If an international courier displays “Delivery Failed,” you can usually request a re-delivery. However, you must first identify the cause of the failure and then take targeted action. The resolution process, re-delivery requirements, and time required for each cause vary significantly. Recklessly requesting a re-delivery may result in further delays or additional fees.
In this article, Weefreight will provide a detailed analysis, which we hope will be helpful.
- First, investigate the cause: Five core causes of “delivery failure” and key solutions.
“Delivery failure” isn’t a single issue. You must first obtain the specific cause through the logistics tracking system, courier customer service, or the courier’s agent. This is a prerequisite for an effective solution. Common causes can be categorized into five categories:
- Basic Recipient Information Issues (Highest Occurrence, Quickest to Resolve)
The most common issues are incomplete/incorrect delivery addresses (e.g., missing house numbers, misspelled street numbers), unreachable recipients (phone turned off, no one answers), or unavailable sign-for delivery (home addresses where no one is available during the day, work addresses where delivery is during off-hours). The key to these issues is “completing/correcting information”: If the address is incorrect, immediately contact the courier (or agent) to provide the correct address (e.g., “Original No. 10, XX Street” should be corrected to “Unit A, No. 10, XX Street, Room 301”). If unreachable or no one signs for delivery, negotiate with the courier to reschedule the delivery time (e.g., weekend delivery) or address (e.g., to the recipient’s company). Some companies offer convenience store pickup (e.g., DHL’s Packstation locations in Europe), allowing for same-day rescheduling.
- Address attributes or delivery restrictions (requiring rule adaptation)
This includes delivery addresses in remote/restricted areas (such as military bases and private parks, where couriers have no access) or addresses that are unavailable for delivery (such as postal parcels that cannot be delivered to high-rise residential buildings without walk-ups or large shipments with no unloading area). These situations require “delivery rule adaptation”: Remote areas typically require a “remote delivery fee” (e.g., FedEx charges 200-500 yuan for remote areas) and a second delivery by a partner agency. For restricted areas or addresses without delivery options, we need to negotiate to have the shipment transferred to a nearby pickup point (generally within 3-5 kilometers) for the recipient to pick up with their ID, or reroute the shipment to a nearby address where delivery is possible (such as a nearby commercial district).
- Incomplete Customs Clearance or Compliance Issues (Most Complex, Longest Required)
If a shipment is attempted before customs clearance is complete (often due to a courier’s mishandling of the process), or if the recipient requires additional documentation after customs clearance (such as a copy of their ID card for personal effects declarations or an import license for commercial shipments), the message “Delivery Failed” will be displayed with the note “Pending Customs Clearance.” The key to these situations is to prioritize customs clearance: first contact customs or the courier to obtain a “List of Missing Documents.” If the recipient needs to provide additional documentation (such as a personal tax ID number as reported by the EU IOSS), urge them to submit it as soon as possible. If the courier’s mishandling is the cause (e.g., delivery before customs clearance is complete), you can ask them to coordinate with customs for priority release. Once customs clearance is complete, the shipment will typically be re-delivered within 1-2 days at no additional cost.
- Issues with the Goods (risks must be investigated to avoid detention)
This includes damaged packaging/leaking contents (the courier determines it cannot be safely delivered) and goods that do not match the declaration (a pre-delivery spot check reveals anomalies in the category/quantity, resulting in temporary suspension of delivery). In these cases, you must first verify the condition of the goods: If the packaging is damaged, ask the courier to provide photos of the damage to confirm the integrity of the contents. If the contents are intact, you can request “repackaging and re-delivery” (a packaging fee of 100-300 yuan may apply). If the contents are damaged, you must initiate a claims process (see the “Damage Claim” logic above). If the declaration is inconsistent, you must immediately provide additional compliance documentation (such as a genuine invoice and product description). Only after confirming that there are no violations can a second delivery be arranged. Otherwise, the goods may be detained.
- Courier Company Operational Issues (Proactively urging orders to avoid backlogs)
During peak season, common issues include insufficient final delivery resources (e.g., courier shortages, package backlogs), incorrect delivery information entry (delivery actually completed but the system mistakenly marked it as “failed”), or lost or misclassified items during transit (e.g., false delivery attempts before the shipment reaches its destination). In these cases, “strong tracking + urging” is necessary: provide the waybill number through the courier company’s official website’s “online customer service” or a phone hotline (e.g., DHL China Customer Service at 400-810-8000) and request the “final delivery point” and “delivery driver information.” If resources are insufficient, request “priority delivery” (some companies offer expedited service for high-value shipments). If information is incorrect, ask the recipient to provide proof of receipt (e.g., a photo of the signed courier delivery label) to request a system correction. If the shipment is lost or misclassified, request “cargo location” to confirm the location and reschedule the delivery (usually taking 3-7 days).
