Shipping TrackTrace / USPS saying different things...who's right?

Once the package is in the US, USPS is more accurate than track-trace as the package is in the custody of the postal service. However, that doesn't 100% mean that your package has already gone through customs. Check it tomorrow morning and see if it has updated.

 

Also, though I could be remembering wrong, but "processed through our sort facility" doesn't necessarily mean it's left customs, just that it's ready to leave customs and head to your post office.. Usually it'll say "departed office of exchange" or something like that when it's actually left.

 

Okay this isn't an international tracking number of mine but a local one, but I'm pretty sure many of my tracking for international has been similar in saying both processed through whatever and then departing whatever.
9406 2036 9930 0015 2621 79

Edit (found an international one): But sometimes it won't say departed even though it has. It really depends on if they scanned the package as it got put on the truck and or plane. Sometimes I have packages that get updated every step of the way, like the one above, and sometimes I get this RR31 5888 360C N. That one doesn't even show my package hitting customs here in the US. But processed etc usually means if it hasn't left already it will be leaving customs soon.

 

I've always been confused about track/trace terminology on the usps website alone, but after a lot of deep digging awhile back (I had my own issues with this), saying processed through means that it's gone through customs AND the is in the post office's hands, so it should be on its way to you.

[ Most problems for people occur when it never updates after departing from the outward office of exchange. Chances are it's landed in the destination country but hasn't gone through customs- and tracking won't update until it has done so and has also went through a USPS sort facility (which occurs after customs).]

PS: I've never had my tracking tell me it's departed from the inward office of exchange... ever? I'm speaking only from tracking on the USPS website alone.

ETA: With EMS, I've found that USPS is more accurate as soon as the package gets that status in the US.

 

Sorry Knibitz I'm still talking about USPS. What I was trying to show was that with the first tracking number my tracking says both processed through AND departed. Why even have both updates if they mean the exact same thing, that it's left and headed somewhere else? Why not just say processed through, and not departed as well if processed though means the package has left? It just seems really redundant to have them both. But this is the post office so who knows.

I just added the RR tracking number which can be tracked through USPS to show that sometimes certain phases/stages in shipping won't get updated.