Cainiao tracking status
Cainiao “Delivery failed”: what it means
The short answer
Take actionA carrier tried to deliver your package and could not finish, for a reason such as nobody home or an address problem. Cainiao says carriers set a collection deadline, so act soon or it may go back to the sender.
When to act: If no new attempt or collection notice appears after 3 days, file a complaint and we send it to Cainiao.
Also shown as: “Delivery attempt unsuccessful” · “Delivery attempt unsuccessful. Recipient not at home” · “Delivery Unsuccessful” · “Undelivered” · “Your shipment delivery attempt failed” · “Your shipment delivery attempt failed [Unable to contact recipient]” · “recipient is not at home or business is closed”
What to do now
- 1
Read the full line and note the reason it gives, its date and the name of the carrier.
- 2
Check the address on your order, including the unit number, and the telephone number.
- 3
Look through your email, text messages and mailbox for a note about a new attempt or a place to collect.
- 4
If you have a doorbell or security camera, save the recording from the time of the line, in case nobody came.
- 5
Keep a screenshot of the tracking history, and your tracking and order numbers.
- 6
Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to Cainiao, so you do not have to chase it yourself.
Missed delivery or a card left with another courier
- UPS: Delivery attempted
- USPS: Notice left
- Amazon: Delivery attempted
- DHL: Delivery attempted
- OnTrac: Delivery attempted
- LaserShip: Delivery attempted
- GOFO: Delivery Exception, No Access to Delivery Location
- UniUni: A delivery was attempted
- SpeedX: Attempted Delivery
- Veho: Delivery issue
- GLS: Delivery attempted
- Royal Mail: Delivery attempted
- Evri: Delivery attempted or action needed
- DPD: Sorry we missed you
- Yodel: Delivery attempted
- Parcelforce: Delivery Attempted
- APC Overnight: Sorry we missed you
- DX: Sorry we missed you
- ArrowXL: No one home
- Canada Post: Notice left
- Purolator: Attempted delivery - receiver unavailable
- Canpar: Sorry we missed you
- Intelcom: Delivery attempted
- Australia Post: Attempted delivery
- StarTrack: Unsuccessful Delivery
- Aramex: Missed delivery
- CouriersPlease: Delivery attempted
- Team Global Express: Attempted delivery
- NZ Post: Delivery attempted
- An Post: We tried to deliver your item
- DPD Ireland: We tried to deliver but we couldn't locate you
What does “Delivery failed” mean?
Cainiao's own word for this stage is 'Undelivered': the item was attempted for delivery but failed. It lists four usual reasons: the addressee was not available, delivery was delayed and rescheduled, the addressee asked for later delivery, or an address problem such as premises the driver could not find or a remote area. The exact wording comes from the local carrier, so it varies, and a carrier note can add the reason, as in 'Delivery failed. Not at home.'
A failed attempt is not a lost package. The line is the carrier's report, and customers sometimes dispute it: one reports seeing 'recipient is not at home or business is closed' repeatedly with no attempt at the door, and another reports 'you requested a new delivery time' on orders where they asked for nothing. A failed delivery can also turn into a return. Cainiao says that when an unclear address or telephone number stops a package reaching the local post office, tracking shows 'Unsuccessful delivery' and the package goes back.
Why does Cainiao show it?
- Nobody was home or the business was closed
- Delivery was delayed and rescheduled
- Someone asked for a later delivery
- The driver could not find the address, or it is in a rural or remote area
- An invalid address or telephone number on the order
How long does it last?
Expect a new attempt, or a notice that the package is waiting for collection, such as 'Waiting for Pick Up' or 'Awaiting Collection'. Cainiao gives no number of attempts and no waiting time, and says only that carriers generally set a collection deadline. If nothing changes, the next line can be 'Unsuccessful delivery' or a return.
Other Cainiao statuses
- Out for deliveryKeep an eye on it
- Import customs clearance delayKeep an eye on it
- Waiting for Pick UpTake action
- Delivered but not receivedTake action
- ReturnTake action
- Tracking not updatingKeep an eye on it
Who is responsible for a late or missing package from Cainiao?
If you bought online from a business, the seller or marketplace is usually the one to sort it out. The seller chose Cainiao and is its customer, so a late or missing order is in most cases for the seller to put right, with a replacement or a refund. Cainiao's own FAQ also points to the seller when no tracking has appeared 12 days after shipment. On AliExpress, the platform's own rules decide refunds: its Buyer Protection covers an item that did not arrive or was lost in transit, within the guaranteed delivery window on your order page. For a UK order, the Consumer Rights Act, section 29, keeps goods from a business at the seller's risk until you have them, unless you hired a carrier the seller did not offer.
If you sent it yourself, Cainiao is unlikely to be your direct carrier, as it describes its cross-border services as primarily for merchants, brands and e-commerce platforms. If you booked through a shipping platform, your contract is likely to be with that platform, under the terms you accepted. We found no public Cainiao terms for private senders, and no standard cover amount.
Questions about “Delivery failed”
What does delivery failed mean on Cainiao?
The local carrier tried and could not finish. Cainiao lists four usual reasons: nobody available, a delayed and rescheduled delivery, a request for later delivery, or an address problem.
Cainiao says delivery unsuccessful but nobody came. Why?
The line is the carrier's report, and customers do report lines like this with no attempt at their door. Save any camera recording and your screenshots. If nothing changes after 3 days, file a complaint and we send it to Cainiao.
How many delivery attempts does Cainiao make?
Cainiao publishes no number. It says only that carriers generally set a collection deadline and that a package can go back to the sender after it.
Can a failed Cainiao delivery go back to the seller?
Yes. Cainiao says a package can go back when nobody collects it in time, or when an unclear address or telephone number stops it reaching the local post office.
Based on
- Cainiao Help Center: Logistics Status Explanation
- Cainiao Help Center: FAQ (no tracking 12 days after shipment, returns, wordings for waiting for pickup)
- Trustpilot: customer reviews of Cainiao (customers' own accounts)
- Reddit r/Aliexpress: 'Delivery attempt unsuccessful. Recipient not at home' and its carrier note
- Reddit r/Aliexpress: 'Your shipment delivery attempt failed [Unable to contact recipient]'
- Reddit r/Aliexpress: 'you requested a new delivery time' with no such request
- Cainiao: Cross-border Express Delivery (service times, written for merchants)
- AliExpress: Buyer Protection (item that did not arrive within the guaranteed delivery window)
- legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Rights Act, section 29 (goods stay at the seller's risk until they reach you)