Is invalid tracking automatically a cause for concern?

[airsheep]

I buy a few things from China and other countries in that area, usually things that are inexpensive and disposable like stickers or plastic gloves.  Usually a tracking number is provided, but about half the time the tracking number doesn't work for the stated shipping company, or it never updates.  My experience is that compared to no tracking, a bad tracking number indicates late or nonshipment.   Is a tracking number that never works more worrisome than no tracking?

[tarpedge · Accepted solution]

Many times, the invalid tracking number is just a package ID, which is useful to tell the packages apart when they arrive without a packing slip.