Although AliExpress is known for it’s incredibly cheap prices, one of the major downsides is how long it takes products to arrive.
Because most of them ship directly from China, the shipping process is handled a lot differently than if you ordered something in your home country.
Anyhow, one message you’re likely to see while tracking your AliExpress package is ‘dispatched from sorting center.’
But what does this actually mean, how long will it take to arrive, and what should you do if it gets stuck?
In this article, I’ll be answering all of these questions and more!
What Does ‘Dispatched From Sorting Center’ Mean On AliExpress?
If you see a message stating ‘dispatched from sorting center’ on your AliExpress tracking page, this means that the package has left one of the sorting facilities for the courier shipping it within China.
This can be thought of as similar to the ‘departed UPS facility‘ message you may see when tracking UPS shipments, for example.
Essentially, the company currently handling the product’s shipment has moved it out of one of their facilities. Therefore, it’s likely that it’s on its way to the air or seaport where it can begin the customs clearance process, and prepare its journey out of China.
That being said, depending on the port in which it’s going, it’s also possible it may stop at additional sorting centers before it begins the export process.
This is why the message may appear multiple times!
How Long Will My Package Take To Arrive After Showing ‘Dispatched From Sorting Center?’
If you see the ‘dispatched from sorting center’ message, it’s natural to wonder how long it will be before your order arrives.
Unfortunately however, at this stage, the package is still relatively early on in its journey.
After your shipment has been dispatched from the sorting center, it still has to…
- Make its way to the seaport or airport in which it will ship from, potentially stopping at other sorting centers along the way.
- Clear customs within China.
- Ship to your country – which is sometimes done by sea, and can take several weeks.
- Clear customs within your country.
- Be accepted by the last mile carrier.
- Get delivered to your door with a local courier like USPS, UPS, Fedex, DHL, etc.
While you should reference any expected delivery times the seller or AliExpress may have provided, it’s important to keep your expectations realistic.
Chances are, there is still a considerable length of time before your package will ultimately arrive, as it has only just begun the shipping process.
AliExpress Is Stuck On ‘Dispatched From Sorting Center.’ Why?
If the most recent tracking update you see shows that it’s been dispatched from a sorting center, this can be frustrating.
This is especially true if it’s been stuck on there for a long time.
However, it’s important to understand that this is completely normal. Depending on the shipping service used, you may not see any further updates at all beyond this point, as the package may be handed off to another shipping service that AliExpress is not tracking.
It’s also possible that the package is currently in a shipping container on a boat in the middle of the ocean. Sea shipments can take several weeks before they arrive, and during that time you will not see any updates.
One thing you may consider trying is using a universal tracking website like Parcels.
With Parcels, it will continue to track your package for you even if it is handed off to additional couriers, or moves between different countries.
Because it tracks from so many different couriers at once, you don’t even need to know which one is being used. And to top it all off, it even advertises that they can track AliExpress shipments straight from the homepage!
So, it’s worth plugging in any tracking number you have to see if more information available.
Parcels is free, and you can access the service either on their website, or through the iPhone / Android app in your device’s app store.
What To Do If Your Package Doesn’t Arrive
Let’s say that your package still hasn’t arrived, even if it’s been showing ‘dispatched from sorting center’ for a long time. What should you do?
First things first, you’ve really got to be patient when ordering packages from overseas.
Even if the package doesn’t show movement for a lengthy period of time, this is still completely normal. Many AliExpress shipments ultimately end up shipping by sea and ground for much of their journey, not by air.
This is critical to keeping shipping costs low, and is part of why price is AliExpress’ biggest benefit. Unfortunately, slow shipping times are a byproduct of that.
If your package has been in transit for several months however and you’re unable to get any further tracking updates, it may be a good idea to contact the seller for additional input or information. They may be able to look into the matter further and preemptively issue you either a refund or a replacement.
If you are unable to reach the seller or they are unwilling to work with you, than you should also take advantage of the purchase protections AliExpress has in place.
If the product is not received within the buyer protection period or the product isn’t as described, you can request a refund for up to 15 days after the order has been marked as completed.
For more information on AliExpress’ buyer protection policies, click here!
Conclusion
‘Dispatched from sorting center’ is a completely normal message to see, and it may appear on your AliExpress tracking several times while the package is in transit.
Unfortunately however, there may not be any further updates beyond this point, depending on the shipping service used.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful, and you’ll manage to either receive some updates – or receive your package soon!
If you have any other questions about tracking AliExpress shipments, please ask them using the comment form below.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister
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