10 Types of Shipping Notifications for Timely Order Updates and for Enhancing Customer Engagement in eCommerce in 2024

Keeping customers informed about the status of their order by providing order tracking facilities is one of the pressing concerns of most retailers that operate in the current eCommerce climate, especially in a fast-growing market such as India, where the rate of new eCommerce shoppers is increasing rapidly due to the expanding number of people who are consistently gaining access to the internet and all the lifestyle benefits that come along with it.

New customers are more likely than existing ones to be agitated about the status of their order and it is up to the eCommerce retailers to take the initiative to provide constant reassurance that their order will arrive on time. Regardless of whether customers are new or existing, providing real-time updates to the order status will instantly provide them with an enhanced customer experience. Read further to get detailed information on eCommerce shipping notifications, their importance and 10 types to keep your customers informed.

What are Shipping Notifications?

Shipping notifications, also called order notifications, are updates that are provided to customers about the status of their order to keep them up-to-date about when they can expect to receive it. Shipping notifications can be sent in a variety of ways such as through SMS, Whatsapp, email or even custom tracking pages. They help customers get a better understanding of whether their order will reach their destination on time or if there will be any delays in shipping so they can plan accordingly.

The information that is generally present in shipping notifications includes the order and tracking ID, which phase the parcel is in such as “order confirmed”, “items packaged” and “in-transit” and the estimated time of arrival to the customer’s location.

Importance of Order Notifications for eCommerce Businesses

They Provide Transparency to Customers

Modern eCommerce customers generally expect that they will have the ability to track their order, whether it is in the form of notifications sent through a messaging app or a branded tracking page that provides them with all the information they need. Customers generally do not like to be kept waiting, regardless of if their food is taking longer than expected when they go to a restaurant or if there is a long check-out queue at a supermarket.

This holds especially true for eCommerce retail because they do not have a physical sense of where the product is. Providing transparency through shipping notifications is essential to keeping customers informed at every step of the delivery process.

They Enhance the Brand’s Image

Customers appreciate it when a business makes the entire process of purchasing a product online to it being delivered to their doorstep as seamless and efficient as possible and order tracking notifications play a big role in that. Even if a delay occurs or an unforeseen issue arises, they will be less likely to attribute it to the business because they are being kept informed about any happenings in real-time.

If a customer does not have to go through the effort of having to take time out of their busy schedule to deal with customer care personnel to find out where their order is and instead, can just automatically receive updates as to where their order is and when it will be delivered, their opinion about your business will instantly skyrocket because people appreciate convenience and ease-of-use.

They Mitigate Concern From Customers 

Order notifications generally reduce the number of frantic inquiries from customers about where their order is. Customers who order online, especially ones that don’t have much experience with it, are more apprehensive than if they had purchased their products in a physical store, due to the fact that they cannot touch or see the order until it has been delivered to their doorstep and this is even more amplified for Cash-on-Delivery (COD) orders because they have already paid for it and do not want to risk getting scammed and losing their hard-earned money.

Shipping notifications help give them peace of mind by automatically providing constant updates every time the parcel enters a different phase of the fulfillment process so they never have to wonder about where their package is.

10 Types of Shipping Notifications to Keep Customers Informed

Order Confirmation

This is generally the first interaction with a customer after they have ordered an item and it is confirmed by the company. It can be in the form of an automated email or message informing the customer that their order has been received and is currently being processed. In the event of a payment error, if it is a prepaid order, businesses will also have to keep track of whether the money has been credited to their account and notify the customer accordingly.

Order is Being Shipped

An automated notification can be triggered through the business’s preferred contact medium, that the order is being shipped. This refers to the process of the order being picked up from the warehouse or fulfillment center by the relevant shipping aggregator, who will then transport it to the city or town where the customer is located. Customers are generally reassured when they see this notification because it means that the order has been successfully dispatched from the warehouse, without any complications. The order status can be provided with the ETA as retailers will generally have a better idea of when the package will reach once it is in transit.

Suggested Read: 5 Easy Steps to Ship Order Consignments in 2024

Order is Sent for Delivery

Once the order has been shipped to the city or town where the customer is located, the ground-level delivery personnel will be assigned the task of last-mile delivery to the customer’s doorstep. As soon as this happens, the order tracking page needs to reflect the updated status and a notification should be sent to the customer with the estimated delivery time to ensure that they will be available to collect it. The contact details of the delivery executive can also be provided in case there is any issue en route to the customer’s destination.

Order is Successfully Delivered

After the order has been successfully received by the customer, a notification can be sent to the customer detailing all the relevant information such as the product, amount, payment method, date of order confirmation and date of delivery. Retailers can also use this as an opportunity to promote similar or complementary products, provide tips for product maintenance and push for feedback about how the whole interaction with the company went, from purchasing the product to receiving the delivered item. This will help retailers generate positive feedback in the case of successful delivery or identify areas of improvement, in the event that the customer is displeased about something.

