To track your package correctly and make sure that everything is in order, it is important to be familiar with the status of your order.
In the AliExpress app or website you can check the status of your order by clicking here and checking what it says under the column “Order Status” (you have more info in our article Tracking in AliExpress).
In this post we will try to solve your doubts about the arrival to the distribution center.
What does “Shipment at local distribution center” mean?
When the AliExpress order status shows “Shipment at local distribution center” it means that the package has already arrived in your country and therefore it is likely that you will receive it at home in a short time.
How long will it take to arrive? There is no sure formula to know the exact days, but now we tell you the next steps of your order.
Do you have to do anything? Yes, there are a couple of things you can do to receive your order sooner and to prevent it from being returned to China. We'll explain them below.
Distribution Centers
First of all, all AliExpress orders arrive at a Distribution Center, which are located in the largest cities of your country, thus, having highest volume of admissions.
Usually the packages arrive by air in the capital of the country. If not, they are transported by ship.
What are the next steps?
Once the package has been sorted at customs arrival, it is sent to your local delivery office for the letter carrier to take it to your home address.
If you are not at home at the time of delivery, don't worry: the letter carrier will try a new delivery the next day. If you are also not at home, the letter carrier will take the package to the post office and you will have 15 days to pick it up.
Keep in mind that nowadays the Post Office does not leave any notice in the mailbox and that is why it is important to keep an eye on the status of your order so that it is not returned to China due to non-delivery.
Orders managed by Sinotrans
If your order is being handled by Sinotrans, which is the most important courier company in China, then you will have the possibility to manage your delivery.
These shipments can be easily identified because they carry the initials “PQ” followed by a number.
How to manage your order with Sinotrans
First you will receive an e-mail and an SMS to your cell phone notifying you that you will shortly receive the shipment and you will receive a link with which you can modify the delivery if you are not going to be at home.
In addition to this, if the package is going to be delivered and it turns out that nobody is at home, you will receive a new notification to your cell phone and email to let you know of the new delivery.
If you are still not at home during the second attempt, they will send you a new notice to pick it up at the post office.
This method of delivery is very convenient and allows you to take a little more care of your package.
You can read more in our article about shipping methods on AliExpress.