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In the world of eCommerce, the ‘In Transit’ status update is one of the most popular terms everyone has encountered while waiting to receive a shipment. In this blog, we explain what does In Transit mean, why in transit takes so long sometimes, and how it differs from ‘out for delivery’ and other shipping terms.
The ‘In Transit’ shipping status means that your package has been shipped and is on its way to the final destination. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the package is currently moving in a delivery vehicle or plane, as it can also mean that the shipment is at a fulfillment center or passing through customs clearance.
‘Stuck in transit’ is a shipping status update used by eCommerce retailers, carriers, and other international shipping lines. Wondering what ‘stuck in transit’ means? It simply indicates that your shipment will be delayed. This could happen for various reasons, such as unexpected weather conditions or the loss of a package.
There are various factors for why a shipment may get stuck in transit. Here are the most common ones:
Customs delays are one of the top reasons why a package is still in transit. An international logistics company often has to go through customs clearance for every package entering a new border. Sometimes, the clearance process could take longer than expected no matter the shipping option you chose.
This refers to the unforeseen circumstances under which a package cannot be delivered on time. These include high demand during peak seasons, damaged packages, incorrect shipping labels, a wrong tracking number, and harsh weather conditions.
In addition, national holidays could also have an effect if there is a package in transit, as shipping companies operate mostly on business days.
Exceeded package dimensions
Shipping delays sometimes happen because package dimensions are too large. To solve this, the package has to stay stuck in transit until another shipping method is available to transport the package.
Everyone ordering online gets anxious about transit time and how long it takes. The shipping time for the ‘in transit’ shipments varies widely based on many reasons. The factors affecting the shipping time include distance, carrier, delivery method, unexpected delays, and whether the package needs to go through customs clearance.
In the past few years, advanced and real-time tracking technology has made it easier for order fulfillment companies, carriers, and freight forwarders to give a more accurate delivery time. So when your shipment is in transit, you’ll be able to see the estimated time for its arrival.
‘Out for delivery’ is another common shipping update that usually comes after ‘in transit’. To understand the difference between in transit and out for delivery, you should know that when a package is in transit, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s moving directly to you, as there are many steps a package should go through before reaching the last destination.
This is where ‘out for delivery’ comes in. This status update means the package is the last step of delivery, which means the package will arrive to you today and it’s being handled by a last-mile delivery company.
For example, let’s say you live in Pennsylvania and made an online order. If your eCommerce application is showing ‘in transit’, it means the package is on its way to that state. When the status changes to ‘out for delivery’, your package has probably left a fulfillment center in Pennsylvania and is being delivered to you on that day.
In transit is mostly the same thing across different logistics companies like USPS and FedEx. But it can take longer or shorter time depending on the carrier handling the package:
In Transit is associated with the United States Postal Service (USPS) due to its position as the most popular shipping service for mail and packages. ‘In transit’ in USPS means that the package is shipped and on its way to the final destination. It’s hard to know exactly how long does ‘in transit’ take in USPS, as the package could be in a USPS facility, plane, or delivery truck. However, it usually takes a few days.
If you’re asking why does your FedEx package is in transit, the company has the answer for you. According to FedEx tracking and support page, ‘in transit’ means your package is on its way to the final destination, but it doesn’t always mean the shipment is in a moving truck or aircraft, as it might also be in a FedEx facility.
In UPS tracking, the ‘in transit’ status means that your package is being transported to you through any of UPS’ infrastructure. So the shipment could be in a UPS warehouse, a delivery truck, or even an airplane.
There is no one answer to how long your Shein package could stay in transit, as it depends on your destination and shipping method such as expedited shipping. Generally, domestic orders take around 2-5 business days, but international packages could take between 7-12 business days.
Shipping updates like ‘shipped’, ‘in transit’, ‘out for delivery’, and ‘delivered’ are so important, especially in consumer-facing industries like eCommerce. With the rising complexity of eCommerce logistics and order fulfillment, these updates help customers understand how their shipments are being delivered and what the correct update is.
‘Shipped’ or ‘Order has been shipped’ means that your order has been processed and the package has left the seller's warehouse. After the order is shipped, it moves to the ‘in transit’ or ‘en route’ phase, where the package goes through the supply chain, moves from one warehouse to another, and aircraft to truck for example.
Once the last step of the shipping process, which is ‘out for delivery’ is active, it means that the last-mile delivery agent has picked up the shipment and is delivering it to you. This means you’ll get your package on that same day. When the product arrives to you, the shipping status changes to ‘delivered’.
Of course, this is an oversimplification. Some packages may go through extra steps and phases before they arrive at the final destination. In addition, some shipping companies may use different delivery terms to update you on the state of your shipment.
Order fulfillment or 3PL companies are the backbone of the shipping process. They handle the logistics of your order and help eCommerce brands get the necessary shipping information and estimated delivery date so they can share it with their customers.
At Lansi Global, we’ve been helping eCommerce businesses ship their orders to customers across 171+ destinations. We have fulfillment centers in China and the US to pick, pack, and ship products to the customer’s doorstep, all while providing the necessary support and tracking updates about the shipment.
If you’re looking for help with order fulfillment and have your own eCommerce store, reach out to one of our fulfillment experts for a custom quote.
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