What Does "Attempted Delivery Abroad" Mean and What to Do Next
"Attempted delivery abroad" is a tracking status meaning that the postal service or courier in the destination country tried to hand your item to the recipient but could not complete the delivery. The item is not lost: it is usually taken back to the local post office or depot, a notice is left for the recipient, and it waits there for collection or a second attempt before eventually being returned to the sender.
Customers of our Saint Petersburg flower shops, which have worked since 2011, often send us screenshots of this status from parcel trackers and ask what it means for a gift sent to relatives in another country. Below we explain the usual reasons behind it, the steps that get the item delivered, and how flower delivery differs, because a bouquet cannot sit in a post office for a week.
Why the status appears
The word abroad in the status simply tells you that the event was recorded by the carrier in the destination country, not by the sending post office. Once an international item crosses the border, tracking events come from the local operator, and the tracking site translates them into a standard wording. So the status describes a real event at the recipient's door, typically on the day shown next to it.
The most common reason is that nobody was at home and the item needed a signature or was too large for the letterbox. Other frequent reasons are an incomplete address, such as a missing flat number, building or entrance code, a business address that was closed at the time, a recipient name that did not match the name on the door, and a customs or import charge that has to be paid before handover.
Sometimes the attempt is recorded even though the recipient was at home: the courier did not ring, the intercom did not work, or the carrier left a notice without knocking. If the recipient insists that nobody came, it is worth reporting this to the local carrier, because a recorded attempt starts the storage clock.
Different trackers word the same event in different ways: unsuccessful delivery attempt, delivery attempted, addressee not available, notice left or awaiting collection. They all mean the same practical thing, and the following event in the tracking history, such as arrival at a pick-up point or return to sender, tells you what happened next.
What happens to the item after a failed attempt
In most countries the carrier leaves a card or sends an SMS or email with a reference number and the address of the pick-up point. The item is then held at the local post office or depot for a limited storage period. The exact length depends on the country and the service, commonly from about a week to a month, and it is shown on the notice or on the local carrier's website.
During that period the recipient can usually collect the item in person with an ID document and the notice, or book a new delivery date online or by phone. Some services make a second attempt automatically on the next working day, others only on request. If nobody collects the item before storage ends, it is marked for return and sent back to the sender, which can take several weeks for international mail.
The status therefore needs action from the recipient's side, not from the sender's post office. As a sender you can help most by telling the recipient the tracking number and asking them to check their letterbox and messages for the notice.
Bouquets we can deliver
Practical steps to get the parcel delivered
Start by entering the same tracking number on the website of the postal service in the destination country; international tracking numbers usually work there too. The local site often shows more detail than an international tracker, including the exact pick-up point, the deadline and the option to rebook delivery.
Next, check the address the item was sent to. If a flat number, entrance or company name is missing, the recipient can usually add it when rebooking or bring proof of address when collecting. If the delay is caused by an import charge, the notice will say how to pay it; until it is paid the item will not be handed over.
Be careful with messages that ask you to pay a small redelivery fee by following a link. Fake delivery notifications are a common type of fraud, and genuine carriers rarely charge for a second attempt. Use only the official website of the carrier and type its address yourself instead of clicking a link from an SMS.
Why flowers are different from parcels
Customers sometimes ask whether a bouquet can also get an attempted delivery status and wait at a depot. Cut flowers do not survive that: a bouquet without water starts to suffer within hours, so flower delivery is organised around reaching the recipient directly rather than leaving a notice. That is why the details you give when ordering matter more than for a parcel.
For our deliveries the courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If the recipient is not there, we agree a second delivery the same day, or handing the flowers to a neighbour or concierge with the sender's consent. Delivery is anonymous by default, so the courier does not name the sender, and a card with your text is free.
To avoid a missed delivery, give the recipient's working phone number, the full address including flat, entrance and floor, and the intercom or gate code if there is one. If the bouquet is a surprise, choose a time when the person is likely to be at home or at work, and mention it in the order so the courier knows where to go first.
Sending flowers abroad and to Russia with us
Besides Russia, we deliver flowers abroad to 53 countries and more than 1630 cities, including the USA, the United Kingdom, Poland, France, Spain, Egypt, Germany and Canada. The full list of countries and cities is on the flower delivery abroad page, which is in Russian. An order abroad is placed the same way as in Russia: you choose a bouquet on the country or city page, enter the address and the card text, and pay online in rubles. The price is already converted to rubles and already includes delivery.
For Russian cities the conditions are on the delivery and payment page. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. In large cities express delivery takes 1 to 2 hours after confirmation, or you can choose an exact time with plus or minus 30 minutes, a window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or pre-order 1 to 30 days ahead. In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock.
You can pay online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, which is convenient when you order from abroad. Bouquets are in the catalogue, and our articles such as sending flowers to Slavgorod from abroad show how timing works for smaller towns. For questions about a specific address, call 8 (812) 507-67-05.
Frequently asked questions
Does attempted delivery abroad mean my parcel is lost?
No. It means the carrier in the destination country tried to deliver and could not. The item is usually held at a local post office or depot for collection or a second attempt.
How long will the post office keep the item?
It depends on the country and the service, commonly from about a week to a month. The deadline is on the notice or on the local carrier's website.
Who should act after an attempted delivery abroad?
Mostly the recipient: they collect the item with the notice and ID or rebook delivery. The sender can help by passing on the tracking number.
Can a flower delivery fail the same way?
Our courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If nobody is there, we agree a second delivery the same day or a handover to a neighbour or concierge with your consent.
Can I pay for flowers abroad with a foreign card?
Yes, foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. Orders abroad are paid in rubles, and the price already includes delivery.
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