Shipment information received: why your package hasn't moved

"Shipment information received", "label created", "pre-shipment" and "awaiting item" generally describe the same stage: the shipment has been registered with the carrier, but the carrier hasn't recorded that it has the package yet.

What the status means

When a seller prints a shipping label, the label's data, with the address, weight and tracking number, is sent to the carrier electronically. That electronic notice is the "shipment information". The tracking number exists from that moment, so the shop can email it to you, but the package itself may still be on a shelf, in a packing queue or in a warehouse waiting for collection.

That is the most important thing to know about this status: a tracking number, or even a "your order has shipped" email, doesn't prove the package has left the seller.

Carriers word this stage differently. Common versions are:

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  "Shipping label created" or "Label created"
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  "Shipment information received" or "Electronic notification received"
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  "Pre-shipment", "Awaiting item" or "Order processed: ready for dispatch"
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  "The shipper has created a label, the carrier has not received the package yet"

An event such as "accepted", "picked up" or "collected" generally means the carrier now has the package. Further events should follow as it moves, though gaps between them are normal; see tracking not updating.

Why it can last several days

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  Labels are made before packing. Many shops create labels in batches as soon as an order is paid, then pick and pack over the next day or two.
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  Collections are scheduled. The carrier may pick up from the warehouse once a day, or the seller drops packages off on certain days only.
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  Marketplace and cross-border orders. Sellers on large marketplaces often mark an order as shipped when they create the label. For orders shipped from overseas, the package may first travel to a consolidation warehouse, and the carrier's first event can come several days later.
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  Pre-orders and stock problems. A label may be created for an item that isn't in stock yet.

How long is normal, and when to act

It depends on the seller's dispatch process, but one to three business days is typical for domestic orders, and up to about a week is common for international marketplace orders. If the status hasn't changed after five business days for a domestic order, or about ten days for an international one, contact the seller.

When you do, ask three concrete questions:

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  On what date was the package actually handed to the carrier?
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  Which carrier has it, and is the tracking number still the same?
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  If it hasn't been sent yet, when will it be?

The seller is usually the one who can answer: until the carrier records receipt, it often has little more than the label data. If the seller can't give a clear answer, check the shop's or marketplace's rules for orders that never ship. Many offer a refund or cancellation, but only within a set time.

Not the same as "tracking number not found"

With "shipment information received" the carrier knows the number, but hasn't recorded the package. When the carrier says it can't find the number at all, the reasons are different, and a typo or the wrong carrier is more likely: see tracking number not found.

Know the moment it moves

Trackful keeps checking packages in this state, and the Android app notifies you as soon as the carrier records the package, so you don't need to keep checking manually.