Speedpak tracking

Parcel transport for eBay from China launched in 2018

SpeedPAK is a parcel transport service developed as part of a strategic partnership between the online commerce platform eBay and the logistics company Orange Connex. Launched in 2018, SpeedPAK aims to optimize international deliveries for eBay sellers based in China to the rest of the world. This integrated logistics program aims to offer faster, more reliable, and transparent shipments, aligning with the demands of modern e-commerce. Since its launch, SpeedPAK has established itself as eBay's flagship cross-border shipping solution, handling significant volumes of parcels each year.

The partnership behind SpeedPAK combines eBay's expertise in global e-commerce and the resources of Orange Connex, a company supported by the CITIC investment group. This collaboration has enabled the establishment of a dedicated logistics network for Asian sellers, with a streamlined supply chain directly synchronized with the eBay platform. The SpeedPAK service also benefits from eBay's protection (seller guarantee and tracking programs), which enhances the reliability of the process for both sellers and buyers. By focusing on speed, stable delivery times, and complete shipment traceability, SpeedPAK helps improve the online shopping experience for millions of users worldwide.

SpeedPAK delivery services

SpeedPAK offers several levels of logistics service to meet the varied needs and budgets of online sellers and buyers. Initially available in two main offerings (Standard and Economy), the service has been enriched with an Express option for the most urgent shipments. Each option is distinguished by its average delivery times and the extent of tracking information available:

• SpeedPAK Standard: the standard service offers relatively fast international parcel delivery, with full end-to-end tracking. This level of service ensures door-to-door traceability, from shipment in China to final delivery in the destination country.
• SpeedPAK Economy: the economy service prioritizes reduced cost in exchange for slightly longer delivery times. The particularity of SpeedPAK Economy is to provide only partial tracking: the parcel's journey is tracked in the country of origin (pickup and departure from China), but the stages once the parcel is en route to the recipient country are not all detailed. This service is ideal for low-cost shipments that can tolerate a slightly longer transit without requiring detailed international tracking information.
• SpeedPAK Express: launched more recently in certain markets, the express service aims to minimize delivery times for priority shipments. It is the fastest option in the SpeedPAK network, often with transport by priority air freight. The tracking is comprehensive, similar to the standard service, but with even shorter delivery times. This premium option is particularly suitable for urgent or high-value orders requiring accelerated and secure delivery.

Thanks to these three levels of service, SpeedPAK allows eBay sellers to choose the solution best suited to each order based on the expected delivery time and product value. Regardless of the chosen service, SpeedPAK shipments use a common infrastructure and benefit from the same diligence in handling and customs processing.

Geographical coverage and logistics network of SpeedPAK

Initially designed to facilitate cross-border sales from China, SpeedPAK relies on a vast logistics network now covering more than 50 countries and regions worldwide. Supported destinations include major eBay markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Australia, as well as many other European and Asian countries. This wide geographical scope allows Chinese sellers (and other selected Asian markets) to ship their products to international buyers with unified and optimized transport solutions.

On the sender's side, SpeedPAK offers extensive coverage in mainland China. The service provides parcel pickup in 185 cities across 26 provinces of China, ensuring pickup even from inland areas. Locally collected parcels are then transported to regional logistics centers and consolidated in major export sorting centers. Orange Connex, the operator of SpeedPAK, handles the entire logistics process: home or designated point pickup, sorting and grouping of shipments, export customs clearance, international transport, import customs clearance, and handover to the final distribution network. This integrated logistics chain is designed to be transparent and efficient, with each step optimized to reduce delivery times and overall cost.

Once the parcel arrives in the destination country, SpeedPAK relies on local partners for the final delivery phase. Depending on the case, this may involve the national postal service or selected private couriers. The transfer to the local carrier is orchestrated via an import sorting center managed by Orange Connex or its affiliates: parcels are sorted upon arrival, import customs formalities are completed, and then shipments are handed over to last-mile distribution networks. For the buyer, delivery is then carried out in the usual way (handed over by a local postman or courier, deposited in a mailbox or pickup point depending on the situation). It should be noted that, despite the use of third-party carriers in the final phase, tracking remains centralized under the SpeedPAK number and is synchronized on eBay, ensuring continuous visibility of the parcel's journey.

SpeedPAK also imposes certain limits and conditions on the parcels it handles. The dimensions and weight of packages are restricted based on destinations (the aim is mainly to ship small to medium-sized parcels, generally a few kilograms at most). For example, most shipments to Europe via SpeedPAK must not exceed 2 kg, and specific caps apply for certain countries. Similarly, the declared value of goods may be subject to a threshold to comply with simplified customs regulations (often around 800 USD for shipments to the United States by the standard service, in accordance with de minimis clearance limits). Finally, certain types of products are excluded from the SpeedPAK network for safety or regulatory reasons: dangerous or prohibited items such as uninstalled lithium batteries, flammable liquids, powders, or any object that cannot travel by standard air freight are not accepted. These restrictions ensure compliance with international transport standards and the safety of shipments transiting through SpeedPAK.

SpeedPAK shipment tracking

One of SpeedPAK's major strengths is the transparency of its shipment tracking. Each parcel shipped via SpeedPAK is associated with a unique tracking number fully integrated into eBay and Orange Connex systems. The format of this tracking number consists of 28 alphanumeric characters: it always begins with two letters) EE or ES (followed by a series of numbers and letters. This prefix indicates the type of service used: EE for SpeedPAK Economy (economy service) and ES for SpeedPAK Standard (and any Express shipments). For example, a standard SpeedPAK tracking number takes the form ES1234567890123456789012345 (with varied sequences of numbers ending with a combination of letters).

Thanks to direct integration with the eBay platform, tracking information is automatically uploaded to buyers' and sellers' accounts. As soon as a seller prepares a SpeedPAK shipment via the eBay interface (or the associated logistics platform named eDIS), the tracking number is generated and communicated. Tracking can be viewed either directly on the eBay order page or on the SpeedPAK/Orange Connex online portal by entering the tracking number. At each key transit stage, a tracking status is recorded and updated online, allowing real-time knowledge of the parcel's progress.

The richness of tracking information varies according to the chosen service level. For a standard or express shipment, tracking is complete from pickup in China to final delivery: each transit in a warehouse, each departure or arrival at a logistics center, customs clearance, and handover to the final carrier are indicated by explicit statuses. Conversely, for an economy shipment, international tracking is limited: once the parcel is shipped out of China, updates may cease until arrival in the recipient country, where the next visible status will often be the delivery itself. This is because the Economy service often uses a less expensive consolidated shipping mode (e.g., postal batch), which does not offer detailed scans in the arrival network. Nevertheless, the parcel continues its normal journey and will be distributed by the post or a local partner, even if the buyer does not see new statuses between the original departure and final arrival. For standard and express services, SpeedPAK provides end-to-end tracking, including scans of pickup by the local carrier and delivery confirmation to the recipient.

Below is a list of the main tracking statuses that may appear during the transit of a SpeedPAK parcel, with their meaning in English. These statuses cover the entire delivery cycle, from label creation to handover of the package to the recipient. They allow users to understand each step the shipment has gone through and to know where the parcel is in the logistics process.