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6 min read Tracking Guides

It all begins when the seller or sender creates a shipping label. At that moment, the courier's system generates a unique tracking number also called a tracking number or trace code. This number isn't random: it contains encoded information. The first digits or letters identify the courier and type of service. In Chilexpress for example, numbers starting with 70 correspond to a different service type than those starting with 60. For international shipments under the UPU (Universal Postal Union) system, the two-letter code at the end indicates the country of origin: CL for Chile, CN for China, US for the United States. Many systems also include a check digit calculated mathematically to detect typing errors. Once generated, the number is linked to all the shipment information in the courier's systems: sender, recipient, address, weight, dimensions, and contracted service.

Tracking works through a series of scans performed each time the package passes through a point in the logistics network. The intake scan occurs when the package arrives at the courier's first facility, whether an agency, pickup point, or when a carrier picks it up from your home. This is the first event appearing in tracking as Package received or In process. Transit scans record the package's movement through the distribution network: it passes through multiple hubs or sorting centers and is scanned at each one, generating events like Arrived at Santiago distribution center or Departed to Valparaíso Region. The out-for-delivery scan occurs when the package is loaded onto the local delivery truck, generating the Out for Delivery event meaning it will arrive that same day. The delivery scan is the journey's end: the delivery person scans the package when delivering it and sometimes takes a photo or requests a signature as confirmation.

Each scan sends information to the courier's central database. There the event is recorded with the tracking number, facility or vehicle code, exact timestamp of date and time, event description, and location. For you to see that information, the courier has a web interface or API that queries that database. When you search your number on the courier's website, the system queries the database and returns the event history in real time. Chiletrackr works similarly but more advanced: for Chilexpress we use their official API with OAuth2 authentication. For Starken we use their developer API. For Correos de Chile we query their tracking system directly. We also integrate with TrackingMore, an aggregator service connecting with over 1,200 couriers worldwide. This way, in Chiletrackr you have access to updated information from all couriers in one place without needing to visit multiple websites.

Although tracking technology is sophisticated, there are several reasons why tracking may not be completely up-to-date in real time. In remote areas, delivery vehicles may not have sufficient network coverage to transmit information immediately: scans sync when the vehicle recovers connection. Some distribution centers process scans in batches rather than real time, which can cause delays of hours in updates. During high-demand periods like CyberDay or Christmas, centers are overloaded and scans may be delayed because there are physically too many packages. When a package is on a truck moving between cities there may be no updates for hours or even days because the next scan occurs when it arrives at the next distribution center. Occasionally a damaged or poorly scanned barcode can cause an event not to be correctly recorded, creating gaps in the tracking history.

Tracking technology is evolving rapidly. Real-time GPS is already a reality in premium services from some couriers, allowing you to see exactly where the delivery truck is in real time and estimate the delivery time with minute-level precision. Delivery photos are increasingly common: Chilexpress and Blue Express already capture photographs of the delivery location as confirmation, reducing disputes about supposedly delivered packages. Proactive notifications replace the need to check manually: couriers send automatic alerts by SMS, email, or push when there are important status changes. Artificial intelligence is being used by some operators to predict delays and proactively notify customers or reassign delivery routes. Ecommerce integration means buyers increasingly see their shipment status directly in the store's app where they bought, without needing to visit an external site. At Chiletrackr we keep incorporating these improvements to give you the most complete and up-to-date tracking possible.