What Does “Shipment Received Package Acceptance Pending Mean” on USPS Tracking?

admin

November 16, 2022

The USPS (United States Postal Service) is a $1.6 trillion mailing industry with more than 7.3 million employees. Despite the rise of other delivery and shipping companies, USPS is still a massive industry. 

Suppose you are one of the regular customers of the USPS mail and package delivery services. In that case, you may have encountered the “shipment received package acceptance pending” notification on your tracking. What does this notification mean, and how does it affect the time it takes for USPS to accept and deliver packages to individuals?

This article will provide a short guide on the USPS notification system, the delivery process of the postal service, and its tracking process. Furthermore, this article will also cover tips on how to package your items to avoid damage and give advice on what to do when delays happen. 

USPS  is one of the essential services in the country that caters to 163.1 million addresses in every state, city, and town.  

If you need an easy way to navigate the United States Postal Service, visit FindPostOffice.org and check more than 33,000 post offices in the country. 

What Does “Shipment Received, Package Acceptance Pending” Notification Mean?

The term is a notification informing you that a USPS window clerk has already accepted your parcel. Still, the item has yet to arrive at a sorting facility. 

There are a few stages that happen before you receive this notification. However, the term USPS shipment received package acceptance pending means that your package has started the process of being delivered. 

Postmasters receive your package and enter its information into the USPS system. After logging the package details, the barcode or tracking number will work. 

Your package is sorted along with the other large shipments USPS will get during the day. Packages are then scanned in bulk, while other packages are scanned individually. 

When your package reaches the sorting facility, you will get a “package acceptance pending” status message. It means that your package is going through a sorting process before getting scanned. 

After this, your package will go to a distribution center or sectional center facility, where it will be processed for distribution. One hundred ninety-five sectional centers in the United States process and distribute packages for the post office.

What Can You Do About This?

Contact the USPS customer care hotline if your package has the “acceptance pending” status for more than 48 hours. You can call them and ask for the status while they process your package in a sorting facility.

There are cases where USPS personnel forget your package, which is one of the causes of delay. Suppose you do not get any notification or status update on your package in more than 15 days. In that case, your package may be lost or damaged. 

How Long Does It Take for USPS to Accept the Package?

It usually takes around 1 to 4 days or 24 to 96 hours before you receive a delivery confirmation from USPS. In most cases, after acceptance, deliveries are done within one day, and in some rare cases would take four days to complete one delivery. 

Dos and Don’ts When Sending a Package 

When you are planning to send a package through the USPS, there are some do’s and don’ts that you should adhere to make the delivery process smoother and more manageable. 

The Don’ts

  • The packaging is too big or too small. A spacious package will cause jiggling inside, possibly damaging your goods. 
  • The packaging creates excessive waste, so avoid overdoing it. You need to secure your item, especially if it is fragile or breakable. Do not overstuff your package with layers upon layers or wrap.

The Do’s

  • Check your packaging requirements. Make sure that your package is within the guidelines imposed by shipping companies. 
  • Packaging optimization. Make sure you have cost-effective packaging that results in less waste. 

Understanding the USPS Tracking Process Better

The USPS uses a tracking system to update customers on their packages’ status. However, you must understand the basics of USPS tracking information, what it is, how it works, and how to understand its procedures. 

The USPS tracking system is similar to other shipping companies, which is an end-to-end tracker for your packages. This tracking system is available for domestic mail pieces addressed to domestic locations in the United States. 

Domestic locations are anywhere in the United States, Alaska, and Hawaii, territories of the U.S. and army, fleet, and diplomatic post offices. The tracking number is a unique number generated immediately after the package is encoded into the USPS mailing or package system. 

Also attached, aside from the tracking number are codes, delivery details, location dates, and delivery time. However, having a tracking number does not guarantee that your package will arrive faster. 

Still, a tracking number allows you to monitor your parcel constantly while in transit to your destination. 

Customers can track their packages through the online websites USPS provides. All you need to do is to log in, input your tracking number, and see the status of your package. 

Package Acceptance Pending for Several Days (or Longer)

After understanding the meaning of the “shipment received and package acceptance pending,” what does it mean if this notification stays more than several days or longer on your package? What can you do to fix this, and what can postal workers do to resolve this issue?

The Package Is en Route to a Sorting Center

One of the reasons you need to know why this notification is pending is that your package may not have been scanned. Sometimes, your package may skip the scanning process because of the sheer number of packages processed in a USPS origin facility.

