The Aliexpress seller gave the wrong tracking number. Track number checksum: what is it and how to check it

Finally, you have decided on the right item, selected the right size, consulted with the seller and ordered. The payment went through, the funds were debited, the goods were shipped, but is all this true? For such situations, a parcel tracking system using a track code was introduced. Those. Thanks to a unique set of numbers and letters, you can find out where your package is now and roughly guess how much longer to expect.

But what to do if this digital combination does not work, why is the track not being tracked? We will talk about all the main user mistakes and control methods in our article.

Usually, mistakes are made by beginners; their main problem is inexperience or inattention. First you need to figure out where to look for this number:

Very often, the support service receives requests with the subject “The product has been sent, but is not tracked.” In almost 60% of cases among newcomers, the track code was confused with the order number. The track number comes first, and below is the order itself.

Many conscientious sellers, as soon as they have sent the order, immediately write an SMS in which they indicate the name of the transport company and a link to tracking the goods.

No tracking information

The data was copied correctly, but for some reason the order from Aliexpress is still not tracked? Perhaps it's your impatience. Information on the track code appears only 10 days after the shipment of the parcel itself (not the order). It turns out there is no need to worry during this time.

The allotted time has passed, but the delivery window has not been updated? Perhaps your package was sent to one of the transport companies that does not have a similar tracking system:

China Air Post– the track number from Aliexpress is sometimes not tracked in Russia. Those. We can control the route of the parcel in China, but in Russia we are “blind”.
SFExpress is one of the most common delivery services. The parcel is perfectly tracked, but there are times when it crosses the border with Russia and seems to “freeze”, and only then is announced at your post office, bypassing all secondary points.
Hong Hong Post, Swiss Post, Singapure Post are the least loaded services, so track codes always work
EMS is a paid delivery service. Usually the order reaches the buyer within two weeks (maximum), each stop of the parcel is recorded through the service.
TNT, DHL are similar paid services that deliver parcels in 10-20 days. Frequent problems at customs affect the tracking process.

Most often, sellers offer their clients 17track.net as an additional service for tracking shipped orders. A convenient service that only requires entering a code.

Difficulties with transportation

There are 4 main problems that buyers face when trying to track their parcel:

Issuance of a non-international track

The reason that the track has stopped being tracked may be that a different number is issued. Each transport company has certain standards for generating tracking codes. However, you may be given a regular number that does not have any letter designations.

In this situation, there is no need to worry, since your goods have been sent, they will simply not be tracked after crossing the border.

Example of an international track:

Track number is not tracked after export

There are many different local transport companies operating in China that transport parcels to the border, where they hand it over to employees of the local postal service (the customer’s country).

It turns out that you can track your package throughout the seller’s country until it reaches the territory of your state. As soon as the goods are transferred, the track is no longer tracked because it changes. New number the seller will not receive it, so there is no point in tormenting him with questions.

We are all human and we understand that coping with a huge flow of orders is not always easy. Very often, sellers confuse the numbers themselves, and only buyers can (almost always) notice the mistake.

Not tracking yet Aliexpress package No one will know about the wrong code. It will be a surprise for a Russian if his order crosses the ocean and ends up in the capital of Canada. It turns out that in this situation the track is tracked on Aliexpress, but the package has not arrived.

At this moment, you should sound the alarm and ask the seller to double-check everything, because if the parcel reaches its destination, a positive response will follow along the track, which means that the buyer’s protection time will be reduced by 10 days.

If you have taken into account all the points described above: the service always tracks the parcel, 10 days have passed since shipment, then you should resort to one of the available options. What to do if the track from Aliexpress is not tracked:

Write to the seller and clarify whether he really sent the order and whether the track code is correct.
Open a dispute, and choose problems with delivery of goods as the reason.

The most important thing to remember is that if the parcel arrives at your post office, you will be informed about it. A notification will be sent to your name, by filling out which you will be able to receive the parcel.

We formalize the dispute correctly

In order to open a dispute, we will need to find on the orders page required item, whose track does not work. The “ ” button will appear in the third column. Please note that it will not be active in the first 10 days after sending the goods. When you click the button, a dispute window appears. We proceed as follows:

The question of whether you received the goods must be answered in the negative.
Next, from the drop-down list of reasons, we select “Problems with product delivery.”
The next question is for clarification. If the track is not tracked on Aliexpress, you should select this item:

Thus, the answer to the question: “Why is the product not tracked on Aliexpress?” is hidden in the following:

the transport company does not have such a function;
10 days have not passed since shipment;
Incorrect track code given.

How to win a dispute if the track number is not tracked

The service for checking the correctness of parcel numbers will make sure that the track number provided to you is not fake, does not contain errors, and the progress of parcel delivery can be tracked in the future using a tracker. Online stores, where the process of ordering and sending goods is as automated as possible, usually do not make mistakes here. However, some sellers, especially on such popular platforms as Aliexpress, eBay, owners of small stores, especially from Asian countries, sometimes without meaning to, can give wrong number. Deliberately providing an incorrect tracking number also happens, especially if there is a desire to delay delivery or simply deceive the buyer. Our verification tool will help you save time, nerves, and possibly money.

