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Home » Articles » 2003 » October

What's the Point of Tracking Numbers?

Posted by Brad Pineau on October 25th, 2003 at 1:54 pm AST [51844 views]

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered something from Half.com, and I choose for it to be shipped via the ground method (any faster method would have cost me at least $65 more).

Well, the item was shipped from Ohio, and I was given a USPS tracking number. A few days later, I checked the status of my tracking number, and it said the item was accepted and signed for in Michigan.

Three days ago, I got an email from Half.com saying my item has cleared customs, and I was given a CanadaPost tracking number.

Since I first received the tracking number by email, the status of my item has yet to be updated on the CanadaPost site. When I go to check the status, I get a message saying:

If your item was sent recently, the status may not yet be available. Please allow one business day and try again.

Three days later, and my CanadaPost tracking number still wont work. And when I check my USPS tracking number, it says my item is still in Michigan.

What is the point of tracking numbers if they aren't accurate? To me, a tracking number should tell you where your package is NOW, not where is was a few days ago.

71 Replies

Posted by Ron Myers on October 25th, 2003 at 7:14 pm AST [email] [website]

Great system in a perfect world and I have ordered some stuff and it works sometimes but not others .... same as any computer system tho .. its only as good as the data that is entered into it.

I read somewhere (couldnt find it for this responce tho) that the ground system was suppost to be "realtime" but apparently it isnt .. maybe this is something that is going to be phased in.

Part of it im sure is the crossing of borders and transfer from system to system.

If I order Shark porn, I want to know when I am going to get it damn it =p.

Posted by Brad Pineau on October 27th, 2003 at 2:37 pm AST [email] [website]

I received the item today, and both tracking numbers' status haven't changed yet.

Posted by Andrea Vail on October 29th, 2003 at 10:30 pm AST [email] [website]

I'm in the middle of a similar woe. I have a UPS tracking number for a license plate I'm getting from the states. For almost 2 weeks now the status of the item didn't change when I would check my tracking number online. I called UPS and they couldn't tell me anything other than what was on the site (that the item was sitting somewhere in MA).

I got an email from the guy I was getting the plate from today. Turns out UPS rejected to send the item to Canada because he didn't have business papers (he was just as confused as I), so he sent it via USPS on Saturday. UPS - brown indeed if you catch my drift.

Posted by Nick on July 26th, 2004 at 2:42 am AST [email] [website]

Yeah Im having something shiped with USPS and the tracking info never changes its been sitting at: "The shipper has told USPS that the Item will be shiped on july 24"...that was updated on the 23 and its the 25 almost the 26 and still hasnt changed, whats the point I knew it was being shipped on the 24 and when I get it it will probably say something like an hour later saying: "Yeah the item as got to the destination", aahh... knew that.

Posted by SuperJason on December 23rd, 2004 at 10:27 am AST [email] [website]

UPS and Fedex usually do a pretty excellent job with their shipping updates. USPS on the other hand doesn't really do package tracking. They call it "Delivery Confirmation", so expect no more from it.

To track your shipments with RSS, check this out. It works pretty slick for UPS.

Posted by USPS woes on April 13th, 2005 at 7:44 pm AST [email] [website]

I have a similar experience. I have shipped stuff USPS with tracking numbers and it is hit or miss. Currently I have received an email from someone I bought an ebay item from saying that my cashiers check arrived fine, but the delivery confirmation that I paid a premium price for still doesn't tell me that he received it, even after 6 days.

If you are going to send a letter USPS, just get it certified, if that. Delivery confirmation is a total rip-off for letters.

c ya

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