Why is eCommerce Order Tracking Important? Top 5 Tools for Tracking eCommerce Orders in 2024

Since eCommerce businesses rely on logistics companies to get their products into customers’ hands, the logistics industry as a whole has been directly impacted. The logistics industry has expanded enormously as a result of the rise of the eCommerce sector, providing new technologies to help improve online shopping experiences. eCommerce order tracking is one such service that stands out in the world of eCommerce logistics.

Advanced eCommerce order tracking software allows companies to track and manage their orders while they are in transit. This allows businesses to fix any issues that may arise during transit, as well as provide customers with information about the eCommerce order status of their goods.

Today we will learn about every aspect of eCommerce order tracking and how it is beneficial to the eCommerce industry in 2024 by ensuring customers can keep an eye on their orders as well as helping retailers understand if there are any errors or delays that have taken place.

What is eCommerce Order Tracking?

eCommerce order tracking is the process through which customers can track the eCommerce fulfillment status of their orders in real-time. It includes features like shipment tracking,  Estimated Time of Arrival(ETA), and frequent updates on the location of the order.

It plays an important role in enhancing the customer experience while product fulfillment, ETA and being notified of any delays, help a retailer track the product if they have opted for dropshipping, retail fulfillment, choosing a third-party logistics service, or tracking reverse logistics during order fulfillment.

Top Factors that Affect eCommerce Tracking Order

Lack of Technology

eCommerce order tracking requires the use of advanced technology, mostly from the seller’s end. A supply chain system must get updated at each stage and should reflect in the eCommerce order tracking page. Any failure of technology at any point will affect the entire process. A few points to note are:

• A buyer just needs to have a smartphone to access the eCommerce order status but a seller needs to have advanced software.
• A good website is required to check for Pincode availability.
• An automated mail sender for sending order placement confirmation messages and emails with the order tracking IDs is needed.
• An order tracking tool is required such as a webpage.
• Human resources are required to handle and update it in case of any errors or glitches.
• An advanced software system is required to automate the entire eCommerce order tracking process.
• A dedicated customer care official to handle any related queries and issues is needed.
• A chatbot is needed to answer minor tracking-related queries in real-time.

Shortage of Capital Investment

A small eCommerce business with limited capital can barely afford to place MOQs and EOQs so they may also struggle to afford a decent eCommerce order tracking software. Developing an eCommerce order status system and keeping it connected with real-time logistics processes is a money-consuming task. It not only requires a huge one-time investment but also a constant short-term investment. 

Lack of Fulfillment Processes

Fulfillment is a term that consists of various aspects that need to be taken into consideration and includes tasks such as transportation and logistics. Order fulfillment consists of eCommerce order status, proper inventory tracking, order information needed for picking the product from a particular warehouse, creating scan codes and tracking ID/number, ETA, etc. 

Lack of Expertise

A supply chain runs 24/7 on high-end technology. It demands 100% accuracy and the shortest delivery time possible. For such tasks, retailers or their partners are required to be well-versed in technology as well as fieldwork expertise. Any mistake can ultimately result in a loss for a seller in terms of product damage and can create a bad image which ultimately results in poor feedback and buyer relinquishment.

5 Benefits of eCommerce Order Tracking

Increases Customer Satisfaction

With the eCommerce industry being so competitive, online shopping practically requires providing a good customer experience. If you don’t want to lose business and seek to provide similar facilities to Amazon or other eCommerce giants, you must have an eCommerce order tracking system in place.

Customers will notice if you don’t provide the anticipated quality of service, putting your client loyalty at risk.

Customers are more likely to write a positive review and re-buy from you in the future if you provide eCommerce order tracking to them. It not only gives them the most up-to-date information but also a sense that you care about their overall experience.

Before reaching the customer, an order may pass through a post office or sorting facility after leaving a warehouse, 3PL fulfillment center, or packing facility. Customers will be less confused if they are kept informed.

Reduces Costs

Engaging customers is a very tough task for a business. Many companies do numerous things to keep their customers engaged such as arranging quizzes, running campaigns, and promoting their brands on social media, which costs them a lot of money. 

