While using Australia Post, one of the most common tracking statuses is “Transferred.”
Over time, we have noticed that Auspost uses this status many times before a package gets delivered to you.
What gives? Let’s get right back to it.
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What Does Transferred Mean In Australia Post?
When Australia Post says that a package was “Transferred,” it means that they took it to another facility for faster sorting.
We have also seen other instances where packages had consecutive Transferred scans, which should tell you that it’s normal for packages to keep getting transferred until they find a freer sorting center.
Common Reasons Why AusPost Says “Transferred”
Backed Up Sorting Facility
When a vehicle carrying your package for sorting finds that there is a backlog in your nearest facility, they have to find a less overwhelmed center for faster processing to happen.
When they find that the next facility is also overwhelmed, Australia Post ends up transferring the packages to the next favorable facility for sorting.
When the sorting centers near your delivery address are overwhelmed with your packages, you might notice Australia Post keeps on transferring your package until they find the most suitable sorting center.
See, their aim is to ensure that your package doesn’t keep sitting in a queue for days, just because your package is in a sorting center near you.
The Package Was Handed Over To StarTrack
Sometimes, Australia Post hands over packages to StarTrack to make the final delivery, especially when they are overwhelmed with last-mile deliveries or deliveries to rural areas.
In such a scenario, AusPost indicates that the package has been transferred, with the sorting facility name indicated under this status.
The Package Was Initially Sent To The Wrong Distribution Facility
Shipping errors happen frequently, and one of the most common ones is when Australia Post wrongly sends a package to the wrong distribution facility.
This usually happens where yours was a smaller package and ended up getting wrongly bundled together along with a bigger one.
When they realize such an error, AusPost uses the term “Transferred” to indicate that your package has been rerouted to your relevant distribution facility for correct routing to the destination.
The Package Was Sent To Your Local Post Office
Sometimes, AusPost sends packages from the sorting facilities directly to the local post offices, where the recipients can pick them up.
In such moments, we see them mostly using the “Transferred” scan rather than any other scan talking about anything touching about the local post office.
Scanning Error
We have had scenarios where Australia Post packages were stuck on “Transferred” for days, while the package was actually on its way to the recipient.
Even after the delivery, it took the tracking page 5 days for Tom, one of the recipients, to see an update from “Transferred” to Delivered.
This is to tell you that the AusPost tracking systems aren’t perfect, and while you might be worried about seeing your package status getting stuck on an update, it could be on its way to you.
What Should I Do When My Package Is Stuck On “Transferred” For Days?
Track Your Package Using Third-party Tracking Sites
Third-party tracking sites such as 17Track and Parcelsapp provide finer details than Australia Post when a package has shown the slightest movement.
While AusPost might be saying that your package was “Transferred,” you could find that it was an issue with a scanning error, while in reality, the package was on its way to getting delivered to you.
Contact The Sender
It’s the responsibility of the sender to ensure that you get your package on time.
When you experience any hitch past the guaranteed delivery date, we recommend that you get in touch with them to either send you a replacement package or a refund.
We don’t recommend you to contact AusPost as the recipient as they will most likely not help you. See, they are contracted to the sender and not you.
