A tracking page is a record of scans, not a record of movement. Between two scans a parcel can travel 600 km or sit in a depot for three days, and the status line will read the same in both cases. Knowing which statuses are routine and which are stalled is the difference between waiting calmly and opening a claim too early, or too late.
The statuses below are the ones that appear across DHL, DPD and GLS in the EU. Wording varies by carrier and by language, but the sequence is close to universal.
The statuses, in order
Shipment information received / label created
The seller has generated a label and told the carrier a parcel is coming. Nothing has physically moved. This status can persist for a working day, and over a weekend it can persist for three. It is not evidence of dispatch.
Where this becomes a problem is when it persists for more than two working days: that usually means the label was created in bulk and your parcel has not been picked yet. A short written query to the shop at that point is reasonable.
Picked up / in transit
The carrier has the parcel. "In transit" is the longest and least informative phase, because it covers every movement between depots. On a cross-border route it can last four to six working days without any change, and that is normal.
What matters is the timestamp of the last scan rather than the status text. A parcel whose last scan is more than four working days old is worth asking about; one scanned yesterday is not.
Arrived at the destination depot / sorted
The parcel has reached the country or region that will deliver it. From here, delivery is usually within one to two working days. If it sits at this status for longer, the usual causes are a missed loading scan or a backlog, not a lost parcel.
Customs clearance / held at customs
This status only appears on parcels crossing an EU external border, or on parcels the carrier has flagged for a value or content check. It is not automatically a problem: most clearance events resolve within 24 to 72 hours. It becomes a problem when the carrier asks you for information, because the clock then depends on how quickly you respond.
The customs hold guide covers what documents are normally requested and what happens if the parcel is refused.
Out for delivery
The parcel is on a vehicle. Delivery is expected the same working day, and the scan usually appears early in the morning. For age-restricted parcels this is the point at which the ID check happens, which is why a delivery attempt can fail even when someone is home.
Delivered
The carrier considers the parcel handed over. If you do not have it, the sequence to follow is in parcel marked delivered but not received, and the short version is: check the nominated neighbour, the parcel shop and any safe place the courier may have used before contacting anyone, then report within 24 hours.
Delivery attempt unsuccessful
The courier tried and could not hand over. For vape parcels the cause is usually the age check rather than absence, because a neighbour or a family member under 18 cannot accept the parcel. The next step depends on the carrier: a second attempt, a parcel shop, or a return to sender after a fixed holding period.
Returned to sender
The parcel is going back. This happens after repeated failed attempts, an unclaimed parcel shop, a refused age check, or an address the carrier could not resolve. A return is not the end of the order, but the refund or reship depends on the parcel arriving back intact, which takes as long as the outbound leg.
How long each gap normally lasts
| Status | Typical duration | When to act |
|---|---|---|
| Label created | 0–1 working day | After 2 working days, ask the shop |
| In transit (domestic) | 1–3 working days | No scan for 4 working days |
| In transit (cross-border) | 3–6 working days | No scan for 5 working days |
| Customs clearance | 1–3 working days | As soon as the carrier requests documents |
| At destination depot | 1–2 working days | After 3 working days |
| Out for delivery | Same day | If it repeats without a card |
| Delivered, not received | — | Report within 24 hours |
Why scans go quiet over a weekend
Most depots do not scan on Sunday, and many do not scan on Saturday afternoon. A parcel that enters a hub on Friday evening will often show no movement until Monday, which looks like four days of silence and is really one working day of silence. Before treating a gap as a problem, count working days rather than calendar days.
Public holidays distort this further, and the effect compounds at the end of November and in December. Our guide to delivery in the holiday season sets out the realistic windows.
What the carrier's own app shows that the shop page does not
Carrier apps often show a more granular scan history than the shop's tracking embed, and they show the delivery window on the morning of delivery. If you have the tracking number, installing the carrier app is worth the two minutes: it is the only place where a delivery time slot appears before the courier is en route.
The comparison of how DHL, DPD and GLS handle this is in the carrier comparison.
When the tracking number itself is the problem
Two separate orders can share a tracking link if the shop ships them together and splits the invoice, and a tracking number can be reused by a carrier after a long interval. If a tracking page shows a delivery to a different city, do not assume the parcel is lost: confirm with the shop which tracking number belongs to which order. Large orders that are split across parcels are covered in split parcels explained.
The three-scan rule
A simple way to decide whether to act: a parcel should accumulate a new scan at least every four working days until it reaches the destination depot, and at least one scan per working day after that. Two missed intervals in a row is the point at which a written query is justified, and the query should quote the tracking number, the last scan and its date. That is enough for the shop to open a trace with the carrier, which is the only mechanism that actually finds a parcel.
Opening a trace does not stop delivery. If the parcel turns up during the trace, the trace is closed and the parcel is delivered normally.
Frequently asked questions
Does "in transit" mean it has left the country?
No. It means the parcel is somewhere between two scans, which may be a depot in the origin country or a linehaul vehicle. The first reliable border signal is a destination-country scan.
Can I change the delivery address once tracking is live?
Sometimes, through the carrier rather than the shop, and only before the parcel reaches the final depot. The options and their limits are in changing a delivery address after ordering.
Why does tracking say delivered before I got a notification?
Carrier notifications are sent from a separate system and can lag the scan by hours. The scan is the authoritative record; the notification is a convenience.
What if the parcel is returned to sender?
The shop receives it and either reships or refunds, depending on the reason. The sequence and the timing are in returned to sender.
Is a missing scan always a missing parcel?
No. Missed scans are common at hub transfers, and most parcels with a gap arrive normally. The exception is a parcel that reaches the destination depot and then stops, which usually means a delivery rather than a transit problem.