Customers want to be able to follow the progress of their orders. If you don’t supply it, you’ll almost certainly have to deal with hundreds of WISMO (where is my order) calls consumer complaints, and inquiries, which will be quite expensive in the long run. It’s a vital scenario; if you don’t act quickly, your customer reviews will suffer. It can devalue the brand’s image.

The number of inquiry calls/messages will drop considerably if you provide order tracking to customers where all tracking information would be generated automatically. You may save effort, reduce the stress on your customer service team and focus on quality assurance by automating order fulfillment with order tracking. This will save you time and money, allowing you to spend it in other ways to improve client experiences.

Controls Order Fulfillment Quality

It enables eCommerce companies to deal with problems in real time. The lifetime value of your consumers will rise when these basic solutions are provided.

Also, many eCommerce sellers partner with third-party fulfillment providers for taking advantage of multiple warehouses at an optimum cost where they do not control logistics directly so with eCommerce order tracking, they can track their products when they are dispatched for fulfillment.

Lowers Workload Expenses

Whether you have a large customer service team or not, they will still benefit from automating eCommerce order tracking procedures. They might put this time saved to good use by providing personalised service to dissatisfied clients. Overall, your consumer experience becomes more smooth while maintaining a high level of quality.

Helps in Tracking RTOs 

Order tracking benefits both eCommerce firms and their customers from a 360-degree perspective. This can also come in handy when dealing with a large number of RTO requests. Sellers can get an idea about which products and orders are being returned and from which locations, which can assist in the mitigation of RTO-related losses.

Top Strategies to Get the Most Out of Tracking eCommerce Orders

Utilize eCommerce Order Status Pages as a Means of Marketing

eCommerce order tracking pages can be customized to tell customers about upcoming or existing flash sales, the introduction of new products, positive customer testimonials, and ask them for valuable feedback. This increases the amount of time a customer spends on your page as opposed to your competitor’s websites.

Integrate Live Chatbots for Answering Tracking-Related Queries in Real-Time

In today’s world, people are in the habit of two-way communication. They want to ask questions and get a reply to their queries immediately and most sellers do not have a customer support executive to handle these queries so Live Chat through bots comes to the rescue. If sellers facilitate a Live Chat customer support system, they will turn out to have a better customer experience with a more personalized touch.

Show Buyers Your Appreciation During Every Purchase

The tracking system will know when the product got delivered, so automate a thank you letter to show the buyer that you appreciate the purchase. Additionally, you can give extra discounts to the same customer for further purchases, based on terms and conditions.

Collect as Much Data About the Order and the Customer as You Can 

Customer data can be a potential MQL (marketing qualified lead) for any seller. They know that the buyer might buy similar products or products related to their last purchase, in the future. Most eCommerce giants are spending billions on acquiring customer data by not only collecting it but also buying it because they know that it will help them to figure out and forecast according to customers’ preferences.

Mention the ETA and Adjust it According to Delivery Forecasts

When a buyer arrives at your page and sees your products’ availability on multiple eCommerce selling channels, they check if the delivery is serviceable to their address and what the ETA is. Providing an accurate ETA is helpful for both parties because the customer gets an expectation of when it will arrive and the seller has a target of when they need to deliver the order.

Use Personalized Data for Future Campaigns

Post completion of the delivery, the eCommerce order tracking page provides a confirmation of the delivery and can include a field for customers to provide their feedback or give ratings for the various services they have encountered. Honest feedback helps provide valuable insight into a buyer’s tastes and behaviours which can be used in marketing and promotional campaigns in the future. 

Top 5 Tools for eCommerce Order Tracking in 2024

WareIQ

Among the order tracking tools that are available, WareIQ is one the best and most trustable tracking tools for eCommerce orders and enables real-time tracking across India. WareIQ is a full-stack eCommerce fulfillment platform that provides superior order management services too. It enables order management, inventory management, returns management and a whole lot more as well as order tracking for online sellers and their customers, across multiple channels. It also utilizes a pan-India network of warehouses to enable same-day or next-day shipping to buyers.

