Postal tracking is the ability to access information about a mail, package, or parcel during its transit from its origin to its final destination. Postal tracking originated from the need for postal services to improve their visibility and overall operational efficiency but quickly became a popular feature for customers who wanted the same.
Today, postal tracking is standard on all registered packages by most couriers and logistics companies. Thus now you even have a chance to track Canada Post and other major postal services.
In fact, the industry is constantly moving towards developing postal tracking options for customers, with more and more information being delivered faster than ever, in line with the sector, which is an integral part of international trade and e-commerce.
In addition to postal tracking being developed by package handlers and couriers, third-party tracking platforms have become popular. This is because the demand for shipping to more and more destinations and the number of logistics companies is constantly growing.
Such services offer a solution as it tracks multiple couriers at the same time, which means people don’t have to worry about parcel tracking.
Read on to find out more insights about this type of website!
Contents
History of postal tracking services?
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The need for tracking postal items arose in connection with the postal service, the first of which originated over 4,000 years ago with the ancient Egyptians. The postal service was exclusive to the pharaohs of the time, and indeed most postal services initially served the interests of the ruling classes. As a consequence, mail tracking at that time was carried out by armed military guards, who were responsible for what today we call end-to-end mail tracking. However, as postal services became more accessible to the public, postage tracking was not guaranteed for packages.
However, the importance of mail tracking has been re-recognized by American postal pioneer FedEx, who realized that mail tracking would be mutually beneficial both for its own operational capabilities and as a feature for customers. The world hasn’t looked back, and now full end-to-end tracking from a single site can be achieved with just a tracking number for free.
How does this system work?
When you enter the shipping tracking number in the required field, you will know exactly the following data (of course, if your package was mailed within Canada):
- When your order has been picked up and received by your original courier;
- Approximate time of arrival;
- All destinations of the parcel;
- Where is it now;
- The current status of the package.
In addition, the tracking website will also show if your package has been delivered or if there is a problem with the delivery, so you will always be in the know.
Where can I find my postal tracking number?
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Your postal tracking number should be available at the postal service or marketplace where you purchased your shipping order, either in the account section of the website or in the purchase confirmation email you should receive shortly after checkout.
If you bought from an independent website like Shopify or Etsy, you can get your tracking number directly from the seller.
What does the postal tracking number look like?
Examples of postal tracking numbers vary by couriers, destination, size and weight, and other factors. However, they will always be in a relatively recognizable format consisting of letters and numbers or a barcode printed on your package.
Example: HU97592507924XV or RX395730257PH.
What is the difference between Canada and international package tracking?
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There are no major differences between domestic and international postal tracking as both are essentially the same idea. However, buyers should be aware that when sending packages overseas, postage tracking may not always be enabled, especially to more remote destinations where third-party local couriers are users who may not be able to track postal items. Also, make sure any package you send is registered, as unregistered mail often doesn’t include mail tracking functionality.
To stay up to date on the location and status of your package, try tracking your mail with special websites. Such portals cover and track thousands of online stores, shipping companies, and more to find any available information about your package.
Where is mail tracking not available?
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Although the postal tracking service and the delivery sector are constantly evolving, many traditional postal tracking systems still do not track mail after it has been delivered to the final address. Similarly, container tracking is not always available depending on the capabilities of the port or station through which the package passes.
Many new advances in technology have been created to offer improved mail tracking in these circumstances, such as internal mail tracking systems and GPS tracking devices. However, many of these are still in development.
The way mail is sorted by mail service centers is still evolving, and it is almost inevitable that mail tracking will continue to evolve with the growing shipping industry and international demand for postal services.
Many tracking websites recognize this, which is why they have developed AI-based machine learning to stay ahead of post-tracking developments.
As a rule, such a mail tracking system scans the internet for all the information available on your mail tracking number, so if any update tools or a new way to track mail comes out, the website will still be able to provide you or your business with the latest package tracking information in the form of as close to real time as possible.
Bottom line
In today’s e-commerce world, it’s more important than ever to keep customers updated on order status. The knowledge of when a package will be shipped and how long it will take makes the customer feel safe.
Therefore, business owners recommend all online shoppers use a one-stop-shop for tracking goods. By offering such a system, they know that a customer can track their package worldwide and across multiple couriers, giving them peace of mind and maximum post-purchase convenience.
Luckily Canada Post is among the pioneers of integrated postal tracking solutions. This company always shows its customer loyalty and care!
