Most of us who are unaware of a package’s delivery journey, assume that a package gets shipped out from the warehouse and then gets delivered to the customer, right?
Having this assumption is not wrong. After all, this is what we’ve seen happening on that front. But on the back end, there are a lot of things that happen between “shipped” and “delivered”.
As an e-commerce merchant, understanding these different delivery lifecycles of the package journey helps you communicate better with the customer and use these touchpoints to improve repeat sales.
One such touchpoint is the “In transit” order, which we must’ve witnessed on multiple occasions. But what does In transit really mean?
If this is a question that keeps you up at night, get ready to get your beauty sleep back. Here, we discuss everything you need to know about this critical shipping stage, from what it is and how it differs from ‘Out for delivery’ to some real-life examples and common errors faced at this stage.
Let’s drive in!
What Does In Transit Mean?
One of the most commonly used in the shipping industry, in-transit is used to denote the status of a shipment when it is being transported to the customer’s doorstep and is a stage between ‘shipped’ and ‘out for delivery.’
This status is typically provided by an e-commerce business or their carrier partner to keep customers informed on how their order is moving along the shipping process. It also helps the business calculate an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) for the package to reach the customer, ensuring customer expectations are managed.
Further, considering 96% of customers track their package online, with 42% checking their order’s delivery status daily, status updates such as ‘Order Packed,’ ‘Order Shipped,’ ‘In transit,’ and ‘Out for delivery’ are essential today.
Not just to meet this very critical need of the modern consumer, but to also help reduce Where Is My Order (WISMO) inquiries. You see, such package status updates mean fewer customer calls, emails, and check-ins requesting ETAs on their orders, which helps your customer service team focus their time on more complicated customer queries and helps keep your customers’ post-purchase experience as smooth as possible.
When your package says ‘In transit’, it means that it is currently moving toward its final destination, typically traveling from one hub to another in the shipping process. Simply put, the package is progressing through the standard shipping network following the event ‘shipped’ and ‘reached carrier facility at shipped location.’
In transit is usually the stage when the order makes its way after being picked up by the carrier to the first stage of the delivery lifecycle, i.e., the warehouse.
Now, the order marked as in transit doesn’t mean that the order is in movement. There are cases when the order is idly sitting in the warehouse before being out for delivery, and yet the order is marked as in transit (with a description, of course).
For international or long-distance packages, multiple warehouses or checkpoints can be between the place of origin and the destination. In this case, both the stops before the order is out for delivery are marked as in transit.
In short, any package that is on its way or in a carrier sorting facility waiting to be dispatched for delivery is marked as in transit.
Differences between in-transit and out-for-delivery
Having discussed what ‘in transit’ is, let’s understand how it differs from ‘out for delivery’. For this, we need to first understand the different stages of the shipping journey.
Typically speaking, your package goes through four stages once it’s been shipped:
- Shipped: The package has been picked up by the carrier partner.
- In transit: The package is getting transported to the warehouse/postal hub.
- Out for Delivery: The package has been picked up from the warehouse/postal hub and is getting delivered to the customer.
- Delivered: The package has been delivered to the customer successfully.
Now, while the first stage (Shipped) and the last stage (Delivered) are self-explanatory, the two stages in between—In transit and Out for Delivery are often misunderstood and at times even believed to be interchangeable.
However, the reality is far from it. These two are distinct stages. You see, when a package is ‘In transit’, it simply denotes that the package has been picked up from the manufacturer and is on its way to the postal hub which is often located within the customer’s city.
On the other hand, when a package is ‘Out for delivery’, it means that the package will likely get delivered within a few hours to the customer.
Explanation of transit in logistics and transportation
Transit in logistics and transportation is akin to a middle child—often overlooked but absolutely essential to the sibling dynamics. It’s the stage where a package is transported from point A to point B (and sometimes inexplicably to point C first). Whether it’s an international air shipment, cross-country trucking route, or the last mile delivery, ‘in transit’ is where the magic as well as the mayhem happen.
Package ‘in transit’ involves moving goods via road, rail, sea, or air, each with its own complexities. For businesses, smooth transit means happy customers and healthy bottom lines. Delays? Well, they mean support tickets, refund requests, lost revenue (from repeat purchases), and a whole lot of explaining.
Several factors influence transit efficiency. Distance, shipping method, carrier efficiency, weather, and even customs regulations all play a role. A minor hiccup—like a misplaced customs declaration or an unexpected snowstorm in July—can send deliveries into a black hole of uncertainty. That’s why businesses rely on tracking, route optimization, and predictive analytics to keep things moving efficiently.
