What is the tracking number of a postal item? Postal tracking. What is the tracking number of the parcel. Stages of movement of international mail

When you first encounter foreign shopping, you may not know what a tracking number is, what it means, what it shows and how much it is needed at all. It is especially difficult to deal with tracks when shopping on Aliexpress. However, it is important to understand in order to avoid losses, both direct material and losses of nerve cells (which, perhaps, is even more important than money).

Important note. In the article we're talking about about international tracks (international postal identifiers, IPI). The principle and idea of ​​tracks for local mail is the same, but the format of the tracks is different.

In today's article on the site we will tell you:

1. What is it and why do you need a track?
2. What kind of tracks are there?
3. What is the difference between a track number and an order number on Aliexpress?
4. Where to find the track in personal account on Aliexpress and iHerb
5. What is track status
6. Where to track tracks
7. How often should the status be updated?
8. Why the track may not be tracked

Track number, tracking number, postal id is a unique set of letters and numbers assigned to your parcel by postal or courier service when making delivery. Using this identifier, the postal service can clearly find out where and in what condition your package is. If the post office and courier company provides such a service, then you can find out this information using this identifier. Nowadays this is usually done using websites or applications.

The parcel for which the track number is reported is called registered mail. There is a postal item that has not yet been registered; tracks for it are not issued to the sender.

To some extent, the track can be compared to a car license plate, passport number or birth certificate number.

What kind of tracks are there?

During its sometimes long journey to the recipient, the parcel can be delivered by different services, companies or government mail. In the most standard case, the parcel travels to the sender’s country by the state mail of that country (for example, China Post), and to the destination country by its own state mail (for example, Russian Post). Sometimes this chain is longer.

International postal identifier

In order for the sender and recipient, as well as postal services, to know where the package is now, the tracks had to be standardized. Imagine if there was no standard, and the Chinese wrote tracks using hieroglyphs, and the Russians using Cyrillic.

To prevent such misunderstandings from happening, an international postal identifier standard was developed. This is a set of two Latin letters at the beginning, 9 numbers and two Latin letters at the end.

Species CA123456780CN.

But these letters and numbers are chosen not from the lantern, but according to the standard. That is, it’s not enough to just come up with any letters/numbers and it will already be the correct, trackable track, no! You can read more about what the international track number should look like in.

According to the rules, the track must be unique for at least a year.

If you know the track number of your parcel and this track number is international, you can track the location and current status of your parcel at any time using the website of your state post office. There are also a lot of other ways, but more on that below.

Not an international track

If the parcel was sent by such a company, the company may issue the sender not an international track tracked worldwide, but its own internal one. The format of this track can be anything at all.

Fake track

Also, there is such a thing as a “fake track”. It can be like a meaningless set of characters that is never tracked anywhere. So is a more complex scheme with the creation of websites for pseudo transport companies.

What is the difference between a tracking number and an order number on Aliexpress?

The order number is just a set of numbers in your personal account. You cannot track your parcel using this number. Track is the identifier of the PACKAGE (parcel, small package). The order number for Aliexpress and the tracking number are completely different things. Don't be confused.

How to find a track in your Aliexpress personal account

How to find a track in your iHerb account

What is track status? What can he show?

While the parcel is moving, it moves from one department to another, undergoes sorting, customs clearance, and arrives at its destination. A lot can happen to her. All this information is briefly reflected in the form of parcel statuses. You receive this information either in the store’s personal account, or when tracking on the post office website, or on the websites of parcel tracking services.

Please note that track status and order status (especially on Aliexpress) are two different things.

Where to track tracks

In case of purchase on Aliexpress, the track status, in most cases, can be tracked directly in your personal account. For international tracks, you can get information on the website of your state post office. Well, non-international tracks can be tracked on aggregator sites. We examined these services in detail with links in the article about.

How often should the track status be updated?

There are no strict regulations. In addition, when a parcel is moving by sea or by land over long distances (from one country to another), as well as during periods of rush, the status may freeze for a long time. But in our experience, statuses according to international track rarely get stuck for more than 2 weeks. Everything depends more on the status of everything.

Why is the track not being tracked?

Perhaps your track is fake. Or a non-international track, which was tracked only by the sender’s country (this is common among the Chinese), after which it was sent to regular mail under a different track.

Is it worth tracking the track at all?

Worth it, but without fanaticism. Check once a week - that's enough. In the case of Aliexpress, it is not necessary to check at all. Set yourself a reminder for the date the day before the protection period expires and sleep well. The nerves will be intact.

Track number is an individual postal code (identifier, number) postal item, thanks to it, you can control the movement of the parcel at any time. Postal tracking is a mechanism that allows you to find a parcel and subsequently track it. You should know an important nuance - in order for your shipment to be tracked, the track number must be of an international standard.

What does the parcel track number look like?

The parcel track number, according to the international standard, is always presented as a combination of Latin numbers and letters. The international parcel tracking number includes a total of four capital Latin letters and nine numbers, for example: RA125854782CN. Similar numbers are assigned to shipments coming from abroad or abroad. This is what, for example, the track number of a parcel from China should look like.

