Delivery Delay | What Is the Reason for the Delay?

TL;DR

• Common causes for delivery delays include incorrect addresses, failed delivery attempts, and incorrect order forms.
• Other factors like customs delays, bad weather, and difficult property access can also cause issues.
• Delivery time can be influenced by distance, shipping method, and courier schedules.
• To avoid delays, check tracking information and contact the courier if there are issues.

There are many causes for delayed delivery, and you should know what to do in such a situation. Continue reading to find out a possible reason for the delay in delivering your goods and how to solve it!

What are the reasons for delayed delivery?

The most common factors leading to delayed delivery are the following:

• Misspelt, incomplete or outdated address – when the courier driver fails to deliver the package to an address which is difficult to find, a new delivery attempt will not be made unless the customer provides all the necessary details. This causes a delivery delay of the initial estimated time. The courier usually leaves a note for the client.
• Failed delivery attempts – courier drivers have a big number of packages that they need to deliver and collect daily. If the recipient is not present at the indicated delivery address, the delivery attempt is deemed unsuccessful. In most cases, the courier cannot return to this address on the same day. Moreover, he cannot wait for the shipper or the recipient for too long, because it will translate into delivery delays in shipping other packages.
• Incorrectly completed order form – a postal code written in the street number field or vice-versa, the city name written in the street name field or a field left blank can also cause delayed delivery;
• Package redirection – if you decide to change the delivery address after the delivery service has been confirmed and the information has been entered into the system, a redirection may lead to delayed delivery. Even if the new address is very close to the initial one, the information still has to be reprocessed by the courier company’s system;
• Delay caused by customs – this reason for the delay in delivery of specific goods is encountered when the necessary documents for customs are filled incorrectly or are missing;
• Difficult access to the property – sometimes, the courier needs an access code to enter the building. Make sure you provide this information when placing the order, otherwise, the courier will leave and a new delivery attempt will be scheduled for another date;
• Unclear writing due to bad printing quality – low pixels or grey ink can make the label hard to read and hard to be scanned. After trying to decode it, the courier might just return it to the shipper;
• No doorbell: courier companies have strict rules regarding the delivery process, and ringing the doorbell is one of them. The person who receives a parcel must sign a confirmation document. Given that the drivers are not obliged to contact the shipper by phone, the absence of the doorbell is one of the frequent reasons behind delayed deliveries, as the courier will not just leave the parcel at your doorstep;
• Marked as undeliverable – when the packages reach the first depot, they are scanned. If the courier company’s employees suspect that they contain restricted items (lithium batteries, etc), the parcels are marked as undeliverable;
• Weather conditions – sometimes, unforeseen situations that are beyond the carrier’s control can affect the delivery time. Bad weather can block the roads or slow down the transit and cause a delayed delivery;
• Strikes – in some countries (e.g. France), the logistics sector is particularly affected by this social event;
• The delivery address is a Postal Office – no courier companies pick-up or deliver packages to a P.O. box, so make sure you write a street address;
• Refused by the recipient – this happens when the recipient has not been informed about the fact that he/she should expect to receive a package. Make sure you inform the recipient in advance;
• Temporary technical issues – under such circumstances, customers are notified of the problem and are given a new delivery time estimate;
• Maintenance works – even though it is not a common reason, maintenance works around the building or in the building might be a reason for delayed delivery;
• Protective pets – dogs are very loyal and protective of their own territory, that is why you have to make sure your doorbell works properly and you hear it even though the dog might bark loudly;
• Courier drivers have a prescheduled route – the time when your package gets delivered depends on whether your address is at the beginning or at the end of his route. Most courier drivers usually work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. You should always bear in mind that delayed delivery often occurs during peak seasons, such as winter or summer holidays. Given a great number of packages, the driver might arrive after 6 p.m.

Why do parcels take so long to be delivered?

Some people experience late delivery but it is comforting to know that sometimes you can influence the delivery time.

• Processing time. The shipment goes from a fulfilment centre to several processing centres until it reaches its destination.
• Distance. The most common factor influencing the delivery time and causing a late delivery is the travelling distance of the packages. Shipping within the same continent, and worldwide with the same transportation method, will result in different estimated delivery time.
• Shipping method. We mentioned earlier that you, as an individual, can influence the timing and avoid a late delivery. And how to do that? Opt for the fastest shipping option! Often, online sellers will offer their customers a free shipping option, which is usually the slowest delivery method. When ordering online, or booking a shipping from a logistics provider, choose the option with the lowest estimated shipping days. At Eurosender, we recommend you our Express shipping as one of our fastest delivery options – 24h-72h worldwide!

Late shipping delivery with Eurosender | Causes and solutions

• Check the addresses. When booking shipping services via Eurosender, always check the confirmation e-mail, which contains all the order details. If your street name has recently been changed and you haven’t received any mail there yet, you should also indicate the old name of the street (if there is enough space) in the order form or contact our Support Team to notify us of these changes to avoid a late delivery.
• Order form. You need to be attentive when filling in the order form for booking shipping services through intermediate booking platforms. Their order forms are general ones. It helps these platforms encompass all the requirements of different courier companies. Even though for some courier companies, a field left empty does not impede the order processing, it may be difficult for other logistics providers to enter the request in their system.
• Attempt to deliver a package. Courier companies usually make 2 or 3 attempts to deliver the box but on different days. If nobody is present at the address when the courier driver arrives, he will try to deliver the package again the next working day. After these attempts, the box will most likely be stored in the courier’s warehouse for 5-7 days, and the customer can pick it up directly from there.

How can I check if anything is wrong, in case my delivery is delayed?

To follow the progress of your parcels, make sure you check the tracking system of the courier company. In case you notice any unusual status, we recommend you to contact the courier company to be able to remedy the delayed delivery situation as soon as possible.

When booking courier services with Eurosender, you receive information about the approximate time of delivery. Therefore, you will know when to expect the package to reach its destination. You can also use our tracking tool system to know in advance whether a delay is likely to happen.

Still have questions?

Check our articles that answer the most common questions about shipping.