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“The Item is at the Shippers Warehouse” – PostNL Tracking Guide

You’ve just checked your PostNL tracking details and have received a “The Item is at the shippers warehouse” status alert.

What does this mean exactly? 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 “The Item is at the Shippers Warehouse” Mean?

“The Item is at the shippers warehouse” PostNL status update means that the seller has the item in stock in the warehouse and it will now be prepared for shipment.

Where is my Shipment When I see “The Item is at the Shippers Warehouse” Alert?

warehouse packing

This is one of the more self-explanatory updates you will receive from PostNL as the alert itself tells you all you need to know in terms of the package location.

As mentioned, the item is inside the seller’s warehouse. As this alert is normally sent in relation to AliExpress shipments, it means that your package is still firmly within China.

In scenarios where the recipient has not ordered an item from AliExpress, it is more accurate to say that the package is still in the origin country.

In fact, the “The Item is at the shippers warehouse” update is the first tracking alert you will receive when ordering an item that will be shipped by PostNL.

At this stage, the shipment has yet to begin.

What Happens After a “The Item is at the Shippers Warehouse” Alert

The Item is at the Shippers Warehouse 2

So, the “The Item is at the shippers warehouse” is telling you that the item is in stock within the seller’s warehouse.

The next PostNL update you can expect to receive is, “The item is pre-advised”.

This is basically telling you that the seller has created a PostNL consignment order and is in the process of preparing the item for shipment.

It is still in the warehouse, and PostNL has been made aware (pre-advised) that a consignment is about to be dispatched.

Following this, you may receive a “PostNL ready for shipment” update.

The package is now at a stage where the carrier inside the origin country can pick it up from the warehouse and the physical shipment (transit) process will start.

From here, the consignment will be taken to an applicable port of exit, go through customs clearance, and be handed to a linehaul operator for transit overseas.

My Package is Stuck on, the “The Item is at the Shippers Warehouse” Update

girl shrugging

If your package remains stuck on this update, it suggests that the shipper (or the warehouse fulfillment center responsible for the seller’s stock) has encountered an issue.

There are a number of likely scenarios:

  • Inventory data was incorrect and the item was not in stock
  • Item damaged in the warehouse and could not be shipped until a replacement found
  • Any delay (staffing, technical) preventing the seller from pre-advising PostNL that the item is ready for dispatch
  • If the item has been ordered as part of a consolidated shipment, it won’t be processed until all parts of the shipment are ready
  • A mis-scan meaning that updates are not being picked up by the tracking number

However, the fact the item is at the very beginning of the journey means the seller is the first entity you should contact.

If this is an item ordered from AliExpress, you can contact the seller via your account. (If the seller does not respond adequately or within a reasonable time, you can also open a dispute).

How to Contact PostNL

woman on mobile phone

Due to the fact, the consignment has yet to enter the delivery infrastructure of PostNL, it is debatable to what degree they will be able to help you at this stage.

However, PostNL may have some details on the carrier responsible for the shipment within the origin country.

You can use the guide on PostNL Customer Service for answers to common queries.

However, to raise a specific issue about a consignment you can make contact on:

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

The Twitter method of communication is available 24/7 and you should receive a reply within an hour.

The phone services, on the other hand, are only available from Monday to Friday between 8:30 am to 8:00 pm and on Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Final Words

The Item is at the Shippers Warehouse

Overall, the “The Item is at the shippers warehouse” PostNL status alert is a simple update that is automatically created when an eCommerce order is made (normally through Aliexpress as the platform has a business relationship with PostNL), and the item is in stock.

At this stage, the shipment has barely begun. Normally you will receive further updates, (the first being “item is pre-advised”) within 24hrs of making the order.

From here, the actual physical shipping process will begin. The fact it is being sent from China, however, means there is a long way to go.


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