A missing or lost tracking number is one of the most stressful situations in shipping. Your parcel is somewhere between the sender and your address, but without the tracking number you cannot see where it is or when it will arrive. The good news: a tracking number is not the only way to locate a shipment. This guide walks through every alternative method, from searching your email to contacting the carrier directly, so you can find your package and stop worrying.
Check Your Email Confirmation First
This is the most overlooked step. When a carrier or retailer ships a package, they almost always send a shipping confirmation email containing the tracking number. Search your email inbox for: the retailer's name, the word "shipped" or "dispatched", the carrier name (DHL, FedEx, UPS, Aramex, Royal Mail, etc.), or terms like "tracking number", "track your order", or "shipment notification". Check your spam and promotions folders — shipping confirmation emails often land there. If you find the email but the tracking number is not clickable, copy the alphanumeric code and paste it into Trackora — the system will identify the carrier automatically from the format.
Use Your Order Number
Most e-commerce platforms allow you to track an order using your order number rather than the carrier tracking number. Log into your account on the retailer's website and go to "Orders" or "Order history." The order detail page usually shows both the order number and the tracking number. If you bought as a guest, use the "Track order" or "Guest order lookup" function with your email address and order number. Platforms like Amazon, Noon, eBay, AliExpress, and Shopify all have order tracking built in. Amazon in particular shows real-time tracking on the order page without ever needing to go to the carrier's site — the carrier tracking number is embedded in the order but not always shown to the buyer.
Check the Carrier's Website Using Alternative References
Most major carriers allow tracking by references other than the tracking number: DHL Express — you can track by shipper reference, receiver reference, or alternate reference, all searchable at dhl.com/track. FedEx — supports tracking by purchase order number, customer reference, or invoice number at fedex.com/tracking. UPS — My Choice members can see all deliveries to their address without a tracking number. Maersk and other ocean carriers — allow B/L (bill of lading) number lookup, which your freight forwarder can provide if you do not have it. If you are the importer on a sea freight shipment, your freight forwarder always has the B/L number — call or email them and ask for the current status.
Contact the Sender
If you are waiting for a package from a business, contact them directly and ask for the tracking number. Any legitimate seller or shipper has the tracking number on their system — they entered it when booking the shipment. For B2B shipments, your supplier or trading partner should also be able to provide the packing list and commercial invoice, which contain the booking reference, container number, or AWB number that can be used for tracking. If the sender is a marketplace seller, use the platform's messaging system to request the tracking number — all marketplace platforms log communications and hold sellers responsible for providing tracking.
Call the Carrier Directly
If you know which carrier shipped the package but cannot find the tracking number, you can often locate the shipment by calling the carrier's customer service with: your name and address, the approximate ship date, the sender's name and address (if known), and the approximate weight or value of the package. DHL, FedEx, UPS, and Aramex all have 24/7 customer service lines. Carriers can do an internal search by name and address and locate your shipment. This works best for express courier shipments where the delivery address is fully recorded. For ocean freight, the shipping line can locate a B/L by consignee name and approximate vessel/voyage details.
Check at Your Local Post Office or Delivery Hub
For postal service deliveries (Royal Mail, USPS, Emirates Post, Australia Post, Japan Post), if you missed a delivery attempt, a "missed delivery" card may have been left at your address — this card usually contains the tracking number or a collection reference. If no card was left, visit or call your local post office and provide your ID and address — postal services can locate held items by address. For international postal items that transfer to the domestic postal service at customs, the tracking reference changes. A USPS package entering the UAE becomes an Emirates Post shipment with a different reference number — check for a customs notification from the destination country's postal service.
Use Reverse Tracking: Search by Address
Several carriers offer address-based delivery monitoring that does not require a tracking number: UPS My Choice (free service) — register your address and UPS will notify you of any incoming deliveries to that address, even ones you did not arrange. FedEx Delivery Manager — similar service that shows all incoming FedEx deliveries to your registered address. DHL On Demand Delivery — in some countries, DHL will notify the recipient by email or SMS when a parcel is incoming, without requiring the recipient to have the tracking number. These services are particularly useful for businesses that receive frequent deliveries and cannot always track the tracking number to specific orders.
What to Do if the Tracking Number Does Not Work
A tracking number that returns "not found" does not necessarily mean the package is lost. The most common reasons: the shipment was booked but not yet physically picked up — tracking only activates after the first scan. There is typically a 4–24 hour delay between booking and the first tracking event appearing online. The tracking number was transcribed incorrectly — one wrong digit or letter changes everything. Common confusion: the letter O versus the digit 0, the letter I versus the digit 1, and B versus 8. Re-read the original document carefully and try both interpretations. The package is with a partner carrier for the last mile — the original tracking number may only work for the line-haul portion, and a new reference is issued for local delivery. Contact the sender to confirm the complete tracking chain.
Tracking International Packages Across Carriers
International shipments often involve multiple carriers — a parcel may travel with DHL to the destination country, then transfer to the national postal service for last-mile delivery. In this case, there may be two different tracking numbers: the original DHL or FedEx number for the international leg, and a local postal tracking number assigned at the destination. Trackora handles cross-carrier tracking — paste your original tracking number and it will show the full history including any handoffs to partner carriers. If the tracking shows "Transferred to local carrier" or "Handed to customs" as the last event, allow 2–5 business days for the local carrier to update their tracking system with the new status.
How to Prevent Losing Tracking Numbers in the Future
The simplest prevention: create a dedicated email label or folder called "Shipping" and move all shipping confirmation emails there immediately. For B2B shipments, maintain a shipment log — a simple spreadsheet with columns for PO number, supplier, carrier, tracking number, ship date, and expected arrival. Your freight forwarder should send you a shipment advice document (sometimes called a pre-alert) with all reference numbers as soon as the cargo departs. Request this as a matter of standard procedure for every shipment. On Trackora, you can save shipments to your dashboard after logging in — so you only need to paste a tracking number once and it remains accessible in your account even if you delete the original email.