You can find out where the tracking number of the parcel is located in various ways, it depends on who sent it to you. If this is a parcel with goods from an online store, such as Aliexpress, then the seller must, after sending the parcel, indicate its track number in your order menu on the website. If a parcel is sent to you by a specific person or you are sending it to someone abroad, the tracking number will be indicated in the delivery note (declaration, receipt) that the shipping service will issue to you.

When your parcel has a track number, you can track its movement at any time. And if the parcel is lost or if any unforeseen circumstances arise, you can talk to the seller about sending the goods again, or demand a full refund.

Parcels from China without tracking numbers

The Aliexpress website sells many different necessary and interesting products at relatively low prices that you want to buy. When purchasing a product, the buyer often finds himself in a situation where he is sent a package without a track number. In this case, you just need to wait until the postman arrives mailbox will bring a notification that the parcel has already arrived at the post office. All you have to do is go to the post office and receive your long-awaited order.

A parcel from Aliexpress without a track number is sent if the purchased product is very cheap, and it makes no sense for the seller to pay for a real tracked track number. It is more profitable for the seller to simply not spend extra money and send the parcel without a track number, and provide you with an empty (non-existent) track. This is often practiced when shopping on foreign websites. But it is worth considering that if such a package does not arrive, then you will never know for what reason - either the post office lost it along the way, or it was not even sent. This is the main risk that a parcel from China will not arrive without a track number.

However, if the seller is conscientious, he will definitely warn his buyer that he sent him a parcel without a tracking number. And due to such inconveniences, it can provide additional guarantees in case of loss of the parcel. postal services. But in this case, the buyer also needs to be vigilant and make sure that the buyer protection period does not expire and you manage to open a dispute to get a refund for the lost goods.

To track your parcel you need to take a few simple steps.
1. Go to home page
2. Enter the track code in the field with the heading "Track postal item"
3. Click on the "Track parcel" button located to the right of the field.
4. After a few seconds, the tracking result will be displayed.
5. Study the result, and especially carefully the latest status.
6. Forecasted delivery period is displayed in the track code information.

Try it, it's not difficult ;)

If you do not understand the movements between postal companies, click on the link with the text “Group by company”, which is located under the tracking statuses.

If there are any difficulties with the statuses on English, click on the link with the text “Translate into Russian”, which is located under the tracking statuses.

Carefully read the "Track Code Information" block, there you will find estimated delivery times and other useful information.

If, when tracking, a block is displayed in a red frame with the heading “Pay Attention!”, carefully read everything that is written in it.

In these information blocks you will find 90% of the answers to all your questions.

If in the block "Pay Attention!" it is written that the track code is not tracked in the destination country, in this case, tracking the parcel becomes impossible after the parcel is sent to the destination country / after arriving at the Moscow Distribution Center / Item Arrived at Pulkovo / Arrived in Pulkovo / Left Luxembourg / Left Helsinki / Sending to the Russian Federation or after a long pause of 1 - 2 weeks, it is impossible to track the location of the parcel. No, and nowhere. Not at all =)
In this case, you need to wait for a notification from your post office.

To calculate delivery times in Russia (for example, after export, from Moscow to your city), use the "Delivery Time Calculator"

If the seller promised that the parcel would arrive in two weeks, but the parcel takes more than two weeks, this is normal, the sellers are interested in sales, and that’s why they are misleading.

If less than 7 - 14 days have passed since the receipt of the track code, and the parcel is not tracked, or the seller claims that he sent the parcel, and the status of the parcel “the item pre-advised” / “Email notification received” does not change for several days, this is normal, You can read more by following the link: .

If the status of the mail item does not change for 7 - 20 days, do not worry, this is normal for international mail items.

If your previous orders arrived in 2-3 weeks, and new package it's been traveling for more than a month, this is normal, because... parcels go on different routes, in different ways, they can wait 1 day for shipment by plane, or maybe a week.

If the parcel has left sorting center, customs, intermediate point and new statuses are absent within 7 - 20 days, do not worry, the parcel is not a courier who brings the parcel from one city to your home. In order for a new status to appear, the parcel must arrive, unload, scan, etc. at the next sorting point or post office, and this takes much more time than just getting from one city to another.

If you do not understand the meaning of such statuses as Reception / Export / Import / Arrived at the place of delivery, etc., you can see a breakdown of the main statuses of international mail:

If the parcel is not delivered to your post office 5 days before the end of the protection period, you have the right to open a dispute.

If, based on the above, you do not understand anything, read these instructions again, and again, until you are completely clear;)

To track your parcel you need to take a few simple steps.
1. Go to the main page
2. Enter the track code in the field with the heading "Track postal item"
3. Click on the "Track parcel" button located to the right of the field.
4. After a few seconds, the tracking result will be displayed.
5. Study the result, and especially carefully the latest status.
6. Forecasted delivery period is displayed in the track code information.

Try it, it's not difficult ;)

If you do not understand the movements between postal companies, click on the link with the text “Group by company”, which is located under the tracking statuses.

