address, etc. Once you provide your details, staff may provide your current USPS tracking status and most likely your tracking number so you can track your package yourself. If they don't, you can easily obtain the tracking number yourself; otherwise, you'll have to repeatedly call customer service until the package reaches its final destination.

The most common USPS tracking statuses

1. Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item

This is the first status shown in the pre-shipment tracking. A tracking number with a USPS Tracking® number has been generated. The package has not yet been handed over to USPS. Once the package arrives at USPS, it will be processed and shipped to your Delivery Post Office™, at which time an estimated delivery date will be provided.

2. In Transit 

This is the second status displayed in the USPS tracking system: the package is currently being processed or is being sent to your delivery post office™. Such tracking scans may appear multiple times at the same post office or on different dates.

3. Out for Delivery

Your package is ready for delivery at your local Post Office™ and will be delivered by a mail carrier today. Not all packages are delivered by the same mail carrier who delivers your daily mail, so delivery times may vary and may be slightly later.

4. Delivered  

The package has been delivered to its destination, and the delivery date, time, and location have been recorded; they consider the mission complete. If your package status shows as delivered but you cannot find it, the carrier may have placed it in a more secure location. Please check the following places: your garage; ask other family members; your mailbox (the package may have been delivered separately from your regular mail; please check again later); areas protected from weather or outside of street view, such as under doormats, near the back door, the outer door, and anywhere else you could place the package.

5. No Access to Delivery Location

Your mail carrier cannot reach your mailbox, porch, garage, or other locations. Common reasons include vehicles blocking your mailbox, free-roaming dogs or other animals causing disturbance, the address being located in a gated community or a locked building that we cannot access, public works construction, or emergency responders.

6. Notice Left (No Authorized Recipient Available)

The package requires a signature, but no one is home to sign for it. The courier left a PS Form 3849 Redelivery Notice. A second delivery attempt will not be made automatically. In this situation, you have three options:

• Arrange a redelivery, ensuring someone is home to sign for it; please use the package tracking number or the barcode number on the redelivery notice. If it can be delivered to a USPS® smart locker, the redelivery notice will indicate this.
• Please collect it from the post office listed on the notice. You can also authorize an authorized representative to collect it on your behalf. You must present valid photo identification upon collection.
• Use the redelivery application to request the package be returned to the sender. If you do not collect the package within the specified time, we will return it to the sender.

7. Available for Pickup

This indicates that the potential recipient can pick up the package at a post office or designated U.S. Postal Service location.

8. Forwarded

The package is being forwarded to another address. This could be due to the recipient changing their address or the package being delivered to the wrong post office.

How does ChinaDivision help you solve logistics problems?

Staying informed about your package's tracking status allows both sender and recipient to know its exact location, ensuring smooth delivery. Furthermore, if problems arise during transit, the tracking information helps deduce the cause and facilitates targeted problem-solving. A professional third-party logistics provider offers highly transparent tracking services, requiring no user intervention. First, before shipment, during the goods storage phase, ChinaDivision's Warehouse Management System (WMS) efficiently records the weight and dimensions of products. You can easily view warehouse inventory information at any time, receive low inventory alerts, and better prepare for business expansion. Then, during the outbound preparation phase, ChinaDivision affixes a barcode label to each item and uses an efficient barcode tracking system to achieve accurate data collection, thereby enabling end-to-end order fulfillment and product logistics tracking. We understand that some partners not only want to receive tracking information after shipment but also want their customers to be informed of the shipment status. In this case, ChinaDivision's control panel will synchronize the shipment status and related tracking numbers to their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Depending on the functionality of their CRM or e-commerce platform, the system may automatically generate a "shipped" confirmation email and send it to their customer.

FAQs

1. Can I set up USPS tracking update notifications?

Yes, the United States Postal Service (USPS) allows you to set up package tracking update notifications. You can choose to receive notifications via SMS, email, or both when your package status is updated. This feature helps you track your package's progress in real time, from shipment to delivery. To set up these notifications, enter your tracking number on the USPS tracking website and then select the notification option that best suits your needs.

2. Why is my USPS tracking not moving?

Each scan triggers an update to the tracking system, keeping you informed of your mail's delivery status. However, the system can sometimes malfunction. Technical issues with the scanner, human error during processing, or even a large volume of mail can interrupt updates, causing tracking information to stagnate. If your shipment status is slow to update, please contact your partner third-party logistics company promptly; they will resolve your issue.

Reference:

1. USPS Tracking®—The Basics

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/USPS-Tracking-The-Basics

2. Where is my package? Tracking Status Help

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Where-is-my-package