How to Enable Customers to Track Order Status on Shopify

The modern eCommerce customer expects complete visibility into their orders. This means the ability to track order progress from checkout all the way to delivery. A lack of visibility into order statuses leads to frustration, increased support inquiries, and even lost sales. As such, offering smooth and efficient order tracking is key to a great customer experience.

This guide will walk you through setting up order tracking for Shopify stores. It covers how to enable Shopify’s native features, the best apps for order tracking, and strategies to improve customer engagement through AI automation. Let’s explore how you can implement a seamless order tracking system that keeps customers informed and satisfied.

Order Tracking on Shopify

A robust order tracking system provides several advantages. Before diving into the different methods of enabling order tracking with Shopify, it’s helpful to understand exactly why effective order tracking is important and how it can benefit both you and your customers.

Understanding the Importance of Order Tracking

Order tracking improves customer communication by delivering real-time updates on order status, estimated delivery date, and tracking details. Such timely information can reduce customer anxiety and build trust in your brand. Moreover, you can use such a system to boost operational efficiency. Clear and accessible order tracking reduces “Where is my order” (WISMO) questions, freeing your team to focus on other tasks.

A customer eagerly awaiting their order can simply log into their account and view the latest updates. This saves them time while keeping them engaged with your brand. Similarly, automated tools such as AI-powered chat updates allow customers to seamlessly track order status without human intervention.

Overview of the Order Tracking Process on Shopify

Shopify comes with several native order tracking features. This includes an order status page where customers can view the current order status and notification messages sent at different points in the fulfillment process.

In addition to these features, merchants can enable order tracking via Shopify in several other ways. This includes:

• Using an AI chatbot to provide automated order updates
• Leveraging a third-party app to send SMS notifications
• Apps to enable branded tracking pages and email templates

How to Set Up Order Tracking for Customers on Shopify

While Shopify’s core order tracking features are active by default, it’s important to check your store’s configuration to ensure everything is aligned with your brand. You also want to test and confirm that your buyers have the means to check their order status. Below, we will walk you through how to enable Shopify's native order tracking functionality.

Steps to Enable Shopify’s Native Order Tracking Feature

The order status page is an integral part of Shopify’s order tracking system. It is the final step in the Shopify checkout flow and where the platform directs users after finalizing a purchase. The page includes a summary of the order details and its current status. If the delivery is from a supported carrier, the page displays real-time updates on the shipment’s location.

Customers can access the page directly after checking out and by logging in to their customer account and navigating to the page from within their account. You also have the option to include links to the order status page in your order confirmation emails. These links are present in the default order confirmation email template.

You can confirm such by going to Settings > Notifications > Order Confirmation and previewing the message. There, you’ll find a button link that says “View your order.”

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Configuring Order Tracking Notifications

The other key part of Shopify’s order tracking features is its notifications. Shopify comes with a few pre-built notifications that customers can use to monitor the status of their orders. These notification messages include:

• Order confirmation: Sent when a customer finalizes an order
• Shipping confirmation: Sent when you change order status to fulfilled
• Shipping update: Sent when you add or update a tracking number to the order
• Out for delivery: Sent when an order containing a tracking number is out for delivery
• Delivered: Sent when an order with a tracking number is delivered

Of these messages, the Order confirmation, Shipping confirmation, and Shipping update notifications contain a link to the order status page. While the delivery messages do not link to the order status page, they contain the tracking number that the user can use to monitor their order when it is out for delivery.

For order confirmation messages, the customer receives an SMS order confirmation if they provide a phone number during checkout. Shopify doesn't send SMS messages for order and shipping updates. If they provide an email address, they receive an order confirmation via email along with subsequent order and shipping updates.

Add a Tracking Number to an Order

Orders need a tracking number to enable tracking updates. You can manually add tracking numbers to orders from the Orders page in your Shopify dashboard. From there, select the order you want to update. Mark the order as fulfilled and then click the Add tracking button to enter the tracking number provided by your shipping carrier.

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Customizing the Order Status Page

The Shopify Checkout and Accounts Editor allows you to customize and manage the functionality and appearance of your order status page. You can also use the editor to customize your branding and add apps to enhance the pages. To access the editor, you go to Settings > Checkout > Configurations. Find the active configuration and select Customize.

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After the editor opens, use the dropdown menu at the top of the page to select the order status page. From there, you can customize the page to suit your particular needs.

