Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Importance of Order Tracking
- Step-by-Step to Add Order Tracking in Shopify
- Leveraging Shopify Apps for Enhanced Tracking Capabilities
- Conclusion
- FAQ Section
Introduction
Have you ever experienced the excitement of placing an online order and the immediate curiosity about when it will arrive? This is a common sentiment among shoppers, placing significant value on the ability to track their orders. As a Shopify store owner, offering a seamless order tracking capability isn’t just an additional feature—it’s essential for providing excellent customer service. In this blog post, we will dive into why order tracking is important and how to integrate it into your Shopify store. You’ll come away with all the know-how needed to enhance your customers' post-purchase experience. Surprisingly, a majority of shoppers check their order’s delivery status at least once before it arrives. Catering to this customer expectation is not only good business practice; it's a component of building brand trust and loyalty. Stay with us as we guide you through this transformative feature, enhancing the way your customers engage with your business.
The Importance of Order Tracking
The addition of order tracking is a game-changer for any online store. It provides transparency to your customers, enabling them to see where their purchase is up until the moment it arrives at their doorstep. This transparency is vital in managing customer expectations, reducing customer service inquiries, and increasing overall customer satisfaction. Notably, offering tracking information can be a deciding factor for customers contemplating a purchase, thus benefiting both customer retention and acquisition.
Step-by-Step to Add Order Tracking in Shopify
Adding Tracking Numbers Before Fulfilling an Order
To increase confidence in your store's reliability, it's crucial to incorporate tracking information as part of the order fulfillment process. If you have the tracking number beforehand, you can easily add it while you are fulfilling an order.
- Access the Orders page from your Shopify admin dashboard.
- Select the relevant order, which ought to be in a “Partially fulfilled” or “Unfulfilled” state.
- Click “Fulfill item(s)” to reveal the order's Fulfillment page.
- Enter the shipment’s tracking number in the Tracking information section.
- Shopify may auto-detect the carrier, but if it doesn't or is incorrect, select the right one from the drop-down menu.
If you get more than one tracking number, or they come from different carriers, you need to specify each. All tracking numbers for a single package should come from the same carrier. If the carrier isn't integrated with Shopify directly, a tracking URL will be necessary to enable the order status page's tracking capability.
Adding Tracking Numbers Post-Fulfillment
There are occasional instances where a tracking number is obtained after an order has already been set as fulfilled.
- Navigate to Orders, then click on the specific order you'll be updating.
- Locate the "Fulfilled" section, and click “Add tracking.”
- Exact tracking details must be added, and similar to pre-fulfillment, choose the correct carrier or add the tracking URL.
- Here, the option exists to notify the customer via email about the tracking—deselect it if you're not ready to notify them yet.
- “Save” your updates to finalize them.
Keep in mind that if you are using Shopify Shipping and purchase a label within the platform, tracking is automatically included.
Leveraging Shopify Apps for Enhanced Tracking Capabilities
Several Shopify apps are designed to simplify order tracking for store owners. For example, Aftership, a popular app, enables easy integration and enhances the tracking experience with branded tracking pages and proactive delivery updates.
Customizing the Tracking Experience
- Using the Dawn theme or any other, navigating to Shopify’s app store is your first step to finding an order tracking app that suits your needs.
- Once installed, follow the app’s guidelines to customize and embed the tracking page into your website’s theme.
For a more personalized touch, coding knowledge can facilitate an even more tailored tracking page through liquid, Shopify’s template language.
Ensuring Compatibility
Before settling on an app or undertaking a custom code solution, verify that the tool or code is compatible with your selected theme. Testing is key to ensuring a smooth experience for your customers.
Conclusion
A robust order tracking system bolsters the credibility and customer service reputation of your Shopify store. With just a few steps, you can transform the post-purchase experience, significantly impacting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Guide your customers through the excitement of the purchase journey with clarity and ease using an effective tracking system. The investment in this capability pays dividends in trust, confidence, and business health.
FAQ Section
Q: How necessary is it to have order tracking on my Shopify store? A: Order tracking has become a mainstream expectation for online shoppers. Providing this capability is essential to meet customer expectations, reduce uncertainty, and improve customer satisfaction.
Q: Can I add order tracking without using an app? A: Yes, Shopify enables you to manually add tracking details to orders. However, utilizing apps designed specifically for order tracking may automate and streamline the process.
Q: Are there any free apps available for order tracking on Shopify? A: The Shopify app store includes both free and premium apps for order tracking. Assess your store’s needs and read the reviews to determine the best fit for your business.
Q: Will adding an order tracking app slow down my store's loading speed? A: It can, depending on the app. Opt for apps that are well-optimized and maintain a balance between functionality and efficiency. Regularly monitor your site's performance post-integration.
Q: How can I ensure the tracking page matches my store's branding? A: Look for apps that offer customization capabilities or engage with Shopify’s theme code using Liquid to tailor the order tracking page appearance to your branding.
By considering these FAQs and the steps outlined, you can significantly advance your business's customer service, transparency, and overall appeal by offering reliable and efficient order tracking on Shopify.
