What Does Order Dispatched Mean? Shipping Terms 101

Did you make a recent purchase online, receiving notifications like “Dispatched,” “Urging Dispatch,” “In Dispatch,” “Shipped,” and “Out for Delivery?” Wondering what precisely each of these shipping terms means, like What does order Dispatched mean?

It could mean the seller has sent the parcel to the courier company or is on its way to the buyer.

It can really tick the anxious online buyers to figure out what each word means to understand the status of their parcel.

Last month, In-dispatch notified me that I had been waiting to receive my parcel for 3 days. That’s when I started looking to understand all shipping terminologies. Here’s your online shopping guide for all the shipping terms online marketplaces use, including Amazon, eBay, Shein, Etsy, and more. 

What does order dispatched mean? 

The delivery notifications with shipping terms such as Order Dispatched or In-Dispatch indicates that the seller has done all the necessary packaging and forwarding process. 

Packaging, labeling, and In-voicing are some basic steps completed before the seller forwards the parcel to the delivery company and before sending Order Dispatched notifications to you. 

After receiving the parcel from the seller or sender, the courier or delivery company might still have additional checks and paperwork before the package is sorted and out for your shipping address.

The duration between receiving notifications like Order Dispatched or In-Dispatch to another is simply the process of the parcel being forwarded to the courier company and waiting to be shipped. 

Simply Dispatched means “your order is ready for shipment but not yet on its way to you.”

Shipped means “your order is in transit with the delivery company and on its way to be delivered to you.”

However, a typical shipment includes the following processing stages before the seller can forward your order to the courier company. 

What do these Shipping Terms mean?

The global population of online shoppers has reached 2.64 billion, accounting for 33.3% of the world’s population, in 2023 due to the growth of e-commerce. Still, regular online buyers need help understanding shipping terms which can help them to keep an active track of their orders. 

Why Do You Need to Understand Shipping Terms?

You need to understand shipping terms to eliminate shipping anxiety, known as Delivery anxiety, and missing out on receiving parcels because of not being at home. 

Delivery anxiety is felt amongst online shoppers when an order is not delivered on the anticipated date. It can also drive customers to cancel orders, abandon carts and seek alternatives due to insufficient information about the hidden delivery cost and delivery status of online orders.

However, in other cases, most online buyers don’t want to miss receiving parcel delivery because they are not at home. Therefore real-time order delivery tracking can really be helpful for buyers, sellers, and delivery companies.

Ordered 

This notifies you that your recent order is confirmed and is now being processed by the seller. 

Picked 

It means your order has been picked up from the warehouse or seller’s inventory to the logistics company. Now your parcel has to go through some checking points and be collected by the delivery guy to be delivered to your doorsteps. 

Prepared 

The notification prepared could direct toward two delivery cases. 

1. The parcel is already Picked Up & Packaged  – Faster delivery within a few days. 
2. The parcel is Picked up but has yet to be Packed – It can take a few weeks to deliver.

Dispatched 

This notification really triggers delivery anxiety. In the online shipping industry, the Dispatched term is used with different suffixes and prefixes, such as “In dispatch or Urging Dispatch.”

Simply “Dispatched” means the seller has forwarded your order to the delivery company, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate that you will receive it within a few days.

Note: International deliveries might get stuck for days or even months in custom clearance.

In Dispatch 

Usually, this shipping term “In Dispatch”  is used by Shein, which means the order is forwarded to the delivery company and is now under further shipping processes like labeling, invoicing, and packaging before being sent to you. 

Urging Dispatch 

It means Shein ensures from the courier company that your to-be-delivered order reaches your doorstep on the exact estimated delivery time.

Shipped 

The courier company forwards your order to the nearest outlet when it is shipped. You can expect to receive it within a few working days. Sometimes due to some logistics issues, there are delays in deliveries. 

Out for Delivery 

Online Shoppers often confuse the terms “Shipped” and “Out for delivery.”  Out for delivery indicates that your order is picked up by the delivery guy from the nearest outlet and on its way to your shipping address. 

Received & Delivered 

It is the final day of delivery when the delivery guy reaches to deliver your order to your shipping address.

How long does it take once an Order is Dispatched?

Online orders usually take days to weeks to be dispatched and sent out. The duration of delivery depends on the online company and the courier company. 

