Integrating with shipping carriers and enabling order tracking is essential for efficient order fulfillment and providing a seamless customer experience when selling on Shopify. Here’s a guide on how to integrate with shipping carriers and track orders effectively:
- Shipping Carrier Integration:
- Shopify offers built-in integration with several major shipping carriers like USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL, and Canada Post.
- To set up carrier integration, go to your Shopify admin, click on Settings, and then select Shipping.
- Choose the carrier you want to integrate with and follow the instructions provided to connect your account.
- Carrier Calculated Shipping Rates:
- Enable carrier calculated shipping rates to provide accurate shipping costs to customers during the checkout process.
- With carrier calculated rates, the shipping costs are dynamically calculated based on the carrier’s rates and the customer’s shipping address.
- Contact Shopify support to enable this feature if it’s not already available on your plan.
- Printing Shipping Labels:
- After integrating with a shipping carrier, you can generate shipping labels directly from your Shopify admin.
- When fulfilling an order, click on “Create shipping label” or a similar option, depending on the carrier integration.
- Enter the necessary shipping details, package dimensions, and weight.
- Review the shipping label, make any necessary adjustments, and print it.
- Order Tracking:
- Once an order is fulfilled and a shipping label is created, you can add the tracking number to the order in Shopify.
- From your Shopify admin, go to the order details page and click on “Add tracking number” or a similar option.
- Enter the tracking number provided by the shipping carrier.
- Select the appropriate shipping carrier from the drop-down menu.
- Save the tracking information.
- Automatic Order Status Updates:
- Some shipping carriers offer automatic tracking updates to Shopify, allowing the order status to be updated automatically.
- Check if the shipping carrier you integrated with supports automatic order status updates.
- If available, enable this feature to provide real-time tracking updates to customers without manual intervention.
- Order Tracking Notifications:
- Shopify can automatically send order tracking notifications to customers via email.
- Customize the email template that includes the tracking information and shipment details.
- Enable the order tracking notification in your Shopify settings to ensure customers are notified when their order is shipped and provide them with a link to track their package.
- Tracking Order Status:
- Customers can track their orders by logging into their Shopify account or by clicking on the order tracking link provided in the email notification.
- The order status page will display the current status of the shipment based on the tracking information entered in Shopify.
- Third-Party Shipping Apps:
- If you require additional shipping features or carrier options, consider exploring third-party shipping apps available in the Shopify App Store.
- These apps can provide advanced shipping functionalities, multi-carrier integration, and additional tracking capabilities.
9. Multi-Carrier Shipping Apps:Consider using multi-carrier shipping apps from the Shopify App Store. These apps allow you to compare rates from multiple carriers, print shipping labels, and manage order tracking in a centralized manner
10. Shipment Notifications: Configure automatic shipment notifications to inform customers when their orders have been shipped, including the tracking number and a link to track their package. This helps customers stay informed and reduces the number of customer inquiries
By integrating with shipping carriers and enabling order tracking, you can streamline your fulfillment process, provide accurate shipping rates, and keep customers updated on the status of their orders. This integration enhances the overall customer experience and helps build trust and satisfaction in your Shopify store.