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By default, if you ship orders using a Shopify-supported carrier, the order status updates on the page in real-time. Shipping through supported carriers also results in the shipment location being displayed on a map. As a refresher, the default Shopify order statuses are:

• Confirmed: The customer's order is created, but has not yet been shipped or fulfilled.
• On its way: The order is marked as either fulfilled or partially fulfilled and the shipment is currently in transit.
• Out for delivery: The shipment has arrived in the customer's area and will be delivered shortly.
• Delivered: The customer has received their shipment.
• Attempted delivery: The carrier attempted to deliver the shipment but was unsuccessful.

Delivery Tracking with Shop

The Shop App gives you another way to let customers track their orders. It includes real-time order status updates, delivery notifications, and live-map tracking. If your store appears in Shop, customers can use the app to track any order, provided it includes a tracking number from a supported carrier. Order information from Shopify stores is automatically synced to the Shop app after a customer installs it and creates an account.

In your Shopify admin, you can enable the option to let customers install the Shop app from your order status page. Customers can still use the app to track orders whether or not you add the download option to your order status page. Note, that Shop app tracking is only available in the following countries:

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Australia

Best Shopify Apps for Enabling Order Status Tracking

While Shopify’s built-in order tracking features can be effective, you might prefer using an app to enhance the experience. Popular choices to help customers track order status include Rep AI, AfterShip, and ParcelTrackr. These apps offer features such as AI order status updates, branded tracking pages, and automated notifications.

Overview of Popular Order Tracking Apps

Let’s examine some of the most helpful apps for expanding Shopify’s order tracking capabilities:

Rep AI

Rep AI is an AI concierge that equips your store with a wide range of AI-powered sales and customer service functionality. With the order status automation, customers can ask the AI chat for an order status update. After receiving and processing the user’s order number, the AI can return the up-to-date order status, including a tracking number if the order has already shipped.

AfterShip

AfterShip is a delivery tracking platform that allows sellers to create a branded order tracking page and automated notifications from over 1100 carriers. It provides a centralized dashboard and analytics reports to monitor shipping status and on-time performance. Automated SMS notifications can also help reduce complaints and WISMO inquiries.

Trackr

Trackr supports more than 2100 carriers and provides real-time order tracking and notifications to customers via email. It allows for brand customization of the order status page, with support for over 40 languages. 

How to Set up Order Tracking with Rep AI

Rep AI’s automated support skills add convenience to the order tracking experience. Here is a quick walkthrough of enabling the order status support skill:

1. Activate the Support Skill

After you’ve signed up for Rep AI, open the Rep dashboard and use the navigation menu to go to AI training > Support Skills. This opens a page displaying the available support automation skills. Find Order status in the top row and click Activate.

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2. Configure the Settings

Activating the support skill opens the settings panel where you can configure the automation’s behavior. This determines how exactly the AI responds when customers ask about their order.

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By default, the AI uses a standard policy that asks the user for their email address and order number. This policy lets you specify an alternative piece of information for the AI to ask for if the user can’t provide the order number. Your options are phone number, name, address, and ZIP code.

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Alternatively, users with an Advanced plan can define a custom policy. This allows you to write your specifications in natural language, which the AI will then use for instructions when executing the skill.

3. Preview the Shopify Order Tracking Automation

Once you finish configuring the settings you can either Preview the automation or Save and close the window. Previewing the skill opens your store in a new tab, automatically sending the AI chat a “What’s my order status” message. The AI then responds based on your configuration.

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If you need to make any changes, you can access its settings from the same support skill page used to activate the automation.

Benefits of Offering Order Tracking to Improve Customer Experience

Let’s examine some of the most impactful benefits of providing your customers with efficient order tracking options:

Enhancing Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

Order tracking enhances the shopping experience by allowing customers to stay informed about their orders and shipments. This can improve customer satisfaction and encourage repeat purchases. Increased customer loyalty and higher sales occur as a result of happy customers.

Reducing Customer Inquiries and Support Requests

A transparent tracking system significantly reduces WISMO inquiries. This decrease benefits support teams and lowers overall business costs. You don’t need to spend as much on support resources and customer service teams are free to focus on more complex issues.

Providing Transparency and Building Trust

Building customer confidence requires consistent communication and honesty. Providing order updates and well-designed status pages reassures customers that everything is under control. Real-time shipment updates and tracking details not only put customers' minds at ease but also build trust and increase brand reputation.

Technical Requirements and Costs of Implementing Order Tracking

Providing order tracking on Shopify is an investment in customer experience. However, to consistently provide customers with valuable information, you need an understanding of the technical setup, associated costs, and potential challenges. Whether using Shopify’s built-in tracking features or third-party apps, you should assess your store’s needs to implement a seamless order tracking system.

