Cainiao tracking status

Cainiao “Out for delivery”: what it means

The short answer

Keep an eye on it

A local carrier should have your package, either on a round or at a local delivery point. Cainiao publishes no time limit for this line, and customers report it lasting for days.

When to act: If your package still says 'Out for delivery' after 3 days, file a complaint and we send it to Cainiao.

Also shown as: “Your package is out for delivery” · “Pick Up”

What to do now

Find the date of the 'Out for delivery' line and count 3 days from there, not from the day you ordered.
Read the full history on Cainiao's tracking page, which names the local carrier where it has one.
Check that your order has your full address and a working telephone number, since Cainiao says a bad one can hold a package back.
Look at your door, mailbox, lobby and mailroom, and ask neighbors.
Save a screenshot of the tracking history with its dates, and keep your tracking and order numbers.
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.

Start my complaint

What does “Out for delivery” mean?

Cainiao groups this line under its 'Pick Up' stage, and explains that stage as one of two things: your package has arrived at a local delivery point, or it is out for delivery. So the stage can cover a package sitting at a depot as well as one on a van. The words come from the carrier in your country, because Cainiao's tracking page shows what carriers report to it.

It does not promise delivery today, and Cainiao gives no delivery hours. One customer with UniUni saw this line for almost 3 days before 'Delivery attempt unsuccessful. Recipient not at home', and another customer's address was flagged as unknown or incorrect a minute after the line appeared.

Why does Cainiao show it?

The carrier's round has not reached your street yet
The package is still at a local delivery point, which Cainiao's label also covers
A failed attempt that has not shown up in tracking yet
An invalid address or telephone number, which Cainiao names as a cause of delay on delivery
A carrier that did not enter the next scan, which Cainiao says can happen

How long does it last?

The next line should be 'Delivered' or a failed attempt such as 'Delivery failed'. Cainiao also warns that carriers set a collection deadline, so this line can change to a notice that the package is waiting at a post office or pickup point.

Other Cainiao statuses

Delivery failedTake action
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

All Cainiao statuses →

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 “Out for delivery”

Why has my Cainiao package been out for delivery for days?

The line stays until the local carrier reports something new, and Cainiao's 'Pick Up' stage also covers a package still at a local delivery point. After 3 days, file a complaint and we send it to Cainiao.

Does out for delivery on Cainiao mean it comes today?

Not always. Cainiao gives no delivery hours, and the local carrier sets the round. Expect 'Delivered' or a failed attempt as the next line.

Does Cainiao deliver on weekends?

Cainiao publishes no delivery days, and the local carrier runs the round. One reviewer in the Netherlands reports a first attempt on a Saturday.

Who delivers Cainiao packages in the US?

Cainiao publishes no list of local carriers. Customers name UniUni and SpeedX in the US, and Evri and Yodel in the UK. Cainiao's page shows a carrier where it has one, but a line such as 'Received by local delivery company' may not name it.

Based on

Cainiao Help Center: Logistics Status Explanation
Cainiao Help Center: FAQ (no tracking 12 days after shipment, returns, wordings for waiting for pickup)
Cainiao Help Center: Guidance (what the tracking page shows)
Trustpilot: customer reviews of Cainiao (customers' own accounts)
Reddit r/Aliexpress: out for delivery for almost 3 days with UniUni, then 'Delivery attempt unsuccessful'
Reddit r/Aliexpress: UniUni as the local carrier in Los Angeles
Reddit r/Aliexpress: address flagged a minute after out for delivery
Reddit r/Aliexpress: SpeedX named as the carrier taking over in the US
Reddit r/Aliexpress: SpeedX tracking on an AliExpress order in the US
Reddit r/Aliexpress: Yodel on a Cainiao tracking line in the UK
Reddit r/Aliexpress: 'Received by local delivery company' without a name
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)