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“Consignment received at the PostNL Acceptance Centre” Meaning

You’re expecting a package from overseas and you’ve received a “Consignment received at the PostNL Acceptance Centre” tracking update.

What does this mean? Where is your package when you see this update and when will it arrive?

Let’s take a look…

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What Does “Consignment received at the PostNL Acceptance Centre” Mean?

It means that the international package has arrived at the receiving airport and has been handed over to the PostNL center at that airport. The package has passed customs clearance and will now be dispatched to a PostNL hub for sorting and delivery distribution.

How Far is My Package From Delivery When I Receive This Update?

liege airport belgium

Unfortunately, the delivery speed after you receive this update varies widely.

The good news is, that your package has safely arrived from overseas, and is in Europe (Netherlands or Liege, Belgium for AliExpress shipments).

The bad news is, that Liege has become notorious for delays in package processing in recent years, with consignments held up at the facility there for days, sometimes weeks.

Furthermore, PostNL services the UK, Italy, Germany, and more countries in Europe. If the delivery address is in one of these locations the package clearly has to spend more time in transit to get there.

Considering the steps after the PostNL Acceptance Center include travel to the appropriate PostNL regional hub, sorting for dispatch to a destination facility, and then final delivery, patience is still necessary after you have received this update.

Shipment is Handed Over in Bulk

postnl handed in bulk

There is also one other issue that can cause further delay after the “Consignment received at the PostNL Acceptance Centre” update.

Sometimes this alert will be accompanied by a note stating that the “Shipment is handed over in bulk“.

This essentially means that PostNL is aware that your consignment is part of a bulk shipment, however, it has yet to be sorted and scanned as an individual item.

Furthermore, the bulk shipment may still be subject to a customs inspection, meaning you have the potential for a delay there too.

In other words, it is one more link in the delivery chain that can cause potential issues.

What to do if My Package is Stuck on the “Consignment received at the PostNL Acceptance Centre” Update?

Consignment received at the PostNL Acceptance Centre

If your package remains stuck on “Consignment received at the PostNL Acceptance Centre” you will need to contact PostNL.

Unfortunately, there have been a number of complaints about the length of time PostNL takes to complete deliveries (particularly from AliExpress), so delays are not uncommon.

Contacting customer services should hopefully reveal more information on your item’s location.

Also, as with any shipment that stems from an AliExpress order, you should also keep a close eye on your buyer protection period.

If this begins to run out (60 days is the duration) you should open a dispute about your missing package. You can also contact the seller directly for assistance or to extend the period if required.

How to Contact PostNL

woman on phone

The best way to find answers to general questions is to head over to the PostNL Customer Service webpage.

Here you will find solutions to common queries, via an AI-powered type in a question and receive an autoresponse type guide.

Of course, for shipment-specific problems, you will want to talk to a human. For this you have three main options:

  • Phone: 088-2255555
  • Phone: +31 900 0990
  • Twitter: @PostNL

Customer service on Twitter is available 24/7 with operators normally replying within an hour. For those that prefer a phone call, services are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm and on Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Final Words

outside of warehouse

Under normal circumstances, the “Consignment received at the PostNL Acceptance Centre” should be seen as a good thing.

Your overseas shipment is making progress and is getting closer. However, as we have seen, there is still potential for hold-ups and delays.

If you have reached this page because you are experiencing this right now, at least you know, you’re not alone.


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