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Shipment Status Synchronization

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Written by Ondřej Průša
Updated over a week ago

Retino Returns continuously monitors and updates the status of all tracked shipments. This article explains how the synchronization works and what factors influence its frequency.

Synchronization Intervals

The system synchronizes shipments in the following intervals:

  • The first synchronization occurs immediately after adding the shipment to the system

  • Standard synchronization takes place every 60 minutes ± 20% (48-72 minutes) with a random offset to distribute the load

  • If a synchronization error occurs, the next attempt will be made the following day

  • Shipment synchronization stops after 120 days from creation or upon reaching a final status (e.g., delivered)

Special Intervals for Selected Carriers

Some carriers have different synchronization intervals:

  • DHL - synchronization every 24 hours ± 20%

  • Austrian Post - synchronization every 4 hours ± 20%

The random ± 20% offset helps distribute the load evenly across servers and ensures stable system operation.

Troubleshooting Synchronization Issues

Several types of problems can occur during synchronization:

Carrier Not Detected

The system was unable to recognize the carrier based on the shipment number or tracking URL. In this case, please wait for the next synchronization or verify the accuracy of the entered data.

Missing Credentials

Credentials are required for tracking shipments from some carriers. If missing, the system will notify you and prompt you to provide them.

Invalid Credentials

If the entered credentials are invalid, synchronization will pause, and you will be prompted to update them.

Shipment Not Found

The carrier does not have the shipment in their system. This could be due to:

  • The shipment has not yet been registered in the carrier's system

  • An error occurred during carrier detection

Technical Issues

In case of technical problems (carrier API outage, connection issues, etc.), the system will automatically retry synchronization the following day.

When Shipment Synchronization Stops

Shipment synchronization ends in the following cases:

  • The shipment reaches a final status (delivered, returned to sender, cancelled)

  • 120 days have passed since the shipment was created

  • The carrier cannot be detected, and the shipment cannot be tracked

  • Required credentials are missing and have not been provided

Shipment Timestamps

The system tracks several important timestamps for each shipment:

  • Order time - when the shipment was ordered

  • Pickup time - when the carrier picked up the shipment for delivery

  • Delivery time - when the shipment was delivered to the recipient or drop-off location

  • Collection time - when the recipient picked up the shipment from the drop-off location

The system also calculates the number of weekend days between ordering and delivery, and between pickup and delivery, for delivery time analysis purposes.

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