Origin Post is Preparing Shipment: What Does It Mean? (2024)

Co-authored byJanice Tieperman

Last Updated: August 7, 2024Fact Checked

What does “origin post is preparing shipment” mean from USPS?

Download Article

1. “Origin post is preparing shipment” means your package is in the early stages of transit. If you’re seeing this status, there’s a good chance that your package was scanned, but it hasn’t made any significant progress in the transit system yet. It could also signify that your package's progress has been slowed down in some way (like it was unable to be placed on the first outgoing flight), or that there was an issue with the pallet the package was attached to (which has caused a shipping delay).

   • Some netizens find that this status is used by USPS as a grab-bag label for a variety of different circ*mstances.
   • Other customers have seen this shipping status pop up on their international shipments, and believe it can mean that their package is stuck in customs.

Advertisem*nt

Download Article

1. Unfortunately, there’s no way to know when the package will start moving again. The “origin post is preparing shipment” status is notoriously vague, and USPS doesn’t actually provide an explanation (or time estimation) for this label on its website glossary.^[1] Some believe that this shipping status points to a 1-2 day hold-up, although it’s possible that you may have to wait longer for the status to change.

Download Article

1. 1

   Your package was put on a later flight. Many packages travel via plane to reach their final destination—but when there are a lot of packages to process, your parcel might find itself on a later flight. In the meantime, a vague “origin post is preparing shipment” label gets stuck to your package.

2. 2

   There was an issue with the pallet your package was attached to. During shipment, your package will likely be condensed with other packages in a larger pallet. If something goes wrong with the pallet (e.g., the packaging becomes unsecure), the packages in the pallet will be delayed (with the “origin post is preparing shipment” label attached to it).

3. 3

   USPS didn’t scan your package when it first arrived. USPS employees work super hard to field tons of packages on a daily basis, and a few sometimes slip through the cracks in terms of tracking, even if they were originally scanned into the system. There’s a chance that your package could be moving through transit as normal, but the tracking system just doesn’t reflect that.

4. 4

   There were general delays in transit that have slowed down progress. There’s a chance that the transportation used to move your package along ran into some sort of delay, like poor weather or maintenance issues. This can stick your package into a frustrating point of limbo.

Advertisem*nt

Download Article

1. Call USPS at 1-800-275-8777. Make sure that you have your tracking number on hand when you make the call, so you can get assistance with your specific package.^[2]

   • Alternative: Paste your tracking number onto this webpage to send the USPS customer service team an email about your order.
   • If you’re having an issue with a non-USPS order, find the contact information for the origin courier of your package to make an inquiry.

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question

Tips

How helpful is this?