I ordered a couple of items online recently from separate retailers and out of curiosity have watched the “tracking pages” provided by each company. The updates were spaced out by almost three days each, and both companies used different methods to send their items to me.

The package that had a later estimated delivery date arrived first but it has a supporting role for the other package. This afternoon I checked up on the other one again (it was handed off to the USPS on Saturday) and these are the words that I was greeted with:

ARRIVAL AT UNIT

As I had just gotten home, I knew that it had not been delivered yet. So… what does this obscure phrase mean? After a quick search, it turns out that the package is at my local post office and should be here within a day.

Interesting phrase, isn’t it? The tracking hype hasn’t changed life a whole lot. Packages will still get to you when they get to you, but this was good for a laugh. It almost feels like the mail carriers are shrouding themselves in a cloak-and-dagger mystery while claiming openness.