Quick answer: Track an AliExpress order from Account → Orders → Track order, or paste the tracking number into Cainiao or 17track. Long gaps are normal: a parcel can sit on “Left the departure region” for a week while it waits for a flight, and on “Arrived at destination country” for several days in customs. Worry only if there is no new scan for 15+ days in transit, or if your Buyer Protection countdown is about to run out — then open a dispute before it ends.
AliExpress tracking reads like a log file written by five different companies, because that is what it is. The seller, a Cainiao sorting centre, an airline, two customs services and a local carrier all add their own lines, in their own words, at their own pace. Once you know which stage each message belongs to, most of the scary-looking ones turn out to be boring, and the few that do matter are easy to spot.
How to track an AliExpress order
The order page is the most complete view, because it merges every carrier’s scans in one timeline. Open the app or site, go to Account → Orders, pick the order and tap Track order. The tracking number is shown at the top of that screen; copy it if you want a second opinion.
Outside AliExpress, two places read the same data: Cainiao’s global tracker, since Cainiao runs most AliExpress shipping, and multi-carrier trackers such as 17track or Parcelsapp, which also pick up the local carrier once your parcel is handed over. That handover is the one moment a second tracker earns its keep: the last-mile company (USPS, a regional courier, sometimes a parcel locker network) may show a delivery window or a “held at post office” note that AliExpress hasn’t synced yet.
The order status vs the tracking status
These are two different things, and mixing them up causes most of the panic. The order status is AliExpress’s bookkeeping; the tracking status is where the box physically is.
| Order status | What it means | Normal duration |
|---|---|---|
| Awaiting payment | Order placed, payment not confirmed yet. Card checks can take a few hours. | Minutes to 24 hours |
| Awaiting shipment / Processing | The seller is packing. Your processing time on the listing applies here, not the shipping time. | 1–7 days |
| Awaiting delivery / Shipped | The seller has handed the parcel over and uploaded a tracking number. The Buyer Protection countdown is running. | Until delivery |
| Completed | You confirmed receipt, or the protection window ended. Payment has gone to the seller. | — |
| Closed | Cancelled, refunded, or never paid. Check the refund line on the order before assuming anything went wrong. | — |
Exact names shift a little between the app and the website, and between regions, but the five stages are the same everywhere.
Every tracking status, in the order you’ll see them
The messages below are grouped by stage. Wording varies by carrier — “Departed country of origin” and “Left the departure region” are the same event — so look for the stage rather than an exact match.
Stage 1: in China
- Order information received / Seller packed. A shipping label exists; the parcel may still be on the seller’s shelf. If nothing follows within 5–7 days, message the seller.
- Accepted by carrier / Picked up. The first physical scan. From here, the parcel is in the logistics system.
- Arrived at / Departed from sorting centre. Cainiao hubs in cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen or Yiwu. Two or three of these in a row is normal.
- Export customs clearance started / completed. Chinese export checks. Usually a day.
Stage 2: the flight
- Left the departure region / Departed country of origin. The parcel has left the warehouse and is waiting for, or on, a cargo flight. This is the status people stare at for days. Airlines consolidate cargo, so 5–10 days here without a new line is ordinary.
- Arrived at transit hub / In transit. Some routes stop in a third country. No action needed.
Stage 3: your country’s border
- Arrived at destination country. Landed at the import hub. Not the same as “cleared”.
- Import customs clearance started / completed. Customs checks documents and any duty. Most parcels clear in 1–3 days; a hold usually means a tax or paperwork question, and you may get a letter or text from the local carrier asking for payment.
Stage 4: the last mile
- Handed over to local carrier / Dispatched to last-mile. A domestic company now has it, sometimes under a new tracking number that appears on the order page or in 17track.
- Out for delivery. On a van today.
- Delivered, Available for pickup, or Delivered to parcel locker. The 15-day window for “not as described” disputes starts now.
- Delivery failed / Returned to sender. The only statuses that need you quickly. Contact the local carrier first (address errors are the usual cause), then the seller.
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Tracking number formats, and why some “don’t work”
AliExpress orders carry a few different kinds of numbers, and the format tells you where it will work:
- Numbers starting with LP are Cainiao’s internal logistics numbers. They track on AliExpress and Cainiao but often show nothing on a postal website, because the post office never sees that number.
- Two letters, nine digits, then CN (for example RB, LX, UB…CN) is a China Post format that works on postal trackers in many countries.
- Long numeric numbers appearing late in the journey usually belong to the local carrier after handover; that’s the one to paste into USPS or your national post.
“Tracking number not found” in the first two or three days is normal: the number is created when the label prints, and the first scan can come days later. If it still shows nothing after a week, ask the seller for a valid number in the order chat, so the request is on record.
When tracking stops updating
Silence is the normal state for parts of the trip. Rough thresholds before it is worth doing anything:
| Stuck on | Normal | Act after | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order info received, no pickup | Up to 5 days | 7 days | Message the seller; ask them to confirm dispatch |
| Left the departure region | 5–10 days | 15 days | Check the Buyer Protection countdown; message seller |
| Arrived at destination country | 2–7 days | 10 days | Check for a customs or carrier notice by mail/SMS |
| Handed to local carrier | 1–5 days | 7 days | Track on the local carrier’s site with its own number |
Whatever the status, the deadline that matters is the Buyer Protection countdown on the order page. If it is about to expire and the parcel hasn’t arrived, open a “not received” dispute before it does; AliExpress can decide later whether the parcel is lost. Our guide to AliExpress refunds and disputes walks through that step by step. If you’re not sure whether the delay is unusual at all, the realistic AliExpress shipping times by delivery option are the baseline.
“Delivered”, but nothing arrived
It happens more than it should, and usually has a boring explanation. Check, in this order: the mailbox and any parcel locker near you; neighbours and the building’s mail room; the local carrier’s tracking page, which often has a photo or a GPS point the AliExpress timeline doesn’t show; and whether the address on the order matches exactly, including the apartment number.
If it still isn’t there after a day or two, open a dispute for non-delivery and attach the carrier’s delivery record. Do not tap “Confirm received” to make the screen go away — that releases the payment to the seller and closes most of your options.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my AliExpress tracking number?
On the order page: Account → Orders → the order → Track order. The number sits at the top of the tracking screen. It appears once the seller ships, so “Awaiting shipment” orders don’t have one yet.
What does “Left the departure region” mean?
The parcel has left the Chinese warehouse and is waiting for, or on, an international flight. It is normal for this status to stay unchanged for 5–10 days while cargo is consolidated.
Why does my tracking say “Arrived at destination country” for days?
That is the import stage: the parcel is at your country’s hub waiting for customs. Most clear in a few days; longer waits usually mean customs or the local carrier needs something, often a duty payment notice sent by mail or text.
My AliExpress tracking number doesn’t work on USPS. Is it fake?
Usually not. Numbers starting with LP are Cainiao’s own and never appear on postal sites. Use the AliExpress order page or Cainiao’s tracker; a USPS-compatible number often appears only after handover to the local carrier.
How long can AliExpress tracking go without an update?
Up to about two weeks during the international leg is common. If there’s no new scan for 15+ days, or the Buyer Protection countdown is close to zero, contact the seller and be ready to open a dispute.
What does “Closed” mean on an AliExpress order?
The order was cancelled, refunded, or never paid. Check the refund line on the order page to see which; a closed order with a completed refund needs no further action.
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