What Does Pre-Transit Mean? And What to Do About It?

Pre-transit is an Etsy-coded status that appears when you drop off your package at the post office (or the shipping carrier), but it hasn’t been scanned yet.

Some sellers panic when they see pre-transit lasting for days or weeks. And we can’t blame them. While it’s not their fault, most customers are unaware of this. So they leave negative reviews and cancel orders.

One Etsy seller even talked about her fear of losing her star seller stats because of this vague status:

If you have the same sentiments, don’t worry. There are some simple steps you can take to dodge customer complaints, keep them happy, and protect your profits, even when packages get stuck in pre-transit.

We’ll share them with you in this article. Plus, we’ll talk about “what does pre-transit mean” in detail and why it happens.

Understanding the Pre-Transit Tracking Status

Pre-transit is when your package already has a shipping label and is received by the post office or the logistics company (like USPS). But it hasn’t started moving yet.

Please note that it’s the same with “in transit.” “In transit” simply means your package is already on its way to its destination. Pre-transit means your product is sitting somewhere, waiting to be processed.

It is an official order status, and you don’t have to avoid it. But what’s not okay is for your product to stay in pre-transit for weeks. That’s when it starts affecting your business.

Just like what happened to this Etsy seller: She already shipped an order two weeks prior, but it was still showing “pre-transit.” Now, her customer left a two-star review complaining about shipping issues.

Your buyers might also request a refund, which could reduce your sales. Like what this Etsy seller experienced:

They shipped a package in December, but it stayed in pre-transit. The buyer demanded a refund and assumed the package was never shipped.

And the worst of all: once they have a bad experience with your shop, they might stop buying from you (that’s one customer and potential referrals gone).

The good news? You can avoid these situations, and we’ll share some strategies with you later. For now, let’s talk about its differences from another confusing status: “Pre-shipment.”

Pre-Transit vs. Pre-Shipment: Is There a Difference? 

Is pre-transit the same as pre-shipment? You might have seen these two statuses (on separate occasions) and been thinking whether they are the same.

The short answer? No. Pre-shipment is when you have a shipping label, but haven’t sent the package to the carrier yet. Pre-transit is when the carrier has your package but hasn’t scanned it into their tracking system.

Imagine you owned a vintage gold watch store on Etsy. Rachel ordered a watch from you on Monday. You created a label (with the shipping information) so her order showed “pre-shipment” because you had the label but hadn’t packed the package yet.

Then on Wednesday, you packed her watch and dropped it off at the local post office. The United States Postal Service (USPS) received it on Thursday, and the status changed to “pre-transit.” That means they had the physical package, but their system hadn’t been updated.

Is it still confusing? Don’t worry. Here’s a summary of pre-transit vs. pre-shipment:

Aspects	Pre-Shipment	Pre-transit
Package Location	Still with the seller	At the post office or carrier
Label Status	Created but may not be attached	Attached to the package
Carrier Involvement (UPS/USPS/FedEx)	No physical package yet	Has the package
Who Controls Timeline	Seller	Shipping carrier
Next Step	Drop off the package	Wait for the mail carrier to scan and update the system

If you want to know more about pre-shipment, we explained it in our previous post. You can read it here.

Common Reasons Your Package Says “Pre-Transit”

Now that you know what pre-transit is and how it works, it’s time for us to talk about why this status shows. A few possible reasons include high package volumes, delays in Etsy’s tracking system, and missed initial scans.

Let’s go over each of them.

1. The package has been dropped off but not yet processed

In most cases, the post office is the reason your package shows pre-transit status. You dropped it off, but they haven’t scanned it yet.

But why is that? Well, postal services handle over 23 million packages (on average) each day. That’s a huge volume, and it takes several days for them to process everything properly. Your item might be with multiple packages, waiting for postal workers to scan them in batches.

It happens often. One seller shared her experience that when she mailed packages on Friday or Saturday, the post office sometimes didn’t scan them until the following Wednesday.

2. High volume packages causing scanning delays

Twenty-three million packages daily is a lot. But that’s only about 2.3% of what carriers handle during the holiday rush. For example, in December 2024 alone, USPS processed almost a billion pieces of mail every other day (that’s insane!).

Because of this, there’s a huge chance that your product gets scanned late.

Many of our clients experienced this exact problem every peak season before using our platform. One client even told us she received a bunch of WISMO messages during Black Friday from her customers, thinking she hadn’t shipped their orders.

She spent hours apologizing and explaining that she dropped the packages right after receiving the orders. And the shipping delay is on the carrier’s end, not hers.

“It was… a nightmare,” she said (and we agreed).

3. Post office skipping the initial scan

Sometimes the post office forgets to scan your package. The postal worker may be busy handling individual packages. Or, there’s a system error that day.