Order is Cancelled, if Applicable

Orders can be cancelled at any time, for a variety of reasons. In the event of a cancellation, customers need to be notified that is successfully done and that the order will no longer be delivered to them, to avoid any confusion. Retailers can also push for feedback regarding the reason for the cancellation and provide assurance that their money will be refunded within the relevant number of days, in case they have already paid for it.

Order is Delayed, if Applicable

Shipping notifications must be sent if any delay or issue occurs before the order has been delivered or dispatched. Delays could occur for a variety of reasons, in any phase of the fulfillment process, such as the product being out of stock at the warehouse, the delivery partner being stuck in traffic or bad weather and much more. It is the duty of the retailer to inform the customer about these delays and adjust the ETA, if necessary so that the customer will be informed and can better plan to be available to receive the order on the revised delivery date.

Order Has Had an Unsuccessful Delivery Attempt

Oftentimes, the delivery executive reaches the customer’s location, only to find that there is no one to collect the order. This is due to a variety of factors and even the slightest variation between the ETA and the actual delivery date and time can cause the customer to be unavailable and not be able to make prior considerations. Order notifications need to be sent to inform the customer that a delivery attempt was attempted unsuccessfully and can inquire about an adjusted date as to when they would be available to collect it.

Order is Undeliverable Due to Loss or Damage

Even with the use of advanced order tracking systems, goods can sometimes still get misplaced or damaged in transit, which is out of the retailer’s control. If such an incident occurs, it is best to send a shipping notification to the customer informing them of the event and reassuring them that a new replacement order is on its way. Even though unforeseen circumstances may occur, retailers can maintain customer satisfaction by handling it in an appropriate manner.

Return Initiation by the Customer

Returns can occur for many different reasons, some of which can be blamed on the retailer such as damaged products being received, wrong items being packaged at the warehouses and unforeseen delays. However, there are many instances where returns are initiated due to no fault of the seller such as buyer’s remorse from the customer, them finding a better deal elsewhere or simply because they changed their mind. Either way, when a return is initiated, an order status notification can be sent to the customer containing an acknowledgement of the return, a summary of the condition of the returned items, a status of the refund of the payment, if any and more.

You can read more about how companies manage returns.

Exchange Initiation by the Customer

In some situations, customers opt for a product exchange, rather than a return. During these circumstances, shipping notifications can be sent containing an acknowledgement of the exchanged items, an adjustment to the price if needed and all the conventional order tracking notifications such as “order confirmed”, “order has been shipped”, and “order is out for delivery” and “order has been delivered”, to make the customer aware of the order status of their exchanged products.

Conclusion: How Can WareIQ Help to Provide the Best Shipping Notifications to Customers in 2024?

Shipping notifications have become an essential component of the eCommerce fulfillment process. Customers demand to be kept up to date about the status of their orders and if they aren’t, the business can face a significant amount of backlash, which can have a further negative impact on attaining new customers. Order notifications can be easily provided due to the vast amount of technology that is available. However, if you are an eCommerce retailer and want to provide a truly personalized experience to your customers, you can consider partnering with WareIQ. 

WareIQ is one of India’s fastest-growing eCommerce fulfillment providers that uses a centralised technology platform to enhance the experience of retailers and their customers. We provide a vast array of services that encompass the entire suite of fulfillment operations from storing your inventory in our fulfillment centers to delivering products to your customers. In terms of providing shipping notifications and a stellar customer experience, we offer the many services, some of which are listed below:

Branded Tracking Pages

Our branded tracking pages allow retailers to provide a truly personalized experience due to the high rate of customization that can be tailored to each individual customer. Instead of just a generic tracking screen, you can insert product banners, information about your brand, social media links and much more. Customers will end up spending more time on the tracking page, browsing through complementary products and getting a better idea about your company, which can even lead to repeat purchases. This will definitely enhance their experience and make your brand stand out from the rest.

Notifications App – WareIQ Interact

We provide a custom app store with multiple downloadable apps to enhance various aspects of your business productivity, similar to the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. WareIQ offers a notification app named “WareIQ Interact” where every element can be customized and multiple orders can be tracked right from the app, with no external page or link needed. This enables retailers to be more organised and get insights into every order in real-time. eCommerce brands can use WhatsApp, Email & SMS to automate order status communications during the entire shipping journey.

With WareIQ Interact, online brands can engage customers in the following ways:

• Share consistent communications with their customers to build a brand their customers can trust
• Alleviate shipment-related anxiety & boost trust in the brand leading to repeat sales
• Open new avenues for growth by cross-selling & up-selling
• Reduce the volume of NDR & RTO orders, leading to lower losses

Customer Care

We also offer customer care facilities so anytime a customer has a query or an unforeseen issue arises, our team of trained professionals will be there to get everything back on track as soon as possible. This provides assurance to you and your customers that you are backed by a dedicated team with multiple resources at their disposal to troubleshoot any problem that may arise.

Shipping Notifications: FAQs

Supercharge your fulfilment with WareIQ now, contact our team.

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