Please note that you can only check strictly standard 13-digit numbers (2 letters, 9 numbers, 2 letters) of government delivery services of countries that are members of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). For example LK066713510US, RE582253458SE, RF198345672SG, RC425037869CN, RA223589016RU etc. Numbers in a different format, which are usually provided by private delivery operators (UPS, Fedex, Boxberry, YANWEN), cannot be verified by this service.

Numbers assigned postal items government delivery services of countries participating in the Universal Postal Union ( UPU, Universal Postal Union, website UPU.int) correspond special standard S10. By number you can find out information about a specific postal service, sender's country and the actual unique parcel number.

The track number in the S10 standard contains exactly 13 characters :

characters 1-2 (letter) provide information about the delivery method
characters 3-10 (numeric) contain an 8-digit unique number of the postal item
character 11 (numeric) is a checksum calculated from the item number
characters 12-13 (letter) contain the identifier of the sending country

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Which delivery services does the tracking number checker support?

The question was not asked quite correctly. UPU, or the Universal Postal Union, unites almost two hundred countries, which includes, incl. And Russian Federation, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Republic of Belarus. State postal services These countries assign numbers to international postal items in the universal 13-digit S10 format.

What should I do if the track number provided to me is determined to be incorrect?

If your number complies with the UPU standard and has 13 characters, then you need to check the correctness of the entered information again. If the result is the same, then you need to contact the seller (sender), inform that the provided number does not exist and ask to check everything again. Here is a sample letter. Hello, UPU S10 check digit validation tool is reported that tracking number (parcel number) is not valid. Could you check please? I'm waiting for an answer. If the seller does not respond or begins to drag out time, then it makes sense to turn to tools for resolving disputes, such as dispute, chargeback, etc.

Maybe the number is incorrect because too little time has passed and the parcel has not yet appeared in the tracking system?

Determining the validity of a track number is based on calculating its checksum and does not depend on whether the delivery service accepted the parcel or not. If the system reports that the number is incorrect, then it cannot appear in tracking.

The sender claims that the number they provided is correct.

He knowingly or unknowingly tells a lie. If the service determines a 13-digit standard number as incorrect, then there can be no other options.

Question:

I paid for the order on Aliexpress and the seller shipped it. IN personal account In the order, I see a track number consisting only of numbers (of numbers and 2 letters, etc.). And this track number is not tracked anywhere. What should I do.

Answer:

To begin with, are you really looking at the tracking number? Buyers often confuse the order number and the tracking number. The track number for the shipped order is indicated in the Logistic Information section of your order. There is also a link to the site where you can track this track.

Correct tracking number format

The international track number, the number for tracking the parcel, has a completely standard format. The number of characters and what they should be indicated in.

According to the standard, the track number contains two letters at the beginning, nine numbers and two letters at the end. The letters at the end indicate the country of departure, the letters at the beginning indicate the type of departure. Moreover, the letters used at the beginning and end are clearly regulated. The correctness of the tracking number is easy to determine just by the letters.

How to distinguish the wrong track number

If the track does not meet the standard described above, then it is not international. You will not be able to track a parcel that does not have an international tracking number at China Post, Russian Post or other state mail.

Sometimes there are tracks that look like an international track. For example, tracks from YANWEN. They also have two letters at the beginning, two at the end and 9 numbers in the middle. But Russian Post does not track such tracks. Why? Because, despite the similarity, such tracks are also not international tracks.

Parcels from China have CN at the end, from Singapore SG, from Hong Kong HK, and YANWEN have YP at the end of the track. There is no such combination of characters in the standard. For example, sender country codes can be viewed here.

How to track a parcel with the wrong track number

When sending, the seller always indicates a website where you can track this track number. Sometimes they indicate one track and a link where it should be. And then they write another track and a link in the comments to the order. Pay attention.

Many aggregator sites work with well-known transport companies and can track a parcel with the wrong track. I can also recommend the program.

There is one nuance here. In Russia, such parcels are usually delivered by Russian Post. Therefore, when moving around Russia, the old track may no longer be tracked. And many are worried that the track is stuck on import. Although in reality he is driving.

What if the track is not tracked anywhere?

In the case of Aliexpress, there is nothing to worry about. The main thing is to control the protection period. And before it expires, open a dispute. For cheap orders at Aliexpress sellers very often they give out fake tracks that are not tracked. There is no need to worry.

Many people, when ordering goods from online stores, are afraid that they will lose money and not receive the goods, especially such fears arise when collaborating with foreign sites. Panic often occurs when the tracking number of a parcel is not tracked. However, you should not immediately fall into despair; there can be many reasons for this.