If you have any difficulties with the statuses in English, click on the link with the text “Translate into Russian”, which is located under the tracking statuses.

Carefully read the "Track Code Information" block, there you will find estimated delivery times and other useful information.

If, when tracking, a block is displayed in a red frame with the heading “Pay Attention!”, carefully read everything that is written in it.

In these information blocks you will find 90% of the answers to all your questions.

If in the block "Pay Attention!" it is written that the track code is not tracked in the destination country, in this case, tracking the parcel becomes impossible after the parcel is sent to the destination country / after arriving at the Moscow Distribution Center / Item Arrived at Pulkovo / Arrived in Pulkovo / Left Luxembourg / Left Helsinki / Sending to the Russian Federation or after a long pause of 1 - 2 weeks, it is impossible to track the location of the parcel. No, and nowhere. Not at all =)
In this case, you need to wait for a notification from your post office.

To calculate delivery times in Russia (for example, after export, from Moscow to your city), use the "Delivery Time Calculator"

If the seller promised that the parcel would arrive in two weeks, but the parcel takes more than two weeks, this is normal, the sellers are interested in sales, and that’s why they are misleading.

If less than 7 - 14 days have passed since the receipt of the track code, and the parcel is not tracked, or the seller claims that he sent the parcel, and the status of the parcel “the item pre-advised” / “Email notification received” does not change for several days, this is normal, You can read more by following the link: .

If the status of the mail item does not change for 7 - 20 days, do not worry, this is normal for international mail items.

If your previous orders arrived in 2-3 weeks, and the new parcel takes more than a month, this is normal, because... Parcels go on different routes, in different ways, they can wait 1 day to be sent by plane, or maybe even a week.

If the parcel has left the sorting center, customs, intermediate point and there are no new statuses within 7 - 20 days, do not worry, the parcel is not a courier who is delivering the parcel from one city to your home. In order for a new status to appear, the parcel must arrive, unload, scan, etc. at the next sorting point or post office, and this takes much more time than just getting from one city to another.

If you do not understand the meaning of such statuses as Reception / Export / Import / Arrived at the place of delivery, etc., you can see a breakdown of the main statuses of international mail:

If the parcel is not delivered to your post office 5 days before the end of the protection period, you have the right to open a dispute.

If, based on the above, you do not understand anything, read these instructions again, and again, until you are completely clear;)

Let's start with the definition of the concept track number(tracking number, tracking, track number) is a unique digital or alphanumeric identifier that is assigned to a postal item. The track number can provide the opportunity to track both the path of the parcel at all stages - reception, export, customs control, and also find out additional information about the shipment, for example its weight. ALL mail items have their own unique identifier- however, not all IDs can be tracked.
Depending on the type of postal item, sending methods, sending and delivery points, identifiers can be completely different.
We can conditionally divide them into - "untraceable" these are the so-called "simple parcels", which are issued at the post office without the need to sign in the acceptance book, they can even be thrown into a box. For example in Chinese stores, such shipments are simply called Airmail. Unlike tracked "custom" or "recommended" parcels - Registered Airmail.
You can put it in a separate type of tracks "internal" numbers. They are assigned to parcels sent within the country. They can be of any length and any type - 20-digit digital and alphanumeric, etc. Can be tracked on the websites of carriers that ship.
The most interesting and useful for buyers is the standard international departure number, which we most often encounter when purchasing goods in stores.
So, international postal identifier of items- the track number looks like "XX123456789ZZ"- 13 characters.
This number can be deciphered, since all signs have their own meaning. The number is divided into 4 parts:

1. First two letters XX- determine the type of postal item - what exactly it is - a letter, parcel, parcel, container, etc.
Codes and their meanings:
1.1. CA-CZ- registered, tracked and insured shipment.
1.2. EA-EW- express is an expedited, tracked shipment with insurance.
1.3. EX-EZ- This code indicates that the express shipment is sent within one country.
1.4. LA-LZ- simple, cheap shipment - letter, small package, etc. weighing up to 2 kg. Tracks of this type are tracked, but in some cases, after arriving in the recipient country, they may receive an additional, internal track number.
1.5. RA-RZ- registered, tracked shipment without insurance.
1.6. V.V.- regular mail with tracking capabilities.

2. The first 8 digits after the letters represent a unique numeric number of the item.
According to the rules of the Universal Postal Union (document UPU-S10) the number must not be repeated for at least 1 year

3. This is the ninth and last digit of the numerical part of the number - it is a verification code that is calculated according to a certain formula to confirm the authenticity and correctness of the track. However, it must be understood that some unscrupulous sellers They can give you the correct tracking number, but not for your parcel.

4. Last two letters ZZ- this is the code of the sending country. More precisely, the country to which the postal service belongs. Since, for example, goods from China are sent by the postal services of China itself and Singapore and Holland and Sweden, etc.

A short list of the most common codes
CN- China
G.B.- UK
NL- Holland
H.K.- Hong Kong
S.E.- Sweden
S.G.- Singapore
KR- Korea
US- USA
A complete list of country codes can be viewed