Why is Shopee Delivery so Slow: The Truth

We’ve all been there. The agonizing pain of waiting for days and even weeks just for our parcel to arrive.

But it seems like the package isn’t moving at all.

So, why is it that Shopee delivery is so slow?

The most common reasons for slow Shopee deliveries are bad weather, an influx of orders, traffic, lockdowns, and human errors.  

If you want to know more about the delivery process and tips to expedite your delivery, read on!

What is the Normal Delivery Lead Time for Shopee Parcels?

Shopee provides a time frame for deliveries. This is the expected time your parcel should arrive based on your location in the country.

Local Delivery

FromDestinationDestinationDestinationDestination
Metro ManilaLuzonVisayasMindanao
Metro Manila4-6 days4-8 days7-12 days7-12 days
Luzon4-8 days4-8 days7-12 days7-12 days
Visayas7-12 days7-12 days7-12 days7-12 days
Mindanao7-12 days7-12 days7-12 days7-12 days

Overseas Delivery

Overseas deliveries usually take around 9-18 days to be delivered. This time accounts for many things, including sorting, shipment, and local delivery.

Take note that these delivery lead times serve as a guide only. Your parcel may arrive earlier or later depending on a lot of things.

Common Reasons for Slow Shopee Delivery

We once had a parcel take months before it was delivered. It seemed they forgot about it, but the lockdown restriction was the culprit.

However, this doesn’t mean we should allow couriers to reason their way out of delayed delivery.

But what exactly causes these late deliveries? Here are the most common reasons we can find.

Bad weather

The most common reason for slow deliveries seems to be the bad weather. Shopee regularly announces advisories on slow deliveries due to severe weather conditions.

We can’t help that we live in a country regularly visited by numerous typhoons.

But even a non-stop rain for days would already flood many streets, making roads unpassable. The rain also makes roads slippery which forces drivers to slow down.

Other rarer natural phenomena can also cause delays like landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.

Influx of orders

Another thing that can affect the normal delivery time is the influx of orders. This happens particularly when there is a huge sale, such as the 7.7 sale.

When there’s an influx of orders, couriers take more time to sort out the orders, deliver them and return them. The orders increase while the number of riders stays the same, resulting in chaos and delays.

Lockdown restrictions

The pandemic has restricted many of our movements, but we’re saved thanks to online shopping apps. But when there’s a lockdown in a certain area, it makes it difficult for couriers to pass through.

Drivers need to get tested; health papers are required, and many restrictions are in place.

Traffic/Accidents

The heavy traffic doesn’t help speed things up, especially in the Metro Manila area. While it would be great to receive your package on the same day you ordered, it would be a miracle with Manila traffic.

Road accidents, whether involving the courier vehicle directly or indirectly, can also cause a hassle. In general, an accident on the road can cause hours of delay.

Human errors

Lastly, sellers and couriers are still operating a lot of things manually.

Even though there’s a system that tracks every single parcel, we can’t expect not to have a single error.

Sometimes, the seller may forget to pack your order in time. Or there might be a mix-up in the courier facility.

The Process and Schedule of a Shopee Delivery

We may enjoy the convenience of online shopping, but a lot goes on behind the scenes. To understand just how deliveries can be delayed, it’s important first to know how they operate.

Step 1: After the buyer has ordered, the seller will start preparing to ship your parcel

Step 2: The logistics partner will then pick it up, or the seller will personally drop it off at a courier center

Step 3: It will then be brought to the sorting facility and go out for delivery

Step 4: Once it has arrived at the local delivery hub, a rider will pick it up and deliver

Step 5: The rider will attempt to deliver the parcel

Step 6: If the delivery has failed, it will be rescheduled or returned to the seller

The process listed here is just the normal delivery route. Sometimes, your parcel may go to a ton of sorting facilities or get stuck in one.

However, the process for an overseas delivery takes longer as it also has to undergo customs.

For your reference, here are the delivery schedule for various couriers:

J&T Express: 08:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Sunday

Shopee Express (Standard Delivery): 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday to Saturday

Gogo Xpress: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Saturday

Entrego: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Saturday

NinjaVan: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Saturday

XDE: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Saturday

2Go: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Saturday

What to do When Your Delivery Doesn’t Arrive on Time?

It can be frustrating to wait for your parcel and not being delivered on time. But before you do anything, you first need to confirm if it’s still within the estimated delivery time.

You can check the estimated time by checking your order in Shopee. You can also refer to the delivery lead time above.

But if your order has surpassed promised delivery date, then you can contact Shopee customer service.

There are numerous ways to contact their support, such as live chat, email, Facebook page, and hotline.

Once you’re in contact with their support, follow up on your order. Include your order number, item name, and other relevant details.

They will usually tell you the reason for the delay and can offer to prioritize your order for you.

Effective Tips to Expedite Shopee Delivery

Aside from contacting Shopee support, there are various ways to expedite your delivery. Here are some tips:

1.  Try not to order during weekends

If you don’t want to wait longer, try not to order during weekends. Sellers usually don’t prepare your order during weekends. Many of them operate on office hours, usually from Monday to Friday.

By ordering on weekdays, you don’t have to wait longer. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t order during weekends.

2. Chat with the seller after you order

We always make it a habit to chat immediately with the seller after ordering. We remind the seller to check the items before shipping.

What this does is that it lets your order get noticed. But most importantly, it reduces the chances of a faulty product or packaging.

3. Always check your delivery status

Sometimes, delivery delays can be attributed to failed delivery attempts. This is when the rider has gone to your address, but you’re not home to receive the parcel.

They will then need to reschedule, which would take 2-3 days. If the delivery has failed two times, the item will return to the seller.

So, ensure that you or someone you authorize is at your address when Shopee has notified you that your parcel is out for delivery.

FAQs

Can I pick up my parcel from Shopee hub?

No, generally, Shopee doesn’t allow buyers to pick up their orders from the sorting facilities. But in our experience, we’ve tried pickup up our parcel when it was in the local delivery hub, and they let us.

Can I cancel Shopee delivery?

Yes, you can cancel your Shopee order, but only if it hasn’t been packed by the seller yet. Once it is packed and shipped, it can’t be canceled.

What to do when a delivery fails due to a customer being unavailable?

If you were unavailable when the Shopee rider attempted to deliver your parcel, it would be rescheduled within 2-3 days. However, after two unsuccessful attempts, it will return to the seller.

You can also usually contact the rider as they’ll try to contact you before each delivery.

What happens if you refuse to accept Shopee delivery?

It will return to the seller if you don’t accept your Shopee delivery. You would get refunded if you paid online.

What to do when I receive a faulty package?

Take photos and videos of the faulty package and coordinate with the seller. Ideally, you should take a video of unboxing the package to make things easy. The seller may either refund you or replace the item.

Final Thoughts

We don’t like our parcels to get delayed. But sometimes, there are unforeseen events that contribute to its delay.

With this guide, we hope that you now clearly understand Shopee’s delivery process, schedule, and the reasons for delays.

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Jerico
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