Whatever it is, your item could be halfway across the country or just 500 meters from your customer’s doorstep, while they’re staring at “package acceptance pending” status (without any clue that the item is near them).

4. Etsy’s tracking system glitches

Did you know that Etsy doesn’t have its own tracking system? They rely on third-party providers, like Shippo and ShipStation, to handle shipping data.

That’s why the tracking information you see may not always be real-time or accurate. There were so many instances where the package was delivered, but Etsy still shows “pre-transit.” Here’s an example:

In this case, we recommend sending a message to Etsy’s admin to avoid review issues or complaints.

We know that the common reasons for pre-transit issues aren’t your fault. But you have to stay proactive about protecting your business reputation and keeping customers informed when they happen.

How Long Does a Package Typically Stay in Pre-Transit?

The pre-transit status should only last a few hours or two days at most.

While there are no exact statistics that mention this, we based it on a 2024 report saying that most customers expect their packages to be delivered within two days.

Of course, there are some valid factors that can affect the pre-transit status:

• Holiday seasons: Black Friday, Christmas, and other busy times create huge backlogs that slow everything down.
• Shipping location: Small-town post offices usually take longer than busy city ones.
• Carrier issues and unforeseen events: When there’s not enough staff or broken equipment, your package might sit for an extended period of up to a week. Bad weather and natural calamities can also delay operations (but that’s beyond anyone’s control).
• International shipments: These always take longer because customs needs to check everything first.

Actionable Steps When a Package is Stuck in ‘Pre-Transit’ for Too Long

But what happens if you go over the normal timeframe? Good question.

You can handle this situation better by doing internal checks first, contacting the shipping company directly, and communicating with your customers.

1. Start with Internal Checks

First, double-check your own records. Sometimes, there’s just a typo in the tracking number, or you might have provided incorrect carrier information to your customer.

One of our clients shared a funny story about this. He thought that his order tracking app was having some issues, so he contacted us right away. After spending 30 minutes troubleshooting, we discovered he swapped two digits in the customer’s tracking number.

We still share a good laugh whenever we remember that time.

Remember to check the following twice or thrice to avoid sending the wrong information to your customers:

• Tracking number
• Carrier selection
• Buyer’s address
• Order details

2. Contact the Shipping Company Directly

Now, what if you confirm that the details you provided are correct? Who are you gonna call? Not the Ghostbusters… but the carrier.

Contact USPS, UPS, FedEx, or whichever service you used. Explain that your package has been in pre-transit for longer than usual and request their help.

Their customer support can access more detailed information than what shows up in the public tracking. That way, you can tell your customers what’s happening. And you won’t resort to spinning the globe to guess where their package might be.

It’s best to have the following details ready before calling: the tracking number, the date you dropped it off, and the specific post office or pickup location.

3. Mention and Explain the Pre-Transit Status to Your Customers

As they say, “the best defense is a good offense.” Don’t wait for customers to reach out, confused or frustrated. You can explain it to them even before they ask any questions about it.

Here are some of the best ways to explain the pre-transit status to your customers:

• Update your shipping FAQs: Add a simple explanation like “Pre-transit means we’ve dropped off your package, but the carrier hasn’t scanned it yet. This usually takes 1-2 days.”
• Include it in shipping confirmation emails: Mention what pre-transit means right when you send tracking information, so customers know what to expect.
• Create a dedicated order tracking page: Build a page that clearly explains all shipping statuses, including pre-transit, so customers can easily find the answers they need.

Our best advice is to create a custom shipment status. ParcelPanel allows you to add personalized status updates for the order’s progress. You could also include a simple description of what each status means.

Let’s say that someone ordered a handmade bag from your store. You can add a status like “Pre-transit: Dropped off at post office.” Then, in the description, say: “Pre-transit means we’ve delivered your package to the post office. It usually takes 1-2 days to update.”

4. Maintain Transparent Communication

Keep customers updated throughout the process. If a package has been stuck for several days, send a quick message letting them know you’re tracking it down.

The benefits include building customer trust, preventing negative reviews, and often getting positive feedback for your excellent customer service. One report even mentioned that almost 95% of customers are more loyal to transparent brands.

People remember when you go the extra mile to keep them informed.

So, use your tracking app, SMS, email, or Etsy’s messaging system to send updates. Most customers are understanding when they know you’re on top of the situation.

Conclusion: Understanding and Acting on “Pre-Transit”

That’s all for this article (congratulations on finishing it!). Remember that pre-transit means your package hasn’t been scanned by the carrier yet. It’s a normal part of shipping, but it can cause customer confusion if it lasts too long.

So, for your next step, you have to be proactive in communicating with your customers about shipping statuses. Set clear expectations upfront, update your FAQs to explain what pre-transit means, and consider using tracking tools that provide more detailed updates.

Try the ParcelPanel app for free if you want to add custom shipment statuses for a better shipping experience and reduce customer inquiries.