At the end of the day, transit isn’t just about movement—it’s about reliability. And in an era where customers expect lightning-fast deliveries (thanks, Amazon), businesses can’t afford to let transit mishaps go unchecked. The good news? With the right tools and real-time visibility, you can keep transit smooth and surprises to a minimum—except for the good kind, like an early delivery. For this check out LateShipment.com’s Delivery Experience Management software.
The role of transit in supply chain management
Supply chain management refers to the process of managing the smooth flow of orders from the supplier to the end customer. It includes all the steps right from the time the customer places the order until the moment they receive it at their doorstep.
If the supply chain were a blockbuster movie, transit would be the high-stakes chase scene—fast-paced, unpredictable, and absolutely critical to the plot. Transit is the stage where goods leave warehouses, brave the highways, ports, and airspaces, and (hopefully) arrive on time at their destination. Without it, supply chains would be nothing more than warehouses full of unmoving inventory.
That said, in supply chain management, transit isn’t just about moving packages from point A to point B—it’s about doing it efficiently, cost-effectively, and without unnecessary drama (lost shipments, surprise delays, or that dreaded ‘package stuck in transit’ message). The speed and reliability of transit directly impact inventory levels, order fulfillment capabilities, and ultimately, customer satisfaction and experience.
However, the transit stage is prone to its share of demons that we’ll be discussing ahead. And these can quickly make what should be a straightforward, hassle-free process into an expensive headache. Poor package movement visibility can lead to missed delivery ETAs, annoyed customers, and customer service scrambling for answers.
This is where real-time tracking, proactive issue resolution, and data analytics come in. Businesses that leverage delivery experience management software such as LateShipment.com can predict possible delays, optimize shipping routes, and turn potential nightmares into seamless operations.
Examples of transit in everyday life
We’ve discussed what ‘in transit’ means, its logistics, and its role in supply chain management. Now it’s time to discuss some real-life examples of ‘In transit’ that we experience in our daily lives. Here’s a look at these:
· Ecommerce Shopping
This is perhaps the most relevant example of ‘in transit’ in our daily lives. In e-commerce shopping, the term ‘in transit’ is used to indicate that the online order is being transported from the manufacturer/supplier to the postal hub/warehouse in the customer’s city.
· Relocating or Moving Houses
When you relocate or shift houses, you pack your belongings and engage a moving company to help you transport these to your new address from your old one. Your belongings can said to be ‘in transit’ once the moving company leaves your old address and until it reaches your new one.
· Courier Service
Just like ecommerce shopping, courier services might also set the status of couriers as ‘in transit; once the courier has been picked up from the sender, until it has been delivered to the recipient successfully.
· Business Transactions
In the case of business transactions, where raw materials, or products that are getting sourced from suppliers are getting transported, their status can be labelled as ‘in transit’ until it reaches the business.
· Travel
‘In transit’ doesn’t just apply to packages, couriers, and inanimate objects. It can also be used to denote the movement of people. For instance, when Michael Scott is travelling from Scranton to New York for the Dunder Mifflin website’s launch party, had Ryan asked where he is, Michael could have said ‘in transit’, being in the car with Jim.
Alas, Ryan never called, and Michael has to eventually turn back for his online launch party.
Common Issues Encountered in Transit
Almost 70% of consumers say they are much less likely to shop with a business that doesn’t deliver their order on the promised date. Now, while a package can be delayed for a variety of reasons, a chunk of them lies within the ‘In transit’ phase of the shipping process.
To ensure you don’t lose customers, it’s important to understand these challenges and take steps to overcome them. Here’s a look at some of the most common issues encountered in transit.
Large Packages Exceeding Dimensions
We don’t know what to tell you—Size matters, especially in transit. When a package is larger than the carrier’s specified dimensions, it can cause all sorts of headaches, from unexpected fees to outright refusal by the carrier partner. And let’s be honest, nothing derails a smooth delivery process faster than a package getting stranded at a sorting facility, labeled ‘too big to move’.
One way to dodge this issue? Split large shipments into multiple smaller packages before they even leave the warehouse. Not only does this reduce the risk of delays, but it also helps avoid extra charges that could eat into your margins. With an advanced order tracking system, your team and customers can monitor each package separately, ensuring no part of the shipment mysteriously disappears into transit limbo.