- Re-processing: Three Paths for “Re-delivery” and Precautions
After clarifying the cause, choose the appropriate route based on whether the shipment was shipped through an agent and the location of the goods, while avoiding pitfalls such as “double charges” and “exacerbated delays.”
- Personal Direct Shipping/Official Direct Shipping: Directly connect with the courier company
If shipping directly through official channels like DHL and FedEx, or through direct platforms like SF Express International, proceed as follows:
Online Self-Service: Log in to the courier company’s official website/app and, in the “Logistics Tracking – Failed Delivery” section, follow the prompts to complete the address, change the delivery time, or select in-person pickup. Some companies offer “one-click re-delivery” (if the address is correct and no one is available to sign for the package, this can be rescheduled the same day).
Expedited Telephone Customer Service: If online processing remains unresponsive (common during peak season), call the official customer service hotline, provide the waybill number and reason, and request “escalated processing.” Emphasize the “urgency” of the shipment (e.g., “a business sample needs to be used the next day”) to prioritize delivery resources.
Note: Address changes and remote delivery fees will be charged on-site or afterward (either from the sender’s account or upon receipt). Please confirm the fee amount in advance to avoid unauthorized charges.
- Shipping through an agent: Relying on agents for more efficient coordination
If shipping through a third-party agent (often used by small and medium-sized sellers/individuals), prioritize contacting the agent rather than directly with the official delivery service. Agents often have partnerships with courier companies, enabling faster access to delivery points and helping negotiate fee reductions. Key points: Provide the agent with the tracking number and reason for the failure, clearly specifying your request (e.g., “reroute to the recipient’s company for delivery next Wednesday afternoon”). The agent will then contact the courier’s “Agent-Exclusive Customer Service,” eliminating the hassle of in-person coordination. If additional customs clearance documents or out-of-area fee negotiations are required, the agent can assist with document preparation or apply for fee discounts (e.g., 20% off out-of-area fees), resulting in over 30% higher efficiency than in-person processing.
- Shipments Returned to the Transit Warehouse: Beware of the Risk of “Return to Origin”
If a “failed delivery” remains unprocessed for more than 3-5 days, the shipment may be returned to the local transit warehouse (such as Los Angeles, USA, or Frankfurt, Germany). Some companies will default to “returning to the origin if not processed within 15 days,” and the return shipping fee will be borne by the sender (usually 1.5-2 times the original shipping fee). In this case, “urgent interception + clear instructions” are required: immediately contact the courier company or agent to request a “shipment interception” (to avoid a return), then choose “redelivery” (address/change time) or “forward to another address.” If the return process has already been initiated, you can request an “interim interception” (incurs an interception fee, such as 200 yuan per shipment) and then reschedule the delivery.
- Avoiding Pitfalls and Covering the Dilemma: 3 Key Tips to Avoid “Waste of Time”
Timeliness: Delivery must be processed within 24 hours. Last-mile delivery outlets typically summarize undelivered shipments daily. Shipments that remain unprocessed for more than 24 hours will be classified as “pending backlogs” and prioritized for new orders. Re-delivery time may extend from one day to over five days, especially during peak season. The longer the delay, the more difficult it is to arrange.
Transparent Fees: Ask in advance about “what situations will incur additional fees.” The following three situations will 100% incur additional fees, and the amounts must be confirmed in advance: ① Changing the delivery address (especially if it’s an inter-regional change, such as from Manhattan to Brooklyn); ② Re-delivering to a remote area; ③ Returning the shipment to a transit warehouse for re-delivery (incurring an additional “warehouse rental fee + re-delivery fee,” typically $5-10 per day).
The “backup plan”: Self-pickup is the fastest way to mitigate losses. If the recipient has flexible schedules and there’s a courier pickup location nearby (you can find the “pickup location address” on the official website), self-pickup is the preferred option. These locations typically hold shipments for seven days after arrival. Recipients can collect their shipments with their ID and tracking number, eliminating the need to wait for delivery and the risk of a second delivery failure.
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