A few features of the fulfillment company are listed below:

• Manages order data, inventory levels, and billing from the same system
• Fulfillment of orders, as well as providing branded shipping
• Reduces RTO rates through an RTO Shield
• Stores inventory in multiple- fulfillment centers across the country
• Helps in ordering inventory according to EOQ and MOQ
• Quick setup, scale-up, and scale-down according to seasonality, sales order velocity, and other factors

It helps sellers to enable and utilize the facilities in three simple steps:

Step 1

Suggests intelligent inventory placements. To recommend optimal inventory placement, it uses technology to analyze the order density, SKU velocity, seasonality, and market trend by location.

Step 2

Picks up your products and distribute them to their hubs from your central warehouse. They combine their platform with sellers’ online storefronts and marketplaces.

Step 3

Pick, Pack, and Ship; uses the same inventory to fulfill orders from the seller’s online marketplaces, and offers smart shipping where the fastest and cheapest courier service is always chosen to enable the fastest possible delivery at all times.

WareIQ provides a full shipping journey and real-time order updates on the tracking page. It offers branded tracking page exclusively to its e-commerce clients to boost brand awareness, repeat customers & improve post-purchase engagement.

Shippo

Shippo is an integrated shipping partner for Gator Website Builder’s eCommerce websites. It also works with Magento and WooCommerce, as well as Mercari, Etsy, eBay, and Amazon marketplace systems, as well as national postal services in some non-US nations. It offers drastically discounted fares on major domestic and international carriers. A few features are listed below:

• Order fulfillment and branded tracking updates
• Quick returns and finding the best shipping rates
• Vendors can provide delivery updates to consumers via email and text
• Creation of branded tracking pages on the website

ShipStation

ShipStation is a comprehensive shipping tool that manages orders from major eCommerce channels, gets the cheapest prices from different carriers, keeps customers up to speed on order status, streamlines customer returns, records inventory and provides statistics. Marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, Alibaba, Etsy, eBay, and Jet use Shipstation. Some of their features are:

• Is compatible with both WooCommerce and Magento
• Works with major shipping companies and provides low rates
• Allows you to create a bespoke tracking system for mobile and desktop that displays to your consumers, where their order is and the ETA

Shipway

Shipway is an eCommerce automation tool that helps companies automate their order management and shipping processes. It employs artificial intelligence to automate and avoid fraud, as well as to assist businesses in executing deliveries smoothly. To maximize the chances of connecting with customers, the platform uses different methods to reach out to them. 

• It works with over 12,000 brands and is integrated with over 600 carriers in local and international markets
• Monitors about 200,000 orders per day and has sent out more than 500 million notices to date
• Assists businesses in creating branded tracking pages for a better user experience
• Sends out real-time and periodic updates on the status of orders which results in reduced inquiry calls
• Generates detailed reports on carrier performance and aids in the reduction of RTO rates

ShipWell

ShipWell is a transportation management solution that helps companies to keep track of their orders while they travel. ShipWell uses data from ELDs and mobile devices to provide real-time product tracking. The platform employs notifications to keep you updated on the status of your order while it’s in transit. A managed service team is also available for high-quality client assistance on the platform.

• Ensures end-to-end visibility with native ELD connectors and the Shipwell Mobile app
• Tracks and traces shipments on the platform, which has access to over 2 million ELD-connected units and 850,000 drivers
• Eliminates blind spots throughout the shipment lifecycle
• Identifies potential risks so that they are taken care of
• Improves customer service by streamlining carrier touchpoints

Conclusion: What eCommerce Order Tracking Facilities Does WareIQ Provide?

WareIQ helps you to enhance customer experience by allowing them to track their orders at every stage of fulfillment, including when they are received, packed, shipped, in transit, out for delivery, and delivered. Even if an item is being returned, refunded, or exchanged, there will be reverse order tracking provided to both parties to mitigate any confusion. Online customers are notified in real-time through all channels – email, WhatsApp, text messages, etc.

In addition, we offer the ability to customize your eCommerce order tracking page with product snippets, brand details and customer care information, so that users will stay engaged with your brand even after purchase. WareIQ’s branded tracking page is an opportunity to turn your order tracking page into a profitable marketing channel, where you cross-sell & up-sell using marketing banners, logos, store links etc.

eCommerce Order Tracking FAQs

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