You were home all day. The tracking says “attempted delivery.” No knock, no ring, no slip in the door.
This happens constantly with imported packages, and the driver did not always make it up. Here is what the scan means, what to do in the first 24 hours, and how to get a second attempt before the box starts its trip back to China.
What “attempted delivery” actually means
There are four common reasons for that scan, and only one of them involves someone knocking on your door.
- No access. The driver could not get into the building, past a gate, or through a lobby door. Apartment numbers and gate codes matter more than most people think.
- No answer. The driver knocked on the wrong door, rang the wrong bell, or gave up after ten seconds.
- Signature or size problem. The package needed a signature, or it did not fit in the truck’s route plan and got scanned as attempted.
- Scanned at the depot. The shift ended, the route ran long, and the scanner was used to close the stop. Nobody came at all.
A fifth possibility is a plain error. That is why you check before you argue.
The first 24 hours: a five-minute check
- Look at the door, the mailbox, the mailroom, and the area around the building. Small packets get tucked into odd places.
- Ask the neighbors and the front desk. In apartment buildings, packages are often left with a concierge or a manager.
- Check your doorbell camera for the time stamp on the scan. If nobody came, save the clip.
- Look for a notice card. If there is one, it has the pickup location and the deadline.
- Call the local carrier with the tracking number. Ask for the delivery record: time, GPS point, and whether the package is back at the local office.
Do not call China Post for this. By the time the package is out for delivery, China Post has handed it off. The local carrier owns the answer.
How to get a second delivery
Most carriers will try again, but not always on their own. In the US, USPS usually holds the package at the local post office after one attempt; you can schedule redelivery online or pick it up with ID. Canada Post, Royal Mail, Australia Post and most European operators run similar redelivery or pickup systems.
| What you need | Why |
|---|---|
| Tracking number | The only thing every call center can search |
| Full address, including apartment or unit | Half of failed attempts are address formatting |
| Gate or building code | Drivers will not force a door or climb a fence |
| Phone number | Some carriers text before a second attempt |
| Photo ID | Required at nearly every pickup counter |
When you call, give the agent one clear instruction: “Please redeliver to the same address and add my gate code to the route notes.” Vague requests like “please help” get a case number and nothing else.
Changing the address mid-trip
Usually you cannot. Once the package is in the destination country, China Post has no control over it, and the local carrier will not reroute a package to a new address without the sender’s authorization. Your realistic options are:
- Ask the local carrier to hold it at a pickup point near your new address. This is the easiest fix and often free.
- Pay for a redirect if the carrier offers one. Not every carrier does, and international shipments are often excluded.
- Let it return to the sender and ask for a reship. Slow, but sometimes the only option when the address is badly wrong.
If the seller typed the wrong address, contact them immediately. They can sometimes message their shipping agent before the handover. After the handover, they are as powerless as you are.
Lockers and pickup points
Many carriers now leave packages at a locker or a partner shop instead of your door. You should get a code by text or email. Bring the code and photo ID, and go within the holding window, which is often only 3 to 7 days for lockers and about two weeks for a post office.
If no code arrives, call the carrier with the tracking number. Do not wait for a paper notice. Notices get lost, and the clock keeps running.
Three things not to do
- Do not wait a week to make the first call. Hold windows are short, and a return to China is much harder to undo than a redelivery.
- Do not open a chargeback before the carrier trace is finished. Banks often deny a claim that is still moving through the delivery network.
- Do not assume “delivered” means it is in your hands. If the scan says delivered but nothing arrived, ask for the proof of delivery first. Our delivered-but-missing guide walks through that call.
Quick answers
Will they try again automatically? Sometimes. USPS usually does not; it holds the package. Many European carriers attempt twice. Assume one attempt unless the notice says otherwise.
Can I authorize a neighbor to pick it up? At a pickup counter, usually yes, with a signed note and ID. At the door, only if the carrier offers a release option.
What if the tracking says attempted and then goes silent? Call the local carrier and ask whether the package is at the delivery office. If it sits for more than a week with no scan, ask the sender to open a trace.
If the package never shows up and the seller stops answering, switch to the refund and chargeback plan before your card’s deadline runs out.
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