Assessing Technical Skills Needed for Setup

Setting up order tracking on Shopify can range from simple to complex, depending on the method chosen. Shopify’s native tracking feature requires little to no technical expertise as it’s built directly into the platform. You only need to enable customer accounts, set up order notifications, and provide tracking details in shipping confirmations.

Similarly, most Shopify order tracking apps require minimal technical skills. That said, custom tracking pages and notifications may require basic coding knowledge. This can include:

• Experience with Shopify Liquid: Understanding Shopify’s templating language can expedite page customization
• Basic HTML and CSS knowledge: Helps to customize the style of the order status page
• API integration skills: For advanced merchants seeking to connect business tools or custom carriers

Understanding Potential Costs and Fees

The cost of implementing order tracking on Shopify depends on your chosen methodology. Here are the main cost factors to consider:

Third-party Order Tracking Apps

Shopify provides free tracking through its order status page and email notifications. However, this option lacks advanced features like branded tracking pages and AI-powered self-service updates. Apps offer enhanced order tracking functionality but may have subscription fees. The cost for the previously mentioned top Shopify order tracking apps are:

• Rep AI: AI-powered chatbot with real-time WISMO tracking, starting at $19 per month.
• AfterShip: Free for up to 50 shipments per month, then starts at $11 per month for additional tracking.
• ParcelTrackr: Monthly fees start at $10 per month for up to 400 orders.

Custom Development Costs

If you choose to build a custom tracking page or integrate APIs from shipping carriers, expect additional development expenses. Hiring a Shopify developer can range from $50 to $150 per hour.

Common Order Challenges and How to Overcome Them

With Shopify’s native features and the availability of third-party apps, you have a strong foundation for creating a great order status tracking solution. However, here are some common challenges you may encounter when building an end-to-end order tracking solution for your customers.

1. Carrier Limitations

The Shopify order status page does not support updates for every carrier. To present tracking updates on the order status page, you need to use a supported shipping carrier. The supported carriers include:

• USPS
• UPS
• Canada Post
• DHL Express
• FedEx

These carriers allow real-time updates on the order status page, displaying the shipment location on a map. If you use an unsupported carrier, the order status page will only show a tracking number that links to the carrier's website, without real-time updates. Additionally, some alternative shipping carriers provide limited tracking information. This makes it difficult to offer helpful updates as the order’s location refreshes infrequently.

The solution to these potential challenges is to use a Shopify-supported carrier if possible. This will ensure that your order status page provides real-time tracking updates. Furthermore, UPS, FedEx, and the other supported carriers offer best-in-class shipment tracking. So, with these carriers, the order’s location will be updated more frequently throughout the journey to the customer’s delivery address.

2. Tracking Delays

The tracking provided by shipping carriers is typically reliable. However, at times, there may be delays in carrier updates. This can lead to customer frustration as buyers attempt to use the tracking information to check their order but are unable to receive current information.

While tracking delays on the carrier’s end is out of your control, there are steps you can take to limit the impact these delays may have on your customers. Set clear expectations for your customers by informing them about potential delays with the carrier’s tracking details. You can include this notification in your order tracking emails and on your order status page.

3. Integration Issues

Third-party apps and custom solutions can expand your order tracking system but they may also lead to integration issues. If not configured properly, apps and APIs may conflict with your Shopify theme or other installed apps. You can address the challenge by testing your tracking app or custom solution on a development store before deploying the system to your live store.

Strategies to Enhance Customer Engagement with Order Tracking

Clear, timely updates keep customers informed, reduce uncertainty, and demonstrate reliability. Each tracking notification serves as a touchpoint that reinforces the brand experience, offering opportunities to engage customers beyond the initial purchase.

Integrating Order Tracking with Customer Engagement Platforms

Order tracking communication doesn’t have to be isolated to default Shopify notifications or your WISMO application. Integrating your order tracking system with customer engagement platforms allows you to provide real-time updates while maintaining communication through multiple channels.

For example, email automation tools can send personalized updates and promotional offers based on tracking data. Additionally, SMS marketing tools like Postscript can cover the gap left by Shopify’s native order tracking functionality to provide order status updates via SMS messages.

You can also use your customer engagement tools to bring cohesion and increase the efficacy of your main order tracking mechanisms. For example, let’s say a key part of your plan to reduce WISMO questions involves using Rep AI to let customers self-serve order updates. In this scenario, you can use your customer engagement platform to notify customers that the AI is available to help instantly.

