What Does “Out for Delivery” Actually Mean?

Have you ever found yourself obsessively checking your tracking information when a package is marked “out for delivery”? You’re not the only one! “Out for delivery” can be a confusing phrase, leading to a lot of frustration. What does it actually mean — when will your package arrive? Here’s everything you need to know about what this delivery status means.

Understanding “out for delivery”

When a shipper or courier like USPS, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, or DHL updates your package tracking status updates to “out for delivery”, that means it’s in the final delivery stage. A delivery vehicle has picked up your package, and it’s on its way to your home or other final destination. 

This package status update is a good sign, but it's not a guarantee that your package will arrive that day. Factors like bad weather conditions, traffic jams, or confusing address information can all delay your delivery time. 

What’s the difference between “in transit” and “out for delivery”?

A package that’s “in transit” or “on the way” is still en route to the customer’s doorstep.

For example, the picture above tracks a package that Routific ordered from an online store based in Gloversville, NY, for delivery to our offices in Vancouver, Canada. The delivery service was UPS, and we tracked our order using the Shop app. Thanks to the wonders of barcode scanning, we can trace the logistics process in great detail:

• The package was scanned in at UPS in Gloversville at 3:39PM on December 6. It left for the nearby town of Latham an hour later, and got its arrival scan there at 5:32PM. 
• A bunch of people must have worked overnight, because by 6:37AM the next morning it was at the UPS Worldport distribution center in Louisville, Kentucky. 
• From there it was a flight to Seattle, where the package was scanned in at 4:38PM.
• Then it was a quick hop over the border to arrive at a local distribution center in Richmond, British Columbia by 5:19PM. 

All this time, our package was “on the way” or in transit. Those are some super-speedy handling and transit times!

Finally, delivery day! Our package was loaded onto a delivery vehicle at 4:41AM and dropped off by noon. 

Notice how this package took almost as long to travel from Richmond to Vancouver, right next door, as it did to travel most of the way across the continent from Louisville to Richmond? This is a great illustration of how the challenges of local delivery affect e-commerce and supply chains. A high-tech network of fulfillment centers close to major transport hubs makes it easy to move packages over long distances. For example, UPS has its own airline, and its Worldport facility handles two million packages a day! But a local delivery truck can only carry a few dozen packages. With each one being dropped off at a different address, last-mile delivery routes can be long and complex. That means a lot of opportunities for delay.

“Out for delivery” vs “scheduled for delivery”

“Scheduled for delivery” means your delivery has been planned. It’s the stage in the delivery process where a dispatcher or delivery manager decides what day your package will be delivered, and probably assigns a vehicle and driver to do the delivery. (They may use delivery management software like Routific to do this).

It doesn’t mean your delivery is actually on the way yet! The planning and scheduling process might happen a few days before the delivery is actually going to happen. 

It’s only when you get the “out for delivery” message that you know a package has been loaded and is en route. 

Common reasons for delivery delays

Delayed deliveries, sometimes called delivery exceptions, might be caused by:

• External factors: Bad weather, roadworks or traffic congestion due to crashes can all disrupt last-mile deliveries.
• Bad address data: If the shipping service driver has the wrong address, it’s going to make a successful drop off much harder. Always double-check your delivery address.
• No access: Locked gates, unleashed dogs, or missing security codes can all stop a delivery person from doing their job. If it’s after the end of the business day and employees have shut up shop, that will also prevent on-time delivery. 

What to do if your package is out for delivery but doesn’t arrive 

If you miss a delivery attempt, your package might be held at the local UPS facility or post office for you to pick up the next day. 

If your package is marked "delivered" but hasn’t actually arrived at your delivery address by the end of the day, there are a number of steps you can take:

1. Check tracking info: Use your tracking number to double-check the delivery status. A lot of delivery services and even postal services now provide real-time tracking.
2. Contact the delivery company: The shipping company or courier service can often help locate missing items.
3. Talk to your neighbors: Sometimes residential deliveries end up at the wrong address.
4. File a claim: If all else fails, you may need to file a claim with the delivery company.

How to increase your chances of on-time delivery

A lot of the factors that affect deliveries are out of the customer’s control. But there are some things you can do to make the delivery process run more smoothly:

1. Double check your address: Incorrect address data is one of the most common reasons for package delivery delays. Something as simple as mixing up “street” and “avenue” can send a driver to the wrong place. So check that your delivery address is accurate down to the smallest detail.
2. Delivery instructions: Is there a trick to finding parking on your street, or an access point that’s not obvious? Help your delivery driver out by including any extra information that will help them get the delivery done faster.
3. Stay updated: Keep an eye on your delivery notifications for any status updates, like a departure scan or changes to the scheduled delivery date. That way you can take action quickly if something goes wrong. 

Choose alternative delivery options: Having your package delivered to a pickup point like a local post office, courier shop, or storage locker can help make the delivery process more efficient. You get to collect your package at a time that’s convenient to you, instead of waiting around for the delivery agent to drop it off. And the agent or driver can deliver a bunch of packages to a single locker at the same time.