Shipping Delays: What to Do When Your Goods from China Don't Arrive on Time

Almost every importer has experienced shipping delays at one point or the other.

You know the feeling: Your shipment was supposed to arrive two weeks ago, and the tracking has been saying "in transit" for ten days straight. Your supplier isn't responding. Your customers are asking where their orders are.

You feel stuck, frustrated and you’re worried you've lost your money.

It’s a terrible feeling, and it’s one of the reasons a lot of people have given up on importing from China. But here’s a secret; Most delays are fixable if you know what to do, and all delays are avoidable if you import from China with Proc360!

This guide shows you exactly how to handle delayed shipments from China, track down missing packages, and prevent future delays.

Why Shipments from China Get Delayed

Understanding why your shipment is delayed can help you fix it faster. Here are some common reasons your goods might be delayed:

1. Customs clearance delays:

This can be due to incomplete documentation, HS code verification issues, or even public holidays

2. Shipping company delays

The carrier itself may be slow or stuck because of bad weather, labor strikes at ports or peak season delays.

3. Supplier delays:

Your package left China late, maybe because production took longer than expected, the supplier didn't ship when they said they would, or the package was returned to the sender because of wrong address information.

4. Lost or misrouted packages

The package could actually be missing. It might be in the wrong warehouse, damaged or stolen.

But this is rare, most delays are customs or carrier issues. Not lost packages.

What to do when your package is missing:

Step 1: Check Your Tracking Status

Before panicking, check exactly where your package is.

Get your tracking number from the supplier. Then track your goods, depending on the platform you got them from.

Where to track:

For China Post and ePacket:

• 17track.net (tracks multiple carriers)

• Parcelsapp.com (good interface)

• Aftership.com (comprehensive)

• Official China Post website

For platforms like Proc360, your goods are almost never delayed, and you can track them from end-to-end using the platform's inbuilt tracker.

(Try Proc360 here!)

What the tracking status actually means:

When you check your tracker, here’s what each status really signifies.

• "Dispatched from sorting center" = Left China, heading to Nigeria

• "Arrival at destination" = Reached Nigeria

• "Presented to customs" = Waiting for customs clearance

• "In transit" = Moving through delivery network

• "Out for delivery" = Coming to you today

• "Delivered" = Signed for

Red flag statuses:

• If your tracker says things like:

• "Returned to sender" = Package going back to China (address issue)

• "Exception" = Problem occurred, needs investigation

• "Held in customs" = Customs issue, action needed

• No updates for 15+ days = Likely stuck somewhere

Tired of chasing delayed packages from China?

Sign up with Proc360 https://home.proc360.app/sign-up and enjoy quick, safe shipping, tracking, and customs clearance.

Your packages arrive on time, so you can focus on selling and growing your business.

Step 2: Contact Your Supplier

If tracking shows problems or hasn't been updated in weeks, you should contact the supplier.

Reach out, explaining that you’ve been waiting for a stated number of days without an update, request feedback or a check from their end.

Good suppliers will:

- Check with their shipping partner

- Provide updates within 24-48 hours

- Offer solutions (reship, refund, expedite)

- Share internal tracking information

Step 3: Contact the Shipping Carrier

For express shipping (DHL, FedEx, UPS), contact them directly.

How to contact:

DHL Nigeria: 0700 CALL DHL

FedEx Nigeria: +234-1-460-6065

UPS: Online support through website

For China Post/ePacket:

They are harder to reach directly. Use your local postal service (NIPOST) once the package reaches Nigeria.

Contact NIPOST at their Lagos office: +234-1-270-1020

Step 4: Check Customs Status

If tracking says "held in customs" or stopped updating after "arrival at destination," it's likely a customs issue.

It can be due to:

• Missing documentation

• Incorrect or incomplete commercial invoice

• HS code classification disputes

• Duty payment required

• Random inspection selection

• Prohibited items flagged

What to do:

Contact your clearing agent if you have one. They'll check customs status.

If you don't have an agent, call the Nigeria Customs Service:

- Apapa Command: +234-1-545-8346

- MMIA (Airport): +234-1-493-2881

Provide your tracking number and ask for package status.

You'll likely need:

- Commercial invoice

- Packing list

- Bill of lading or airway bill

- Payment for duties and taxes

Have these ready. Customs won't release your goods without them.

To avoid customs wahala completely, it’s advisable to use Proc360. That way your goods pass smoothly through customs, and your packages don’t get stuck for weeks.

Step 5: Escalate and get refunded

If there’s no sign of your package months after the expected time, it might be time to start processing a refund request.

If you use Alibaba:

Go to your order → Click "Logistics" → Click "I didn't receive my order"

Alibaba investigates. If proven late, they refund or force suppliers to reship.

For AliExpress:

Click order → Open dispute → Select "Package never arrived"

Upload tracking screenshots showing delay.

AliExpress usually sides with buyers on delivery issues.

But your timeframe matters:

File disputes before buyer protection expires (usually 60-90 days from order date).

Don't wait until day 89. File at day 30-40 if there's clear delay.

You can also escalate with your supplier

If the supplier isn't helping and the package is clearly lost or stuck, escalate.

Request a reship or a refund. Remember to be firm but professional. Say things like:

"The package has been stuck for [X weeks] with no movement. I need you to reship immediately at no extra cost. This is a delivery failure on your end."

or

"The package hasn't arrived and tracking shows no updates. I need a full refund processed within 3 days."

Good suppliers will reship or refund to keep the business relationship.

Bad suppliers will stall. That's when you use platform disputes or chargebacks.

Step 6: Prevent Future Delays

Once your delay is resolved, use the best platform, Proc360, to make sure you’re never in that position again.

With Proc360, you get:

• Verified suppliers who won’t stall your shipping

• Quick Customs clearance and resolution

• End-to-end tracking so you always know exactly where your goods are

• A dedicated customer support team to help you whenever you need anything.