We have all been there: refreshing the tracking page every hour, trying to decipher what the carrier is trying to tell us. Logistics terminology can be confusing. Does "Shipment is sorted" mean it is coming today? Or is it still days away? At ParcelParcel, we track thousands of shipments daily. To help you relax and plan your day, we have compiled this guide to the most common, and confusing, tracking updates.
Chantal has been writing about logistics topics for almost two decades and has worked for major international carriers.
To understand where your package is, you need to know where these updates happen in the logistics chain.
This is usually the first notification you get, but it comes from the seller (the online store), not the carrier.
Meaning: The warehouse has packed your item and printed the label.
Reality Check: The package might still be sitting on a table in the warehouse waiting for the courier driver to pick it up. It has not technically entered the network yet.
This is a positive update. It means your package has arrived at a regional hub (a large sorting facility), passed through automated scanners, and has been directed down a chute to the correct loading bay.
Order Shipment Meaning: The package is safe, accounted for, and is being prepared for the next leg of its journey (either a flight or a truck).
This is often the longest phase.
Meaning: Your package is currently moving. It is on a plane, a ship, or a long-haul truck.
Why it stays here: You might see this status for days without change, especially for international shipments. Do not panic; it simply means it hasn't reached the next scanning point yet.
This is the "home stretch."
Meaning: The package has arrived in your local area (your city or region). It is being offloaded from the long-haul vehicle and sorted for a local delivery van.
Timeline: Usually, the delivery will happen within 24 to 48 hours after seeing this status.
This is the final step before the doorbell rings.
Meaning: The carrier has assigned a specific date (usually today or tomorrow) for the driver to bring the package to your door.
Action: Ensure someone is home to sign for it!
Sometimes, the updates aren't so clear.
"Held at Customs" As discussed in our guide to customs clearance, this means officials are reviewing your paperwork. It is a pause in the timer.
"Delivery Exception" / "Unable to Locate" This means the driver tried to find your address but failed, or the business was closed. You should contact the carrier immediately to provide a phone number or gate code.
Want to track all your shipments in one place? Stop guessing. Use the ParcelParcel Track & Trace tool to get real-time, clear updates on all your shipments, no matter which carrier you use.
It depends on which sorting facility it is at. If it is the "Origin Sorting Facility," it could still be days away. If the status says "Sorted at Destination Facility," you will likely receive it within 24 hours.
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When a shop says "Order Shipment," they are referring to the entire fulfillment process—from picking the item off the shelf to handing it to the courier. It is the broad term for "we are working on sending your stuff."
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Not necessarily. If it is an international shipment, it might be waiting for a connecting flight or undergoing a lengthy customs transit process. If it exceeds 7 days with no update, contact our support team for an investigation.
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Usually, no. Once it is on the final van (Out for Delivery), it is too late to reroute it for that day. You may be able to request a "Hold at Location" (pick it up yourself) via the carrier's app for the next day.
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They are often used interchangeably. "Processed" is a general term meaning "we handled it." "Sorted" is more specific, meaning "we scanned it and put it in the correct pile for the next truck."
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You can instantly check the shipping costs through our rate calculator. Enter the weight, dimensions, and destination country of your shipment, and you will see all available shipping options along with their respective delivery times. The calculator can be used to compare shipping rates for both export and import shipments.
If you need help calculating a shipping rate, watch the video below. Click on the 
button to play the video and the 
icon to view the video in fullscreen.
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Shipping costs are calculated based on dimensions (LxWxH in cm), weight (in kg), and the destination country. Both the actual weight (as shown on the scale) and the volumetric weight are considered.
The volumetric weight is the weight calculated based on the space your shipment occupies in the plane. The higher of the two weights (volumetric or actual weight) is used to calculate the shipping rate. You don't need to calculate this yourself; our calculator does it for you.
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You can use the discount code PP10 for 10% discount on the transportation costs of your first shipment. You can apply the discount code during the checkout process (instructions).
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Whether additional costs apply depends on whether your shipment stays within the European Union or is sent to/from a country outside the European Union. Below, you can see the additional costs for each situation.
Within the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to Italy (within the EU), there will be an additional 21% VAT on the shipping costs.
Furthermore, if your shipment stays within the European Union, you won't have to deal with any import duties or customs clearance fees because your shipment doesn't go through customs. Please note that the European Union is not the same as Europe.
View here all the countries that are part of the European Union. For example, Switzerland is part of Europe but not part of the European Union.
Outside the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to the United States, there will be no VAT (0%) applied to the displayed shipping rates.
However, there might be import duties levied by customs in the destination country if you send a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union. Typically, customs costs are charged to the recipient. This is known as Delivered At Place (DAP) in logistics terminology.
Customs is a government agency that levies import duties in certain cases to protect the local market. As a company, you can also ship using Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), which means any customs costs will be charged to you as the sender.
If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact us. Additionally, you can read everything about import duties, VAT, and the customs clearance process in this blog.
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A customs invoice is a form where all the goods you want to ship are specified. This invoice includes an English description of the goods, along with their corresponding value and weight.
The contents of your shipment must be specified per type of product you're sending to avoid delays at customs. A customs invoice is always prepared in quadruplicate in accordance with customs guidelines.
When is a customs invoice required?
A customs invoice is only required for shipments to/from countries outside the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - United States). If your shipment stays within the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - Italy), your shipment will not go through customs, and therefore, a customs invoice is not required.
Additionally, document shipments are not subject to customs, so if you're sending a document to a country within/outside the European Union, no customs invoice is needed.
Please note that not all goods can be shipped to every country. You can find a list of goods that cannot be sent via ParcelParcel on this page.
Do I need to create a customs invoice myself?
If you're sending a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union, it's mandatory to include a customs invoice with the shipment. We provide free support in creating a customs invoice.
You can easily generate a customs invoice through our shipping platform. The customs invoice will be automatically generated based on the content you specified during your booking.
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You can import just as easily as export via ParcelParcel.
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You can find a list of goods that cannot be shipped via ParcelParcel on this page.
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