Returns Tracking: Giving Customers Visibility on the Way Back
Sarah Mitchell·5 min read
Ryan Caldwell
Solutions Engineer, TrackLogy
Every carrier has its own status vocabulary. "Item accepted by agent" on one carrier is "Shipment received at origin facility" on another. Customers — and many merchants — don't know what any of it means.
TrackLogy normalises events from 900+ carriers into a consistent set of statuses.
The merchant has created a shipping label but the carrier hasn't scanned the package yet. The shipment isn't moving. If this status persists for more than 24–48 hours, the package may not have been handed to the carrier.
The package is moving through the carrier network. This is the longest phase and may include multiple "In Transit" events at different facilities.
The package is on the delivery vehicle and will be delivered today (barring exceptions). This is the trigger for your "Arriving Today" notification.
The package has been delivered. Trigger your post-delivery review request sequence.
The carrier tried to deliver but couldn't. Common reasons: no one home, no safe drop location, building access issue. Action required: contact the customer to arrange redelivery or a pickup at the local depot.
A catch-all for anything unexpected: weather hold, address issue, damaged package, customs hold, lost package. These need investigation.
The package is being returned. Investigate with the carrier why (refused by recipient, bad address, uncollected from depot).
| Status | Days Before Escalating to Carrier |
|---|---|
| Label Created (not scanned) | 2 days |
| In Transit (no updates) | 7 days domestic / 14 days international |
| Exception (no resolution) | 3 days |
| Delivery Attempt (no redelivery) | 3 days |
TrackLogy can alert you automatically when any shipment exceeds these thresholds.
Sarah Mitchell·5 min read
Daniel Pierce·6 min read
Noah Kingsley·7 min read
Ready to Upgrade Your Post-Purchase Experience?
Start your free trial. No credit card required.
Start Free Trial