What Does “Arrival Distribution Office” Mean? (BPost Tracking)

You’re expecting a delivery and you have received an “Arrival Distribution Office” status update.

While this alert is used predominantly by Belgium Post (BPost) other carriers do use it.

So, what does this update mean exactly? Is your package close when you receive it and is there anything you need to do?

Let’s take a look…

Arrival Distribution Office – Guide

The “Arrival Distribution Office” occurs at two significant points during the shipment.

The first is when the package arrives at the distribution facility closest to the location of the sender.

From here it will be sorted and dispatched to either a facility closer to the recipient (for domestic deliveries), or the export location (for International packages).

The alert is essentially what follows the “Departure to Distribution Network” update that we recently created a guide for.

• Related Content: “Item Deposited to Local Postal Operator” BPost Tracking Guide

Where is My Package When I Receive the “Arrival Distribution Office” Update?

All carrier services have facility depots where mail and packages are sorted for onward distribution. However, the name, in terms of tracking updates, varies across services.

That being said, distribution office, sorting facility, regional facility, and network hub all mean the same thing.

When you receive an alert using wording such as “Arrival Distribution Office” you know that your package is inside a warehouse waiting to be sorted onto a mode of transport for the next location.

• Related Content: SpeedPAK “Destination DC Arrival” – What Does it Mean?

Domestic Packages

When you receive an “Arrival Distribution Office” status alert for a domestic package, the shipment is either at a sort facility close to the sender or one further along the transit route that is closer to the recipient.

A look at the alert that preceded it, will help you determine the relevant location.

International Packages

An international shipment will likely pass through more facilities than a domestic delivery, so will therefore trigger the “Arrival Distribution Office” more frequently.

Sort facilities in the region of both sender and recipient will trigger the update, as will a carrier facility at the export and import points, (i.e the airport).

• Related Content: Your International Parcel is Ready to be Handled by BPost

What to Do if Your Package is Stuck on “Arrival Distribution Office”

If your tracking ends up stuck on this alert it is an indication that the shipment has got held up at the facility.

For domestic delivery, a common cause for this is high shipping volumes and backlogs within the distribution office.

If your package is stuck for more than 5 working days, you should contact the carrier. BPost can be called on: 02 278 51 26. Click here for full contact details from the BPost website.

If an international package ends up stuck on the “Arrival Distribution Office” update the likelihood is that the shipment has been delayed entry into customs clearance.

Again, shipping volumes and backlog are the main cause of this.

As you will receive an update once the package gets handed to customs, you do not need to be concerned about potential clearance issues at this stage.

Before contacting BPost regarding a stuck international shipment that has arrived in the destination country, it is a good idea to try to track the item using a universal tracking service.

This is because your shipment may have been handed over to a different carrier or postal service once it arrived in the country.

A tracking service such as 17track and ParcelsApp will be able to trace where the location of the item is if BPost is no longer responsible for it.

• Related Content: What Does “Arrival at Export Hub” Mean (Tracking Guide)

Similar Updates to “Arrival Distribution Office”

As explained, the “Arrival Distribution Office” alert is the wording used by Post and a small number of other carriers.

However, most services will alert the customer once the package has arrived within a facility.

Related status updates include, “Arrived at USPS Regional Facility“, “Arrival Destination DHL eCommerce Facility” and “At Destination Sort Facility”.

Final Words

Overall, the “Arrival Distribution Office” tracking update is a standard alert that signifies the shipment is moving through the delivery network exactly as it should.

There is a possibility that your item can be delayed within the facility for several business days.

However, this normally occurs during periods of high seasonal volumes and other issues that have caused a backlog.

In normal circumstances, your package should be moving on and triggering another update within 24 to 48hrs.

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