So what to do if the track number is not tracked

First, consider the reasons why this could happen:

seller's mistake. Sometimes it happens that sellers, due to their carelessness or for other reasons, send incorrect or incomplete track numbers. In this case, you can ask the seller to double-check the mail ID;
small parcel volume. You don’t necessarily order large things, it also happens that the item turns out to be very small, and in this case the seller writes the wrong or someone else’s tracking number, but don’t be upset, this doesn’t mean at all that you’ve stumbled upon an ill-wisher and won’t get yours order. The answer is that sellers ship small packages differently. They often write down all the details in a message or in a note to the tracking number. Therefore, before you get upset, carefully re-read all the information that the seller provided you;
incorrect tracking number. There are also cases when you may end up with an unscrupulous seller. If you cannot track your mail ID within 10 days, you should open a dispute and try to get your money back.

Why is the track number not tracked?

There may also be several options. The track number may not be tracked if the track is entered into incorrect format, all track numbers must contain both digital and alphabetic characters; if there are no letters in the code, it is likely that the parcel will either be partially tracked or not tracked at all. The reason may also be that you have encountered an unscrupulous seller.

If the track number on Aliexpress is not tracked, do not immediately sound the alarm; the main reasons for the inability to track the parcel may be the following:

The track number on Aliexpress is not tracked due to the seller's desire to save money. Most often, the seller may send a parcel that cannot be tracked;
fraud. A false tracking number was intentionally sent;
very rarely, but still there are errors on the part of the tracking service;
Slow system updates, the registered parcel has not yet appeared in the database.

You should also be prepared for the fact that if you ordered an item on Aliexpress that costs less than $10, the track code will not be tracked, so you just need to wait.

Which track numbers are not tracked?

Mostly numbers are not tracked without alphabetic characters, on Aliexpress, basically, just such track numbers, but there are resources with which you can track such postal identifiers.

Basically, when ordering from foreign sites, without being able to track the parcel, keep an eye on the deadlines, and if necessary, open a dispute; opening a dispute on time helps save money.

Question: The seller indicated a tracking number in the order, which was not tracked. A few days later, he sent another tracking number in private messages, which is being tracked. Do I need to insist that he include the correct track in the order? Why does the seller first give one tracking number, and then change it to another? What could happen if the order contains a track that was not tracked?

Why does the seller indicate the wrong tracking number?

The seller may indicate an incorrect tracking number if he does not have time to send you the goods on time. Therefore, to prevent the order from being canceled due to its delay, he pretends that the parcel has already been sent and writes a false track, which, naturally, will not be tracked.

Later, the seller will either change the track to readable, or send a new track simply in private messages, or will not inform about the new track at all.

At the same time, if he delayed sending the goods and sent the parcel later, he will say that your goods were lost in transit or the mail returned it, so he sent it again and here is the new tracking number.

What happens if the track number does not match what was in the order?

At first glance, no tricks are visible in the fact that the seller was late in sending the goods and indicated the wrong tracking number in the order.

And, indeed, if the second track number shows that the parcel is coming to you, then there is no need to worry.

And no problems will arise if the product arrives in good condition. But there is one pitfall that can cost the buyer money. A small loophole that allows dishonest sellers to win disputes even if there is big problems with the goods.

Sellers take advantage of this fraudulent scheme by sending expensive goods and technology. Let's say phones or tablets. The buyer receives the package, and there is either a broken product or another cheaper product. Let's say that instead of a smartphone, the seller sent a cheap push-button phone. The buyer opens a dispute. And loses it!

But how is this possible? After all, the buyer has an unboxing video and all the evidence.

The secret is that the cunning seller rejects your dispute, writing that the track number on the parcel does not match the track in the order and this is not his parcel and product. He writes that he doesn’t even have this product in the store, so the package has nothing to do with it. He wrote the new tracking number in private messages, and not in comments to the order. Therefore, for mediators, screenshots of personal messages are not significant evidence.

Additionally, the seller accuses you of fraud.

The mediators see that there is a different tracking number on the parcel. And they take the seller’s side, spinning the dispute in his favor. And the buyer loses all his money. Moreover, you can be banned for attempting to cheat.

An unpleasant situation, isn't it?

What if the seller changed the tracking number?

1) If an expensive item suits you, be sure to insist that he change the tracking number in the order details.

2) If the seller does not want to change the track, then you can try to open a dispute for the reason “ “. This will force the seller to change the track information.

3) If you received a parcel, and it contains the wrong product that you ordered, then in this situation it will be safer for you to open a dispute using the first tracking number, which states that it is not trackable. If there is an open dispute, this will force the seller to change the track in the order to the correct one, and you will be able to edit the dispute due to problems with the product. And he will not be able to blame you for the fact that the package did not come from him.

Have a question? Write it in the comments or chat