Yodel is one of the UK's largest parcel carriers, and its tracking updates raise the usual questions: is "we've got your order details" the same as shipped, and what happens after a missed delivery. This guide explains each Yodel status in plain language, in the order a parcel normally moves through them, and flags the few that need action.
Short answer: "We've got your order details" means the retailer created the label and sent Yodel the data, but Yodel has not scanned the parcel yet. "Received at depot," "on its way," and "at your local depot" are the parcel moving through Yodel's network. "Out for delivery" means it arrives today. "Delivered" and "delivered to a safe place / neighbour" are completed deliveries. Only "sorry we missed you," "returned to depot," and "returned to sender" need attention.
Yodel statuses at a glance
| Status | What it means | Action |
|---|---|---|
| We've got your order details | Label created, not scanned yet | Wait |
| Received at depot / We have your parcel | First scan, in the network | None |
| On its way / At your local depot | Moving between depots | None |
| Out for delivery | With the driver today | None |
| Delivered | Done | Check if not received |
| Delivered to a safe place / neighbour | Left as instructed or with a neighbour | Check photo or note |
| Sorry we missed you | Delivery attempt failed | Check next step |
| Returned to depot / sender | Undeliverable | Contact the store |
The normal Yodel sequence
We've got your order details. The retailer created the label and sent Yodel the parcel's data, but Yodel may not have physically scanned it yet. A label exists; the parcel might still be with the sender. If it sits more than a business day, the parcel has not been handed over.
Received at depot / We have your parcel. First physical scan. The parcel is genuinely in Yodel's network now.
On its way / At your local depot. Moving between Yodel depots and toward the delivery office. A day or two here is normal, especially over weekends.
Out for delivery. With the driver for delivery today, often with an estimated window. See what "out for delivery" means.
Delivered / Delivered to a safe place / neighbour. Done. Yodel usually records a photo or a note. If the customer does not have it, see package says delivered but not received.
The statuses that need action
Sorry we missed you. A failed delivery attempt. Yodel typically reattempts, redirects to a local pickup point, or holds the parcel, and the tracking or card says which. Messaging the customer at this scan prevents avoidable WISMO tickets.
Returned to depot / Returned to sender. After repeated failed attempts or an undeliverable address, the parcel goes back. This should open your returns flow so the refund or reship decision happens while the parcel is still moving.
Why Yodel's early status confuses shoppers (the merchant view)
"We've got your order details" reads like "not shipped" to a worried customer, and Yodel words its milestones differently from Royal Mail, Evri, and every other carrier you use. Carriers emit anywhere from 10 to 115 distinct statuses each, none agreeing on wording.
Pango normalizes Yodel's statuses, along with Royal Mail, Evri, DPD and 100+ other carriers, into one clean set of milestones on your branded tracking page, so every carrier reads the same to the customer, and a missed delivery triggers a proactive message before they have to ask.
The bottom line
Most Yodel statuses are normal movement, and the anxious-making "we've got your order details" just means the parcel is entering the network. Watch only for missed delivery and returns. For merchants, the fix is translating Yodel's feed into plain milestones automatically. See how it works on the post-purchase operations platform and book a demo.
