Shipping status glossary: every term explained
A plain-language glossary of the tracking statuses and shipping terms you'll meet, from 'label created' to 'exception' and 'return to sender'.
The early stages
Label created / Information received: the sender has generated a shipping label and the carrier knows a parcel is coming, but it may not have been physically collected yet. Accepted / Picked up / Collected: the carrier now has the parcel in its network and the journey has really begun.
On the move
In transit: the parcel is moving through the carrier's network between checkpoints — the status you'll see for most of the journey. Departed / Arrived at facility: scans at sorting hubs showing the parcel entering or leaving a location. Processed at hub: the parcel has been sorted and routed onward.
These 'in transit' events can repeat many times across different cities and countries; each is a real checkpoint, and gaps between them are normal.
Borders and customs
Customs processing / Held at customs: the parcel is with customs authorities awaiting review — routine for international shipments. Customs cleared: it has been released to continue. Duty / tax due: import charges must be paid before release; follow the carrier's official instructions to pay.
The final stretch
Out for delivery: the parcel is on a delivery vehicle and expected at your address today. Delivery attempted: the courier tried to deliver but couldn't — often a notice is left with next steps. Available for pickup: waiting for you at a locker or access point, usually with a collection code. Delivered: the carrier has reported the parcel reached its destination.
When something goes off-script
Exception: a catch-all for anything that interrupts the normal flow — an address problem, a weather delay, a failed delivery, or a customs hold. An exception is not automatically bad; read the accompanying message to understand it. Return to sender: the parcel is going back, usually after failed deliveries, an unclaimed pickup, refused customs charges or an undeliverable address.
Piplo maps all of these carrier messages into a small, consistent set of statuses so you can understand your shipment at a glance, while always preserving the carrier's original event text underneath.