The USPS scan form or scan sheet is a crucial part of the tracking system. A package that goes through the system without this step causes confusion. 

Though the postal service is doing its best to ensure all processes are taken, there are cases where errors happen and must be corrected. 

The Package Was Not Actually Delivered to the Post Office

Another rare but serious problem is when your package was not delivered to the post office entirely. There are instances where mail carriers do not have your parcel, which is now out of their control. 

In this case, the shipment may be lost or mixed up with other shipments that went into the system on that particular day. However, if you suspect your package is missing, it is best to contact USPS and file a report about your lost package. 

Aside from calling USPS, you should also contact the company that sent your package. Ask them if they have delivered your package and its current location. This part of the delivery process may take longer than the usually smooth one-day delivery process. 

Other USPS Tracking Statuses and What They Mean

1. USPS Currently Awaiting Package

This notification may mean that clerks logged your package into the USPS system, but it has not been dropped in a facility. It may also mean that your package is in the facility but not yet scanned.

2. Pre-shipment

This notification tells you that your package has left the warehouse and needs to be scanned before delivery. The process may take up to eight business days to complete, so do not worry if it is taking that long to get an update about your priority mail or parcel. 

3. Accepted

An accepted notification means the system accepts your package because its quality, quantity, and packing requirements align with the regulations. 

In most cases, the acceptance notification is the start of the warranty. It verifies the acceptance of your package by USPS.

4. In Transit

After acceptance, your package will have an “in transit” notification. It simply means that your package is moving now on this delivery route. It can be that your package has already left the warehouse and is heading to your home or is being delivered to another USPS facility. 

Getting the “in transit” notification means everything is going as planned. 

5. Departed From USPS Facility

The departed USPS destination facility indicates that your package has left the sorting area and is now going to its destination. It also means your package is heading to your local post office for final sorting. 

6. In Transit to Next Facility

The “In transit to next facility” signifies that your item left a USPS facility and is heading to another facility. The package is loaded into a truck and heading towards its destination. 

7. Out for Delivery

The “out for delivery” is the last notification you will get before you receive your package. This notification means the parcel has reached the final shipping or mailing office and is heading toward your address.

8. Delivered

A delivered status is placed when the package is delivered safely to its intended destination after going through the process. 

Delivery time varies depending on the destination’s location, the package delivered, and the surrounding conditions during the delivery date.

FAQs

  1. Does USPS deliver on Saturdays and Sundays?

USPS package delivery is open on weekends. However, it depends on the mail service you are using. Some mail types do not have weekend delivery. 

  1. What if USPS Tracking is not updating?

Here are some of the reasons why tracking is not updated regularly. 

  • Bad weather conditions are one reason tracking is not updating and can disrupt USPS tracking.
  • The package is not scanned or updated, or the barcode is damaged.
  • Understaffed USPS facilities coupled with a high volume of shipments can cause delays.
  • Lost or missing package
  • Delayed update by the carrier
  • The package has been delivered without getting a status update.
  1. How much time will USPS take to update the tracking status?

USPS typically gives you updates on the status of your parcel within 24 to 48 hours. You can check the status on the tracking page. 

Remember that the “Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item” notification may happen when the local post office delivers the item but has not been scanned. 

  1. Can I track my package as it is moving on the truck?

While in transit, carriers or shippers do not publicly share their route information during delivery for logistical and safety reasons. They do not want to broadcast their locations when delivering the package. 

  1. Why is my package stuck in pre-shipment?

Having a pre-shipment status means that your package already has the shipping label. Still, the local postal office near you has yet to receive it. 

The package may get stuck in pre-shipment status because of delays in the delivery to the postal service that will do the final delivery. 

  1. My package was never delivered. What do I do?

Call the USPS customer service hotline to file a claim and request an investigation if your package did not arrive on time or was not delivered at all. 

  1. What is the USPS Sorting Facility?

USPS sorting facilities are large offices that store, receive, and process packages. These facilities do not deliver packages and mail and are not open to the public. Items go through these facilities in their route to the final destination.  

  1. How many days will USPS take to deliver the package?

In most cases, USPS delivery schedules depend on the address of the delivery and the circumstances surrounding the delivery schedules. However, in most cases, forwarded mail takes up to 3 to 12 days to arrive, while package delivery time varies.   

References

  1. Mail is big business
    https://facts.usps.com/usps-core-of-industry/
  1. Postal Facts
    https://facts.usps.com/size-and-scope/