Shipping & Fulfilment
Why Your Shopify Tracking Stops Updating Before Delivery
Most tracking anxiety happens in the last leg of delivery — not because anything went wrong, but because most customers don't know how a two-carrier system works. When a package transfers from the international freight carrier to a local carrier, the original tracking number stops updating. The package is still moving. Customers just can't see it.
How primary and secondary tracking numbers work
International ecommerce orders typically use two carriers. The first handles freight from origin to destination country — that's the primary tracking number. Once the package clears customs and is handed to a local carrier (USPS, NZ Post, Royal Mail, Australia Post), that carrier issues its own secondary tracking number for the final delivery leg.
The tracking number in your Shopify order is usually the primary number. Once the package is handed off, the primary carrier stops scanning it — so the tracking appears to freeze at "departed facility" or "handed to courier." The package is still moving. The local carrier is now responsible for it, but their tracking number isn't visible to the customer.
Why customers panic at this stage
The gap between "handed to courier" and a delivery scan can be 3–10 days on international orders. Customers see no movement, assume something is wrong, and contact support. The WISMO (where is my order) ticket they send is almost always about this handoff gap — not a genuine delay.
Most of these tickets are preventable with a single line in your shipping confirmation email.
Using parcelsapp.com for multi-carrier tracking
parcelsapp.com can track packages across both the origin carrier and the local carrier using a single tracking number. It queries multiple carrier APIs simultaneously and stitches together the tracking journey.
For customer service use, it's the fastest way to check whether a package that appears "stuck" has actually been handed off and is actively with the local carrier. If parcelsapp shows it's in transit with the local carrier, that's the answer to give the customer — including the local carrier name and the expected scan timeline.
How to set customer expectations before the question arrives
Set the expectation before the question arrives. Adding one sentence to your shipping confirmation email handles most of it: "Once your order leaves our warehouse, you may see a gap in tracking updates while your package is handed off to your local carrier. This is normal and doesn't mean there's a delay."
If the package was shipped 10+ business days ago and parcelsapp shows no movement on either carrier, that's when to escalate to the supplier or 3PL for a trace.
What to tell a customer whose tracking hasn't updated
Be specific about what's known, not just reassuring. Confirm the ship date and that the primary carrier shows "handed to courier." Explain the two-carrier system in plain language. Give the realistic timeframe for the local carrier to start scanning. Set a follow-up date: "If you don't see an update in the next 3 business days, contact us and we'll escalate."
Avoid vague reassurance like "your package is on its way" with no specifics. Customers don't trust it, and it doesn't reduce follow-up tickets.
Pro tip
Last-mile tracking gaps create the highest volume of WISMO tickets for international stores. Our agents check parcelsapp, confirm the local carrier, and reply to customers with specifics instead of vague reassurance. From $10/hr with no lock-in. See our pricing.
People Also Ask
- This is the handoff gap between the international freight carrier and your local delivery carrier. The primary carrier stops scanning once the package is handed over, and the local carrier may not scan it for several days. The package is in transit — it's just between two systems.
- parcelsapp.com can track across multiple carrier systems using a single tracking number, which often reveals local carrier scans that aren't visible in the original tracking link. It's the fastest way to confirm whether a "stuck" package is actually in transit.
- Allow 3–10 business days after the last scan before treating it as a genuine delay. If parcelsapp shows no movement across any carrier after that window, escalate to your supplier or 3PL for a trace.
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