Before you eventually get your package from Royal Mail, you are bound to receive multiple statuses on the tracking page.
One of the common updates we see while tracking our packages via Royal Mail is “In Transit.”
Now that you are here, chances are you have seen the update, or your package is stuck on that update. What does it mean? Why is your package stuck there? Is there anything you can do to make your package move faster?
For those and more finer details, let’s delve right deeper.
What Does It Mean If My Royal Mail Parcel Is In Transit?
When Royal Mail says your package is “In Transit,” it means it is moving within the delivery network towards the recipient. This could indicate that the package has left the sorting center or is moving between the Royal Mail hubs.
Since nothing is perfect in the world, Royal Mail has its shortcomings, we have seen several incidences where the package status was stuck on “In Transit” for up to a week. This leads us to look into…
5 Reasons Why A Royal Mail Package Is Stuck On “In Transit” For Days
Online Tracking Issue
We have had many incidences where the Royal Mail online tracking page didn’t update for several days.
In our most recent encounter, I had a package that showed up while the tracking page still showed that it was “In Transit”.
If your package is still stuck on that update, chances are that there is a tracking issue, and that parcel might actually be on the way to you. Unfortunately, this just makes the recipient more anxious as there is no way to know if the package is still moving or not.
Inclement Weather Conditions
Weather conditions keep on changing and not every incidence is well-captured by the Met Department.
Now, while the package might have been prepared for getting delivered or moving to the next step, bad weather can happen, making the delivery delayed.
Since Royal Mail doesn’t always scan each moment, they might not update you that your package might have stayed stuck on “In Transit” due to inclement weather. This means that whenever your package is delayed, you need to check the weather conditions on where it was last scanned. Their tracking systems can be better for sure.
Also Read: Royal Mail says delivered but no package
Understaffing
I had huge delays when my package was taken to the Bristol MC Hub before getting sent to my local delivery office.
After so much searching, I established that the reason was due to understaffing in that facility.
As you will see on the search engines, most of the Royal Mail facilities are woefully understaffed, and this means that packages take longer to receive scans or get delivered.
Due to a shortage of staff, too, backlogs seem to overwhelm the Royal Mail staff, especially during the holiday season. In those moments, the “In Transit” update lingers for several days, sometimes even weeks.
While timely delivery is beyond the recipient’s control, we can only ask them to be more patient whenever the tracking scan doesn’t move past “In Transit.” The major problem is knowing the reason why your package is still stuck on a specific facility, and so a little patience goes a long way.
The Package Was Lost
While Royal Mail doesn’t get many complaints of packages getting completely lost, there are some exceptions where some recipients never received their parcels for good.
As expected, Royal Mail won’t have an update for you whenever a package that was last scanned “In Transit” gets lost. Reasons such as small parcels, poor labeling, and the wrong address without a return or forward address might make a package get lost for a while or completely.
If Royal Mail retrieves the package, they then end up updating the tracking page. If they don’t find it, there won’t be any other scan, which is why the “In Transit” update might linger there for weeks.
Accidents
While Courier Vehicle accidents aren’t as common, they still happen.
Depending on the nature of the incident, the Royal Mail delivery staff might be forced to unload and transfer packages to another vehicle. Again, depending on how many packages there are and the number of ready staff to transfer those parcels, it might take longer to necessitate another delivery.
In all these circumstances, the status of your package will always show, “In Transit” until there is another relevant scan for your package.
What Should I Do When My Royal Mail Parcel I Stuck On “In Transit?”
When your package status is “In Transit” for several days and it’s already past the estimated delivery date, we recommend that you get in touch with the shipper and let them know about what you are facing.
The shipper will then work with Royal Mail to know more about the status of the package and get a reimbursement where applicable. When you notify the sender that your package is delayed past expected or it isn’t moving for days, they will be in a position to determine if you should receive a replacement parcel or a refund.
As the recipient, we don’t recommend for you to go through the hassle of getting in touch with Royal Mail. You will receive little to no help as you aren’t their client. The sender is their customer and not you.
It’s also crucial to note that if your shipper doesn’t seem to cooperate with you to necessitate a seamless delivery, you might need to file a chargeback. Remember, you paid them to have your parcel delivered to your preferred spot.
