Item listed as shipped when it has not been shipped

[5709angoras]

How can an item be listed as "Shipped" when the carrier does not have the item?

[wastingtime101]

Purchasing a shipping label / adding tracking to a transaction triggers the system to update with a shipped status. If you click on the tracking number (purchase history page if you're the buyer, orders page if you're the seller) then it will show you the current stage of shipping.

The situation you're describing should appear similar to this:

This is the same with pretty much every retailer. You get a shipped notification when they create the shipping label in the warehouse, not when the package is in the carrier's hands.

[fromnorth2south]

Possible explanation: Once a shipping label for an item is printed the item is marked as "shipped" even though the carrier doesn't have possession of the item at that point.

[simba6]

That has been a real problem with eBay.  When a seller purchases a shipping label through eBay, eBay marks it shipped the instant the seller clicks.  The seller has NO choice in the matter.  If the seller goes to the shipper's site to buy shipping then the seller has to mark it shipped and can choose when to do so.

Buyers often blame the seller but they get no say in when eBay marks it.