One of the most common doubts users have when shopping online is about the status of their order. If you want to know if your package will arrive, if it’s on its way or if it has been lost and learn the meaning of all these notices and each of the statuses, this is the right article for you.
If in the tracking of your AliExpress order you get a message related to the “sorting center”, here we will explain what it means.
Sorting center: What is it?
The sorting center is the name given to all those institutions that are in charge of receiving and determining whether the package that will arrive to you in the future is suitable or not. Here, all prohibited items are discarded and excluded from further delivery. These agencies make up the initial stage through which the order passes before being classified and sent to its country of destination.
Do you know which items are considered forbidden? These are, for example, weapons, counterfeits, or loose batteries. Regarding this last item, although it’s normal to buy them, they’re considered weapons due to the risk of explosion, so they can be detained.
Possible order statuses in the sorting center
We’ll show you some of the possible situations that your order may go through during its stay in the sorting center:
- Failure at the entrance to the sorting center
- Entry into the sorting center
- Departure from the sorting center
Remember that you can consult the latest status of your order directly by clicking here.
▷ Failure at sorting center entry
When this notification appears, it means that the package you ordered is most likely being inspected by some customs agents.
If there’s any problem with customs or the system detects any failure in the shipping address, the package will be automatically returned to the seller, so you may see one of the following messages in the status of your order:
- Delivering: “Parcel is returning to sender” or “Returned to sender“.
- Return: “Parcel is being returned by domestic express and pickup is successful”.
- Return: “Parcel is returned by domestic express and the merchant signs for it successfully”.
Before worrying, you have to know that the most common thing is that even if these announcements appear, your package can continue with the process without any issues.
Remember that if you have any problems with your order, you can always contact the seller to ask any questions.
▷ Entry to the sorting center
This notice indicates that your purchase has gone through its normal transit and has arrived at the sorting center.
If your order is being processed through some type of combined delivery, at the sorting center all items will be grouped into one. Once grouped together, you’ll have a unique tracking number that will be updated in your order tracking.
This is completely normal, and you don’t have to worry about anything.
▷ Departure from the sorting center
If the customs check process is completed successfully, your order will be taken by the courier company to the nearest airport or distribution center and then delivered to your country.
What can you do if the order is returned to the seller?
As we always recommend, the first thing you should do is contact the seller to see what solution they propose and what agreement you can reach.
Usually, the seller will offer to send you the product again. As not much time will have passed, you’ll actively count on the protection period offered by AliExpress, so you’ll be able to accept it without having to open a dispute.
In the new reshipping process, you have to know that your package will be serialized like it was at the beginning. But the seller will provide a new tracking number, and also update it in your order so that there are no issues.
If after having had problems with the package in customs and after having discussed it with the seller, they don’t answer or offer you a fair solution, remember that you always have as a last option to open a dispute.
You can open a dispute directly by clicking on this link and then clicking on the “View Details” section of your order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Next, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions that users ask when waiting for news of their package purchased through AliExpress.
How long does an order spend in the sorting center?
The exact time that a package should (or should not) spend in the sorting center depends on many factors: such as the type of shipment you have chosen, how long it takes the workers to disassemble the shipment, and the number of orders in the center, among others.
Usually, the stay in customs is usually temporary, it’s not a process that lasts many days.
Has your order been sitting at the sorting center for a long time?
On certain occasions, such as during important festivities in China, like the Chinese New Year, the Asian country comes to a complete standstill for a month. This celebration is commemorated between January 21 and February 18.
If you’ve placed your order near the end of the year, make sure it’s not around this time, nor during this holiday, because your order will most likely be stranded in the sorting center for some considerable time.
On the other hand, if you’ve chosen a good date to order the product(s), as always, our recommendation is that you speak directly with the seller to make sure everything is going well.