By planning ahead and keeping shipments within allowable size limits, businesses can cut down processing times, reduce the dreaded ‘stuck in transit’ scenarios, and keep deliveries moving smoothly. Because in logistics, bigger isn’t always better—smarter is.
Border Protection and Custom Processes
If there’s one thing that can make a package feel like it’s stuck in limbo, it’s customs clearance. International shipments don’t just breeze through borders; they face a lineup of paperwork, inspections, and approvals—kind of like travelers at airport security but with even less patience.
Delays can often stem from missing or incomplete documentation. Customs officials aren’t just being difficult—they need every detail to ensure shipments comply with import/export regulations and, more importantly, to keep things safe. One missing form, an incorrectly declared value, or a vague product description (stuff’ won’t cut it) can send your package into a bureaucratic black hole.
The best way to avoid customs-related headaches? Plan ahead and double-check documentation. Ensure all required forms, invoices, and declarations are accurate and complete. Also, don’t forget about duties and taxes—ignoring those could leave your package stranded like a tourist who forgot their passport.
At the end of the day, customs may seem like a necessary evil, but with the right preparation, you can turn it from a roadblock into just another smooth step in the journey.
Shipping Routes Backups
Ever tracked a package and felt like it was taking the scenic route without you? That’s a shipping routing error—when a package takes an inefficient or incorrect path, leading to delays. Instead of heading straight to its destination, it might detour through unnecessary sorting centers, thanks to automated sorting mistakes, incorrect scans, or high distribution hub volumes.
Think of it like a GPS glitch—except instead of rerouting a car, it’s sending your package two states away. While frustrating, these errors are usually minor hiccups rather than disasters. Your package is likely just on an unexpected detour before arriving.
Businesses can mitigate these errors with real-time tracking, proactive alerts, and delivery experience management solutions like the one offered by LateShipment.com that identify and resolve issues before they escalate. Because while scenic routes are great for road trips, they have no place in logistics.
Delays Due to Weather
Weather and shipping have a love-hate relationship—mostly hate. From blizzards that turn highways into ice rinks to hurricanes that reroute entire fleets, Mother Nature has a knack for throwing supply chains into chaos. Even if your package isn’t traveling through a storm zone, major weather events can trigger a domino effect across the entire shipping network.
Imagine this: a snowstorm shuts down an airport, forcing carriers to reroute flights. Those rerouted packages flood alternative sorting hubs, leading to congestion, misplaced shipments, and an overall slowdown. Suddenly, your express delivery is stuck in a warehouse 500 miles away, contemplating its life choices.
Carriers do their best to adapt, but let’s be honest—no amount of logistics wizardry can part a sea of floodwater or melt a snow-covered runway.
Delays Due to Delivery Exceptions
Transit delays are like bad plot twists—unwelcome, unpredictable, and capable of turning a smooth operation into a logistical nightmare. One of the biggest culprits? Delivery exceptions. These occur when a package encounters an unexpected roadblock—be it bad weather, traffic congestion, or a barcode that looks like modern art to a scanner.
Some exceptions, like storms or sudden road closures, are out of a carrier’s control. However, others—such as incomplete addresses or incorrect shipping details—are entirely preventable. A simple missing apartment number can send a package into delivery limbo, leaving customers frustrated and businesses fielding unnecessary support tickets.
Since exceptions can’t always be avoided, the key is proactive communication. Informing customers about potential delays before they hit you with WISMO inquiries can make all the difference. Smart businesses use real-time tracking and automated alerts to stay ahead of the problem, ensuring customers are informed, not infuriated.
At the end of the day, delays happen. But when handled well, they don’t have to derail the customer experience—or your brand’s reputation.
Conclusion
While “in transit” is not the most specific status update, it’s a sign that your package is out for delivery next and is set for certain actions from your end to offer a seamless delivery experience to your customers. Also, in transit itself is a stage that can be capitalized to keep your customers informed and manage delivery expectations.
That said, it is also a critical stage that is prone to errors that can severely damage your customers’ post-purchase experience and, by extension, repeat sales. So, how do you tackle it? Well, with a robust post-purchase experience software like LateShipment.com.
Our Delivery Experience Management software helps you stay on top of your shipment’s status and keeps your customers informed through branded delivery updates, order tracking, and intelligent estimated delivery dates.
Further, if things go south and your carrier falters, our Parcel Audit and Shipping Refunds solution is ready to swoop in and hold your carrier partners responsible, ensuring you get back every penny you’re due.
So, make your post-purchase experience bulletproof with LateShipment.com, book a demo today!
