Possible Problems During Shipping (with Solutions)
This is an overview article of all of the potential problems that can occur with shipments, along with Wooting's policies for resolving them.
What’s Going On?
The moment is finally here and your new Wooting keyboard is getting packed up and shipped your way! But wait... Something isn't right... Problems during shipment are uncommon, but can occur during every step of the process. If you do experience one, don't worry, Wooting has got your back!
The first step during which a problem can happen is when an order is submitted to get fulfilled but gets stuck in Ready to Pack or Packed.
Problem: Order stuck in "Ready to Pack" or "Packed"
- Possible cause: Holiday or weekend based delays in processing. Shipping and delivery can be delayed during weekends or holidays when the fulfillment center is closed. Additionally, shipments starting from late November through early January tend to take longer to process due to the holiday season shipping rush.
- Solution: Give it an extra business day or two. During the December peak, give it an extra four business days.
- Possible cause: The shipping address provided is incorrect or incomplete, which was caught by the fulfillment center.
- Solution: Contact us via the Wooting Hub to confirm or update the address.
For more detailed information, you can always reference this article: [Order Stuck In Ready To Pack or Packed]
Does the Wooting Hub say your package is en route? Congrats, you've made it past this step!
This means that your package was packed, and a shipping label was created, you will soon receive an email with a tracking link.
At this stage, it's possible that the tracking link provided doesn't resolve into a trackable shipment.
Problem: Tracking Link Doesn't Work
- Possible cause: Carrier hasn't processed the shipment yet. It often takes 24 to 48 hours before a tracking link resolves into a trackable shipment. Please note that shipments with Deutsche Post can take a bit longer.
- Solution: Wait at least 72 hours (excluding Sundays) for the tracking link to start working, if it still doesn't register then contact us via the Wooting Hub.
Does your tracking link show up correctly and resolve into a trackable shipment when clicked? Nice, you've made it to the next stage!
This means the fulfillment center has finished preparing your shipment and has presented it to the parcel carrier for pickup and delivery. The parcel carrier will now pick up the shipment and it'll make its way to your front door.
In some cases, this handoff doesn't happen smoothly and the parcel carrier doesn't scan the shipment to confirm that they've received it.
Problem: No First Scan Errors (Stuck on Label Created)
- Possible cause: Error in label creation.
- Solution: Check your email to see if you've received a second tracking link, otherwise contact us via the Wooting Hub for a status update.
- Possible cause: Carrier didn't scan the parcel at pickup. Some carriers, such as Deutsche Post, don't scan packages until they reach the first sorting center.
- Solution: Wait at least 7 days to be sure they didn't just miss the first scan and definitely don't have it in their system, then contact us via the Wooting Hub so we can investigate.
- Possible cause: Package not picked up by carrier. The package was set out to ship by the fulfillment center but the (correct) parcel carrier didn't pick it up.
- Solution: Wait at least 7 days to be sure the parcel carrier still hasn’t processed the shipment in their system. If they haven’t, contact us via the Wooting Hub so we can investigate.
Has your parcel been scanned and received by the parcel carrier? Great, you've gotten to the next level.
This means that your package was shipped by the fulfillment center and the parcel carrier has successfully received it. It is now traveling on its way to you.
At this stage, it is possible that the shipment takes longer than expected to make its way to you.
Problem: Long Tracking (No Updates for 7+ Days)
- Possible cause: Shipment is being prepared for export to your country.
- Solution: Need to wait this one out. Exports to low parcel volume countries sometimes take up to two weeks to get shipped, particularly with economic postal options like Deutsche Post.
- Possible cause: Shipment is in the process of clearing customs. For some countries, this can take as long as two full weeks to process. In most cases, parcels clear customs in 3 to 5 business days. Tracking will not update until it clears local customs.
- Solution: Make sure that you aren't needing to pay any import duties and fees to get the parcel released by customs. If you're not sure whether the delay is normal or if customs is waiting for something, you can always contact us via the Wooting Hub to check the status. It can also be beneficial to check a third party tracking service like the Parcel App.
- Possible cause: The parcel carrier is trying to contact you to pay import fees or for address information. Typically this is made clear on the tracking page, but not always.
- Solution: Check your email to see if the parcel carrier has contacted you. If you don't see any email, consider reaching out to the parcel carrier directly for additional information.
- Possible cause: The parcel carrier has lost your package in transit.
- Solution: Check if a third party tracker has additional information on the status of your shipment, like the Parcel App. If not, reach out to the parcel carrier directly to inquire about the status of your package. If they are unable or unwilling to assist, contact us via the Wooting Hub for support.
Is the tracking link for your shipment updating regularly for each leg of its journey? So far so good, it'll arrive soon!
As long as the tracking is updating regularly, then your package is actively being scanned and it is making its way through the parcel carrier's system to get to your front door.
It is still possible for the delivery to fail, which can occur for a number of different reasons.
Problem: Delivery Failed; Returned to Sender
- Possible cause: Parcel carrier can't find the correct address. Delivery was attempted at least one, most carriers will attempt two or more times to deliver before returning a shipment.
- Solution: Contact the parcel carrier to see if you can relay the correct address. If the parcel is returned to our warehouse, we can initiate a replacement shipment after confirming your shipping address.
- Possible cause: Customs duties refused or not paid in time. Parcel carriers will hold a package for five business days while they wait for import duties and fees to be paid. After this elapses, they will return the shipment to us.
- Solution: Contact us via the Wooting Hub for follow-up steps. The package needs to be returned to our warehouse first before we can provide a replacement or refund. If you are unwilling or unable to pay the import duties and fees for your country, let us know and we will refund your purchase excluding the accrued shipping costs. If you're unsure whether or not your package is expected to pay import duties, reach out to us to check.
- Possible cause: The parcel carrier inexplicably returned the shipment without any indication as to why. Sometimes no information is given by the parcel carrier at all, and it just shows back up at our fulfillment center one day.
- Solution: If we receive your shipment back to our fulfillment center, we will reach out to you directly to arrange a replacement shipment. If there's no clear reason why it was returned, we may elect to utilize a different parcel carrier.
Problem: Delivery Failed; Lost by Carrier (Not Returned to Sender)
- Possible cause: The package is somewhere in the logistics void, having neither been delivered, returned, nor updated on the tracking for over longer than a week.
- Solution: After a certain amount of time in transit without updates to the tracking, a shipment can safely be considered lost and a replacement can be shipped out.
- Possible cause: The shipment is continually bouncing between parcel carrier distribution centers without ultimately advancing to the next step towards delivery.
- Solution: Contact us via the Wooting Hub, in this case the package is still being scanned but not progressing. We can have our fulfillment center (the technical "shipper") open an inquiry with the parcel carrier to find out what happened to your package.
- Possible cause: The shipment has been passed from the parcel carrier responsible for exporting the package to local customs or the local postal service, but the handoff didn't go quite right.
- Solution: Verify that your local postal carrier has not received the package by both checking their online tracking portal and contacting their local customer support. A third party tracking service like the Parcel App is a useful resource to find who handles your local last-mile delivery.
Problem: Delivery Failed; Damage Reported
- Possible cause: The parcel carrier caused or identified damage to the shipment during transit.
- Solution: Need to wait and see what the parcel carrier does with the shipment. They may repackage the shipment into a new box and deliver it, they may return it to our fulfillment center, or they may give up on it entirely and it disappears into the void. Contact us via the Wooting Hub for assistance.
Problem: Delivery Failed; Not Received (Tracking Says Delivered)
- Possible cause: Shipment was delivered to a wrong address nearby.
- Solution: Check with your neighbors, apartment manager, property manager, or other nearby homes or apartments. Make sure to respect your local laws regarding trespassing on private property. This is by far the most common cause of shipments not being received when the tracking is listed as delivered.
- Possible cause: A friend or family member at your address accepted the package for you.
- Solution: Check with all of the residents and visitors at your address to see if any of them have received the shipment.
- Possible cause: Your shipment was delivered to a local pickup point or post office.
- Solution: Reach out to the parcel carrier responsible for delivery, they handle last-mile delivery, had it in their warehouse, and their driver listed the package as delivered.
- Possible cause: The parcel carrier lost your package during the last step in delivery.
- Solution: If the carrier provides you a conclusion or confirmation per email that the package is lost, forward us that communication and we can arrange a replacement shipment or refund your purchase.
- Possible cause: Your shipment was stolen after delivery.
- Solution: File an official police report to designate the shipment as stolen. Email us a copy of the police report and we can arrange a replacement shipment or refund your purchase.
Have you successfully received your shipment? Fantastic!
It's best practice to snap a picture of your parcel before opening it, especially if the packaging is ripped, torn, or shows signs of water damage.
In rare cases, shipments can be damaged during shipment or can be missing items.
Problem: Shipment Arrived Damaged
- Possible cause: The parcel carrier abused the shipment on its way to you. Our product packing is specifically designed to survive light to moderate abuse by parcel carriers. As long as the product itself is in pristine condition, we don't consider damaged packaging as a valid warranty claim.
- Solution: Take pictures of the received damage, include all the received items, the packaging and the label, and submit that through the Wooting Support Wizard to request the assistance from our customer service team. If there is any functional or cosmetic damage to the product, we will happily swap it out for a new unit on our dime.
- Possible cause: Weather damage after the package was delivered.
- Solution: Just like with the previous problem, check if the product itself is in pristine condition. If not, provide pictures of the damaged item(s), the packaging and the label on the box. A replacement order will be send your way!
Problem: Shipment Missing Items or Incorrect Items
- Possible cause: Fulfillment center made an error in packing your shipment or the factory made an error when manufacturing your product.
- Solution: Contact us via the Wooting Hub for support. Include pictures of the products you received as well as the barcodes on each individual product label. We may require you to first return an incorrectly fulfilled item prior to sending the replacement shipment.
- Possible cause: The shipment was damaged during shipment and items fell out of the package or were not repacked after customs inspection.
- Solution: Contact us via the Wooting Hub for support. Include pictures of the products you received as well as the shipment packaging. This should be communicated to us as soon as possible to the moment of delivery. In some cases, we may require you to file an official police report prior to sending a replacement shipment.
Still have questions or need assistance?
Feel free to reach out to our helpful customer service team by submitting a support request through the Wooting Support Wizard.