Are you tracking a package on Fedex’s website, and see that the scheduled delivery date has been updated to just ‘Pending?’
This can be very frustrating to see, especially since it removes the estimated delivery date, and often replaces it with a message stating there is no scheduled delivery date at this time.
So, what does this message mean, and how long will it take to actually receive your package? Is there anything you need to do to get it moving again?
In this article, I’ll be answering all of these questions and more!
What Does It Mean When Fedex Says The Scheduled Delivery Is Pending?
If Fedex tracking shows that the estimated delivery date is pending, this means that they do not currently have an estimate on when the shipment will be delivered.
This is typically caused by unexpected delays at some point during transit.
However, as soon as Fedex has an estimated delivery again, they will update the tracking page to reflect their new estimate.
So, how long will the delay last, and when can you expect to get your package?
Keep reading to find out!
How Long Will It Take For The Package To Be Delivered?
Now that we know that a delay occurred, how long will it be? How many extra days will it take to your package to arrive?
Unfortunately, the answer is that it depends.
Most delays that occur with Fedex are resolved quickly, and often result in an additional transit time of no more than 1-2 business days.
In fact, some issues result in no delays at all, and even if Fedex tracking is showing ‘pending’, the package may ultimately arrive on the same day it was originally estimated to.
That being said, the ‘Pending’ message can be caused by an entire range of potential issues.
If a package ends up missing a truck and simply has to go on the next one, the delay won’t be that significant. If a severe hurricane damages the facility or makes it impossible for employees to show up at work, the delay could be much longer.
Because Fedex does not always share the reason for the delay, knowing the exact timeline can be difficult.
However, let’s look over some of the potential reasons packages may get delayed, so you can get an idea.
What Are Some Of The Reasons Packages Get Delayed?
Due to the complex nature of moving a package across the country or even the world, there’s a lot that can go wrong.
Some potential issues that Fedex packages may get delayed include:
- Packages being loaded onto the wrong truck, plane or delivery vehicle.
- Packages being damaged in transit, and needing to be reboxed.
- Barcodes that have fallen off or become unreadable, requiring Fedex to replace them.
- Severe weather.
- Worker strikes.
- Planes unable to take off from the airport.
- Fedex vehicles breaking down.
- Packages being routed to the wrong Fedex facility.
- Shipping surges (particularly common during the holiday season, and around holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day.)
- Incorrect customs documentation (for international shipments.)
- Staffing shortages causing packages to be processed more slowly.
As mentioned earlier, Fedex may not share the reason for the delay.
However, you can sometimes find things out by searching Google for the Fedex facility that tracking shows the package was recently at.
For example, if you happen to find a news article stating that there are weather issues or strikes near the most recent Fedex facility your package was at, this may give you an idea to the delay’s cause.
Why Doesn’t Fedex Give Us An Estimate?
Fedex has a lot of data about the shipment and its progress. And although it doesn’t seem like it, the estimated delivery dates they usually provide tend to be pretty accurate.
So, why can’t Fedex give us an estimate on the package’s delivery? Why does it instead simply state “No scheduled delivery date at this time” and leave us in the dark?
The truth is, it’s likely that Fedex themselves doesn’t know.
When a package is pending delivery, the exact reason why a delay occurred isn’t apparent. Additionally, some delays don’t have a clear timeline on when they’ll actually be solved.
Fedex does not have codes for every possible delay in their system – there is simply too many. If you’re lucky, you may see a message that states ‘operational delay’ or something similar that can give a little insight, but even this can be hard to go off of.
Because of that, Fedex isn’t yet sure how the current issue will affect the package’s transit time. Any estimate that they provide could end up being wildly inaccurate, so they choose to not provide one to ensure you aren’t being given inaccurate expectations.
That being said, Fedex does tend to update the tracking page as soon as they have more information.
So, periodically refresh it to see if a new estimated delivery date has been provided – this way, you’ll hopefully be able to get an idea on when the package is likely to arrive!
Note: If you are traveling or you won’t be home to collect the package on its new delivery date, click here to learn how you can pick up the package from Fedex yourself!
What Reimbursements Can I Get For Fedex Delays?
Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done that will get your package to you more quickly.
However, depending on the circumstances, you may be eligible for some sort of reimbursement or refund depending on the delay!
This will need to be carried out by the person or merchant that actually had the package shipped out to you. Since technically, the business relationship is between Fedex and them – and they were the ones that purchased shipping, they will be the only ones able to get a refund.
Additionally, this also only extends to Fedex shipping services that came with a shipping guarantee. For more information on Fedex’s money back policy, click here.
That being said, many merchants and online stores will pass this refund onto you, to make up for the inconvenience for receiving a late delivery.
Amazon for example is known for offering refunds on any expedited shipping fees that you may have paid, or even offering credits towards future purchases.
Even many smaller companies may offer partial refunds, or refunds on shipping specifically due to late deliveries, even if they have to eat the cost of it themselves.
So, it is worth inquiring about if your package is significantly delayed!
Conclusion
Seeing that your scheduled delivery is just ‘pending’ can be very frustrating, particularly due to the vague nature of the message.
In most cases however, a ‘pending’ delivery usually results in a delay no more than 1-2 days – or sometimes even no delay at all. However, since it’s impossible to know the cause of the delay, it’s also possible that it may take much longer for your package to arrive.
Therefore, keep an update on your tracking page – Fedex may provide a new estimated delivery date as soon as one is available.
I hope that this article has answered all of your questions, and that your package arrives quickly. If you have any other questions about Fedex, please ask them using the comment form below.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister