Managing a split shipment from one order

Placed an order for two cards and received two separate tracking numbers on different days, with the packages arriving a week apart. This is more common than people expect and the handling is straightforward once you know what is happening.

Why orders split

Production and shipping for two cards in the same order may not happen simultaneously. If one card is in a production batch that completes first, or if they are being produced on different equipment runs, the vendor may ship the first card when it is ready rather than holding it to wait for the second. This is often better for the customer since it means faster receipt of the first card, but it requires tracking two separate shipments.

Some vendors split shipments intentionally for risk distribution — two smaller packages have a different customs profile than one package. Whether this is a real risk-reduction strategy or vendor policy varies.

What to do

When you receive the first tracking number and notice only one card is referenced, check your order status page — most vendors show tracking information per item, and a second tracking number often appears within a day or two. If the order portal shows both items as "shipped" but with only one tracking number, contact support and ask whether they are in the same package or split.

If the first package arrives and is complete, and no second shipment has materialized after two weeks, follow up with the vendor. Sometimes one card completes production and the other is delayed, and the first ships while the second is still processing. The support message should include your order number and ask specifically about the status of the second item.

Do not request a replacement for the missing card until you have confirmed with the vendor that both items were actually shipped separately. Sometimes what looks like a split is actually just a single package that has not arrived yet.