What is a 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.
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.
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.
There are 3 ways by which a company provides the tracking codes
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.
Track Your Parcel
Enter the Tacking Secret Number of your Parcel
Select Your Courier Company
Put Your Secret Number of Tracking
Please Put Your Tracking Details
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:
Pros and Corns of Using Tracking Number
Pros
Corns
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.
