What is a Tracking Number?

Tracking Number

A parcel tracking number is a unique code for each parcel provided by courier services to the customer upon shipping your parcel. This number helps the sender, receiver, and Courier Company to track the shipment and get updates in real time. It also helps in tracking packages and to get information where the shipped parcels are and under what process the packages are.

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Every courier service or postal company has its unique and specific format of tracking number for packages based on the mode of shipment and types of services. Some companies offer both domestic and international shipments and their tracking for shipping also vary for each kind of shipment.

What is Tracking Number

How Many Digits in a Tracking Number?

Tracking code consist of numbers and later and the format, number of digits, and arrangement of digits vary from company to company or service to service. Although Universal postal union provided a standard format of tracking key in which the first two digits will show the type of services while the last two digits it will state the country of origin of the parcel while the remaining inner digits show the parcel number and company details for example UP847362519BR. These kinds of parcels are easily traceable until the delivery.

Some companies use their own format even for different modes of service. United States Postal Service is the best example of this as they normally have a 20-digit format tracking parcel code while for express delivery they use a 22-digit format of tracking code.

Some shipping companies don’t follow the standard format of tracking international packages and they use their own format so these type of shipments are mostly not traceable in international shipping. As the receiver has to wait for getting the update from the post office or Courier Company on the arrival of the parcel.

How to Identify and Find the Courier Company with the Tracking Number?

All international and well-renowned courier companies follow ISO standard prefix allotment. ISO assigns each company a unique Prefix and for their tracking information format. The tracking number can be a sign of legitimacy of courier company and ecommerce stores e.g. Aliexpress is legit as it offers a legit tracking number register with IOS. Companies use these prefixes and formats for their distinctive identities. Each courier service company can have a distinct global and domestic format. For example:

  • FedEx tracking number starts with “9”

  • UPS tracking number starts with “1Z”

  • DHL Express tracking number starts “DJ” for international services while “GM” for domestic services. DHL also uses other formats based on the country and types of services

  • Flash Express tracking number typically consists of 13 digits and letters and it may appear like HS0443MJHWG8F

  • UMAC Express tracking number or box numbers contain letters followed by numbers

  • Sicepat Express tracking numbers usually contain 12 digits but this can vary from 9 digits to 20 digits and letters based on the type of services.

In a nutshell, you can trace the belonging company with the help of a tracking info provided by the company and specific prefix of numbers used by the company. You can search online about to which company this prefix belongs and can contact the company’s customer service to confirm and to get the status of the shipment.

How to Get the Tracking Number of Your Shipment?

Each company provides the tracking information of the parcel to track. This service is essential not just for the sender or receiver but it also helps the company to have a check on the progress. These tracking systems help companies to resolve issues that happened while delivering the parcel. In sort, tracking information help courier service and freight forwarding companies to make their deliveries smoothly and efficiently.

Tracking Status with tracking number

There are 3 ways by which a company provides the tracking codes

  • Through receipt: When a sender book a shipment the company provides a receipt containing all the essential information including sender and receiver’s address, contact number, and products related information.
  • Through Email: When the company collects information about a sender and receiver it also demands the email of the sender and upon shipping confirmation, the company sends the tracking number with other details to the provided email to keep record. Companies also use emails to send updates on events and the progress of shipments.
  • Through Phone Number: When a customer book a shipment the courier company demands the phone number of the sender and receiver to contact. Most courier companies also send confirmation SMS to the sender and receiver about the shipment and this message usually contains tracking number as well for the record. Companies also send updates on numbers at every step of the shipment.

How to Track a Parcel from an Online Store?

First of all, you have to place an order on the online store. The seller will provide you an order number and that order number will be integrated with the courier tracking number once the seller send you the parcel. Normally it take 1 to 5 days after your order to start the delivery process.

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Sometimes you can track your order with order number if the seller has ASOS store. Other than ASOS store, you always need a tracking code provided by the courier company to track your parcel and in this case your order number will not give you tracking detail of a courier service company. You can get tracking universal number or domestic number and other details from seller or shipper. Many online stores provides you to track package with order number and many gives you unique code for tracking order.

How to Track Package with Tracking Number?

On booking a shipment, each company provides a unique code against a parcel. The company also provides a set of instructions for the ease of their customers. You can track the progress on delivery by using provided unique code. It is recommended that if you get any tracking error you must contact your courier company to resolve issue. There are different ways to track the progress of delivery. A few are discussed bellow:

  • Tracking tools: Each company provides a tracking tool online on their websites or on affiliate platforms, you just need to open the website of the company of affiliate platforms and put your parcel tracking code after that all the relevant data and progress will appear on your screen. Many online platforms provide this in formation. Click here to track your parcel
  • Customer services: Calling the customer care services of the chosen company is another way of tracking your shipment’s progress. In this method you need to provide the agent’s unique tracking code of your shipment and the agent will let you know the progress of your shipment.
  • SMS services: Many companies have advanced systems and they provide information through SMS as well. You just need to text companies provided number with the required details including the tracking information and the company will let you know the progress of your shipment through tracking notifications.
  • E-Mails: When you book a shipment the company sends you an email will all the relevant and necessary details. You can mail them as well to ask for the progress of shipment through a legit email address of the company.
  • Visiting offices: If you don’t have access to all the above-mentioned methods of tracking then you can visit the company’s office near you with the required details. The customer service officer will ask you for relevant details or tracking info and will update you about your shipment from their system.
  • QR Code: This is a new update and most of the companies adopt this new technology. In this companies provide QR codes on receipt, through mail, or on their website, you need to scan them through your cell phone camera and all the details will pop up on your phone.

Pros and Corns of Using Tracking Number

Pros

  • Real time update
  • Clients satisfaction
  • Reduce complaints
  • Fewer quires
  • Transparency
  • Helps in recovering lost Parcels
  • Promotes professionalism
  • Make regular engagement between customer and company
  • Develop confidence in company
  • Encourage customers to repurchase

Corns

  • Increase customer’s expectations
  • Chances of customer panic if the customer found any delay in one process
  • Customer’s lack of knowledge of shipping process can produce anxiety
  • Chances of losing a customer if they feels in some processes your parcel takes more time

How to Track Packages without Tracking Number?

Courier companies provide you a tracking information for the record, if you miss it then the Courier Company or agents can’t help you. As millions of parcels are sent and received on a daily basis and these tracking codes are considered the ID of your parcel. If you lost the tracking code and also you don’t receive the parcel, you are out of luck. You can just file a missing parcel or mail a search request.

For this, you need to have the sender’s address, the receiver’s address, the booking time, and the parcel details. The best way to get rid of such a situation is to create an informed delivery account when booking a shipment, it won’t cost you anything. By creating an informed delivery account you can track your package digitally.

Can’t Track the Package for a long Time?

In international shipping, usually Courier companies take a little time to start the shipping process. Because they need to arrange some necessary work like documentation, pelleting, customs documents, and so on. Usually, it takes about a week for this, you can confirm from the shipping company that how long it will take to start the shipment.

If you lost your tracking id then you can face problems in the shipment of your parcel and you can face to loose your parcel. Issue like DHL shipment is on hold, and arrived at linehaul office by stayed there for long and so on. Even errors in your tracking id can increase the shipment of your carrier service like Shein shipping time can increase if there is an error in your tracking id.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Check your slip provided by the company, or confirmation SMS and e-mail delivered by the company.

Yes, many companies integrate your tracking number with your order number. So you can track your shipment by order number.

A tracking number or tracking ID is a unique code or combination of digits and letters linked to your shipment for national and international tracking.