As your package is in transit coming to you, one of the most common Canada Post tracking statuses is “Item Processed.”
Depending on the distance between the sender and you, the recipient, you can see more than one of these updates.
What could it mean? Why is my package stuck there? Let’s dig deeper.
What Does Canada Post, “Item Processed” Mean?
When Canada Post says “Item Processed,” it means that it has been inspected, sorted, and scanned in one of the many Canada Post facilities.
Recipients get this status when Canada Post receives the package from the sender and sorts it, takes it to another sorting facility mid-journey and it gets scanned, and when the package has been taken destination facility and scanned for routing to the recipient.
The number of times you can receive this tracking scan depends on the distance between the sender and you. It’s normal when you see such a scan more than once.
For example, from our screenshot below, our package received 4 “Item Processed” scans before we received it.
Why Is My Package Stuck On “Item Processed” For Days?
Backlogs
During peak delivery times, Canada Post usually has backed-up facilities.
While your package might have been properly processed for further continuation of its journey, it could be that there is a long queue before it ends up getting loaded onto a vehicle.
Until there is a vehicle that can pick up your package from the facility where your package was last scanned, the status will remain “item processed.”
We noticed packages that are mostly scanned at Mississauga receive this scan for up to a week or sometimes more. You can’t be wrong to say that this mostly backlogged facility is Canada Post’s black hole.
When packages stay stuck past the estimated delivery date as a result of backlogs, the tracking statuses might shift from “Item Processed” to “Item Delayed – Stay Tuned For Updates.”
Inclement Weather
Amid bad weather, staff can’t load packages onto delivery vehicles.
As such, Canada Post has to wait until the weather is clear enough and safe for the posties and packages to load.
When the last scan was “Item processed,” it will still be so for the time when there will be inclement weather.
Problem With The Tracking Updating
In a previous post, we covered Canada Post tracking not updating and intimated that it is a common problem.
While the tracking page might be showing “Item Processed,” it could be that your package is well on its way, but due to an issue, you aren’t getting a real update about your package.
The Package Was Temporarily Lost
While there are not many incidents of Canada Post losing packages, packages still get lost albeit temporarily even after processing in the facilities.
Take an example of a scenario where yours is a small-sized package and it ends up getting misplaced in the conveyor unit or even getting bundled together with a bigger one.
In that case, the last scan will always show that that item was processed as Canada Post works to retrieve it.
Depending on how long it takes for the retrieval to happen, such a package might take a few hours or even weeks before a new update can be witnessed.
Skipped Scan
Canada Post doesn’t scan packages all the time, especially during the peak moments.
Since they conclude that scanning each part of the journey takes too much time, they sometimes skip some scans to move faster.
Due to a skipped scan, you might be thinking that your package isn’t moving, while in the real sense, it’s on its way coming to you.
What Should I Do If My Package Is Stuck On “Item Processed” For Days?
Re-track It
Canada Post doesn’t scan packages along each step of the journey.
As such, we recommend that you use free Third-party tracking sites such as Parcelsapp and 17Track to get the right status of your package.
While such a package might be showing that it’s stuck in the origin sorting facility when you check it using Canada Post, you might find the right status being that it’s on the way and coming to you faster than the estimated date.
Contact The Sender
If you discover that your package is nowhere near you when you re-track it, we recommend that you get in touch with the sender for a solution, especially if it’s past the estimated delivery date.
Getting in touch with the sender will make it easier for you as they will keep Canada Post on its toes to prioritize your package.
If the item is stuck as a result of having been lost, the sender can then file a claim with Canada Post and then work on sending you a replacement package or a refund.