Sometimes a seller takes weeks to forward the order to the delivery company, making it a 2-Stop delivery system. However, Ecom Giant, such as Amazon, does offer next-day delivery as they have the advantage of in-house delivery systems. For more information, check here.

Does Dispatched mean it will arrive Today?

No, it means your order has been sent out to the distributor.

Some factors determining how many days you will receive your order can be your shipping address (Is it international delivery or inter-city?) and how many deliveries are in queue to be delivered before yours. 

What Is the Difference Between “Dispatched” and “Out For Delivery”?

Many online buyers search for the difference between these two online shipping terms.

“Dispatched” indicates where the order is ready to be delivered, whereas “Out-for-Delivery” means already dispatched and soon delivered at your destination by the delivery guy to your shipping address. 

What is the Difference Between “Dispatched” and “Shipped”?

Dispatched and Shipped are also understood or confused by online buyers as two different terms having the same meanings. 

“Dispatched” is the initial stage of the delivery process, whereas “Shipped” is the second last stage before finally delivering the order to you.

What Is the Difference Between “Shipped” and “Out For Delivery”? 

Shipped means your seller has forwarded the parcel to the delivery company. It indicates the order is being transferred from the delivery company to the nearest facility to your shipping address. 

Whereas, Out-for-Delivery indicates that your order is en-route to your shipping address by the delivery guy or mailman already. 

Shipping Terms Used By Shein – Amazon – eBay – Romwe 

Major E-commerce platforms like Shein, Amazon, and eBay have specific meanings for each shipping term. With In-house delivery systems, they have different shipping terms indicating stages of delivery. Here is the explanation of shipping terms as per the Ecom Brand.

What does In Dispatch or Urging Dispatch mean on SHEIN?

Shein is a global online apparel marketplace available in 150+ countries currently. Shien is known for selling the most fashionable and trending clothing at affordable prices. 

Online buyers often face delayed delivery because Shein’s wholesale factories are in Vietnam, Indonesia, China, and India. Shein shoppers are confused between the shipping terms “In-Dispatch” and “Urging Dispatch”? 

To figure out the current delivery status of your online order, here are a few steps to follow: 

Log in to your account > Select “My Orders”> Select the order or click “View Details.” 

On Shien, the “In Dispatch” notification indicates the wholesalers have already packed and forwarded the package to the delivery company. The delivery company will deliver the order after all documentation, including labeling, shipping, or invoicing, is done. 

“Urging Dispatch” means that Shein or the wholesalers will prompt the delivery company to ensure the customer receives the online order within the estimated delivery time. 

If you still need help with the Shein Order, you can contact Shein 24/7 customer service. 

What Does Order Dispatched Mean on Amazon?

Over 1+ Billion buyers shop online regularly from Amazon. If you have recently ordered on Amazon, you might have also noticed the entire order delivery status as “Dispatched.” 

It could be confusing, frustrating, and more likely to induce delivery anxiety. As this commonly happens with best-selling products in high demand or on pre-orders.

Amazon does notify the buyer of the order delivery timeline tracking. It also mentions the delivery company name, including DHL, UPS, FedEx, etc. However, contact the courier company directly if you can’t find the delivery date. Here is the contact list of all the Amazon delivery companies in the U.S. and a list of companies in the U.K.

What Does Order Dispatched Mean on eBay?

eBay customers are notified with dispatch in their order tracking as soon as they place an order. However, it can take days or weeks to be delivered. 

“Dispatched on eBay” means that your seller has already dispatched or dropped off the order at the courier collection point. The delivery company is still processing your order for labeling, invoicing, and shipping.

It is recommended that online shoppers directly contact eBay and inquire about the estimated delivery date of their order, as the courier’s tracking number from Royal Mail, CollectPlus, and more doesn’t work.

What does Priority Dispatching mean on Romwe?

Priority Dispatching on Romwe means that the order is prioritized for processing and shipping, ensuring faster delivery.

What does confirm Delivery mean on Romwe?

Confirm Delivery on Romwe means that the customer has received and acknowledged the delivery of their order, finalizing the transaction.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shipping 

Wrapping Up What Does Order Dispatched Mean?

After you understand the difference between shipping terms such as “Urging Dispatch,” and “Order Shipped.” As an online buyer, you understand What does Order Dispatched mean?

It will allow you as an online buyer to understand delivery processes better, whether the seller’s packaging or any other delivery phase.

Now I hope you have a better understanding of these logistics terms.