Using Order Tracking Data for Personalized Communication

Order tracking data can be leveraged to personalize customer interactions. Here are a few examples of ways to embed personalization into the order tracking process:

• Post-order surveys: Use the order status page to add a link to a survey to gather feedback on the shopping experience.
• Replenishment reminders: If the order contains a consumable item, you can add a custom reminder to schedule a reorder
• Thank-you messages with exclusive offers: Follow up the delivery notification with a personalized thank-you message that includes a discount

Best Practices for Order Tracking Communication Strategy

Maintain open communication with customers throughout the order fulfillment process by sending prompt email updates at every stage, including order confirmation, shipment tracking, and delivery confirmation.

• Keep notifications concise and informative: Customers should instantly understand their order status.
• Offer multiple tracking options: Allow customers to track orders via the order status page, AI chat updates, and email notifications.
• Use branded tracking pages: A custom page that matches your brand reinforces credibility and trust.
• Be proactive with delays: If an order is delayed, notify customers before they reach out.

Leveraging AI for Advanced Order Tracking Solutions

Integrating AI into your Shopify store’s tracking system lets you provide real-time updates to keep customers informed. AI-powered assistants, such as Rep AI, are particularly effective at reducing support inquiries while maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction through natural engagement.

How AI Enhancements Can Improve Order Tracking

By automating order status updates, AI significantly cuts down on the number of WISMO tickets. With AI-driven support, you can provide consistent, reliable communication while freeing up customer service teams to focus on higher-value interactions.

Real-time Engagement Through AI-powered Assistants

Instead of customers searching for tracking emails or reaching out to support, AI lets them simply ask the chatbot for an immediate response. Customers can track order status in seconds as the chatbot retrieves the latest tracking details from Shopify and delivers a concise response. Furthermore, when customers check their order status, AI can recommend related products, offer discounts on future purchases, or encourage loyalty program sign-ups.

Evaluating and Optimizing Your Order Tracking System

Optimizing order tracking fosters a better customer experience. To ensure your tracking system gives customers the experience they expect, begin by evaluating your current order management process and pinpointing any areas for improvement. Look for inefficiencies, pain points, or information gaps. This evaluation will clarify your specific tracking requirements and guide you toward the most suitable tracking system for your Shopify store.

Consider the unique needs of both your business and customers. Do you need to track orders across multiple warehouses or are you shipping perishable goods with temperature-sensitive requirements? These questions can help you determine your specific tracking needs and guide your selection process.

Gathering Customer Feedback for Continuous Improvement

No one understands the order tracking experience better than your customers. As such, your existing audience can serve as a valuable resource when fine-tuning your order tracking system. You can use surveys or review requests to understand customer satisfaction with order tracking. Additionally, look to analyze customer complaints and AI conversation records to find tracking pain points.

Analyzing Tracking Metrics to Optimize Performance

To ensure your order tracking system is operating at peak efficiency, it is essential to monitor key performance metrics. One critical area to analyze is delivery accuracy and shipping delays. Tracking how often shipments arrive on time versus how frequently they experience delays helps you identify potential bottlenecks in your fulfillment process.

Additionally, it is important to measure customer inquiries related to order tracking. If a significant number of customers are reaching out with WISMO questions, it may indicate gaps in the tracking process or a need for clearer updates.

Keeping Up with Shopify Updates and App Enhancements

Shopify frequently updates its platform. So, it is best to remain on top of these updates in case anything changes with the native order tracking functionality. Similarly, you should check for updates to any third-party apps used in your order tracking system

It is also good practice to monitor for any carrier API updates. Shipping providers may modify their tracking data formats or introduce new services that impact how information is displayed to customers.

Bottom Line

Seamless order tracking is a vital component of a successful eCommerce strategy. With a smooth order status tracking system, you can benefit from a stellar customer experience that encourages repeat business.

Key Takeaways

Here are the key takeaways for enabling an order tracking system for Shopify stores:

• Configure and customize Shopify’s built-in order status page and notifications
• Use AI-powered assistants to give customers self-service options
• Assess the technical requirements for implementing order tracking features and apps
• Consider the potential costs and fees associated with third-party order tracking apps
• Stay up to date with Shopify, third-party app, and carrier updates

Leverage AI-Powered Order Status Updates for a Better Customer Experience

With Rep AI, you can bolster your Shopify order status tracking system through real-time chat updates. Try out Rep AI today to give your customers the convenient order tracking experience they deserve.