Shipment Delays

Delay in Delivery:

12 Causes and How to Avoid The Avoidable Ones
Many customers have come to expect to receive their packages on time or even early.
In this article, you’ll find 12 potential causes for delayed shipping, so you can stay aware of them. When it comes to shipping and delivery, there are a variety of factors that can cause delays. Understanding these factors can help you anticipate potential delays and plan accordingly.

1. Traffic
   Traffic is a common cause of delivery delays, especially in urban areas. Delivery vehicles may get stuck in traffic or have to take longer routes to avoid congestion, leading to significant slowdowns in the delivery process.
2. Increased shipping volume
   As the volume of shipments increases, delivery services may become overwhelmed, leading to delays. This can occur during peak shopping periods, such as the holiday season, or during special events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Increased shipment volumes lead to delays as packages pile up and delivery services struggle to keep up with demand.
3. Holidays or global events
   Holidays, such as Christmas or Thanksgiving, or global events like natural disasters or pandemics can cause disruptions in delivery schedules. Reduced schedules or unexpected changes in shipping routes can impact delivery times and cause delays.
4. Labor shortages
   Shortages of truck drivers or warehouse workers can make it challenging to fulfill delivery orders on time, leading to delays. This can be particularly problematic during holidays and peak shopping periods when delivery services are already operating at capacity.
5. Weather conditions
   Extreme weather conditions such as snow, heavy rain, or high winds can force delivery services to adjust their schedules or routes to ensure driver safety. This can lead to delays as delivery services may need to take longer routes or postpone deliveries altogether.
6. Unclear or inaccurate shipping labels
   If the shipping label on a package is unclear or inaccurate, it can cause significant delays in delivery.

The delivery service provider may have to spend extra time tracking down the correct delivery address. They may even need to contact the recipient to clarify delivery instructions. Either way, unclear or inaccurate labels can impact predefined delivery times.

7. Failed delivery attempt
   If the recipient is not available to receive the package during the delivery window, the delivery attempt can fail. This can result in delays as the delivery service will need to reschedule the delivery for another time or attempt to deliver the package to an alternate location.
8. Lost packages
   Occasionally, packages are lost during the delivery process. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including mishandling or theft. When a package is lost, delivery services will need to launch an investigation to locate the package, which can cause significant shipment delays.
9. Supply chain issues
   Delays can occur when there are issues within the supply chain, such as delays in the manufacturing process or problems with sourcing materials. These issues can impact the delivery timeline, causing delays in the shipping process.
10. Lack of visibility
    When delivery services lack visibility into the shipping process, it can be challenging to determine the location of packages or estimate delivery times. This can lead to delays as delivery services may need to spend extra time searching for lost packages or tracking down missing information.
11. Customs
    When shipping packages across international borders, customs can cause significant delays.

There’s a whole set of issues that can cause customs clearance delays:
Poorly packaged goods: Goods that aren’t properly packaged may require additional inspection by customs officials, which can cause delays in the clearance process.
Incomplete or incorrect documentation/Invoices: Missing or incorrect documentation, such as commercial invoices, can cause delays as customs officials may need to request additional information or clarification from the sender.
Incorrect product description: Providing an incorrect description of the product being shipped can lead to an additional inspection.
Incorrect value or quantity: If the value or quantity of the product being shipped is incorrect, it can lead to additional inspection and, therefore, delays in the clearance process.
Incorrect product code and package tracking numbers: Providing an incorrect product code and package tracking numbers can also lead to an additional inspection.
Seasonal holidays: During peak shipping seasons or holidays, customs officials may be overwhelmed with the volume of shipments, causing delays in the clearance process.
Political events: Political events, such as changes in trade policies or border closures, can impact customs clearance times and ultimately lead to delays in the shipping process.

12. Vehicle problems
    Vehicle problems, such as mechanical breakdowns or traffic accidents, can cause significant delays in delivery times. If a shipment is on a vehicle that experiences issues, it may need to be transferred to a different vehicle, causing further delays.
    Conclusion
    Delivery delays can have a significant negative effect on your business. It can lead to lost revenue, and headache to our customers.
    There are numerous potential causes for these delays, such as traffic, weather conditions, inadequate technology, and customs clearance delays. While we can’t control all the reasons that slow down the delivery process, we can take proactive steps to avoid some of them.