How USPS Scans Packages and Why Scans Sometimes Get Missed
All USPS packages are assigned a tracking number, which allows anyone who has this number to learn the whereabouts of a package. USPS normally scans packages at every stage of delivery to make this possible, but sometimes scans get missed. Why do scans get missed, and should you be concerned when they do?
Each package shipped via USPS has a unique tracking number encoded in a barcode on its shipping label. When the barcode is scanned at key points along the delivery route (during acceptance at the post office, at processing facilities, upon arrival at the destination post office, and upon delivery), the package’s current whereabouts are uploaded to the USPS system and its tracking status is updated.
Barcodes are scanned using either handheld scanners called Mobile Delivery Devices (MDDs) or automated sorting machines at large distribution centers. There are a variety of reasons why scans may be missed, but a missed scan does not necessarily mean that your package is lost or delayed. In most cases, the package is still on its way, and its tracking status will update at the next scanning point.
One of the most common causes of missed scans is high package volume. During peak times, operators at sorting facilities without automated sorting machines may skip non-essential scanning to keep up with the volume and prevent backlogging. This may even happen at sorting facilities with sorting machines if the volume of packages is particularly large.
Missed scans can also occur due to consolidation. Packages traveling to the same destination are often transported on pallets or in containers, which may be scanned at sorting facilities rather than each individual item. In this case, the system knows that the group of packages moved through the sorting facility, but individual tracking updates will not be generated until the packages are scanned individually at a later point.
Another common cause of missed scans is human or operational error. A post office clerk or carrier may forget to scan an item or deliberately skip a scan due to time constraints. If there are connectivity issues due to a poor signal or network outage, the scan will be stored on the MDD and uploaded to the system once the device can connect to the network.
A scan may also be missed if the shipping label is bent over the edge of the box, smudged, or ripped, which makes the barcode unreadable. Fortunately, an unreadable barcode does not automatically make the package undeliverable. As long as the address on the label is correct and legible, clerks and carriers can handle the package manually. The package will still move through the system, but more slowly and without tracking updates. Sometimes, the package is relabeled at a processing facility, and tracking updates become available again.
Therefore, a missed scan and the subsequent lack of tracking updates does not necessarily mean that your package is lost. Missed scans are usually due to a high volume of packages or a one-time error, and packages only appear to be delayed or lost while being transported through the system to their destination.
If the tracking status of your package has not been updated for a couple of days, don’t panic. It may resume updating in two to three business days, or it may arrive without any further updates. If you’re concerned about your package’s whereabouts, contact USPS customer service five days after the last tracking update or a few days after the estimated delivery date.