Parcel Tracking App: How to Get the Most Out of It?

If you thought that shipment tracking was only there to tell customers the status of their parcel, you'd be slightly mistaken.

Today, online shoppers choose how and when they want to be informed about the status of their order.

And if your online store doesn't offer this option, chances are they won't buy from your e-commerce site again.

We're not the ones saying it, they are. According to the 2023 E-commerce Delivery Compass, on average, 23% of European consumers would no longer buy from an online store that didn't offer a parcel tracking app.

So you're probably wondering: how can I offer my customers optimal shipment tracking, and how can this benefit me as a merchant?

Bonus: reduce the number of returns with proper tracking.

Read on!

Two theoretical angles: what is parcel tracking?

In e-commerce distribution and logistics, parcel tracking makes it possible to locate an order from the moment it leaves the warehouse until it arrives at its destination.

This part is essential to guarantee a 360° user experience.

A parcel tracking app has two main functions:

• Informing the customer of their order status.

• Avoiding bottlenecks within your support team (or receiving countless calls asking about parcel status).

• But at Sendcloud, we like to add a third and fourth function

  • Increasing cross-selling and customer retention.

  • Reducing the number of returns.

  • Let's set the theory aside and talk about what really matters to you as an e-merchant.

    What matters to you: how and when do your customers want to be informed about their parcel tracking?

    Tracking is more than just an order status update.

    Offering a parcel tracking app that's well suited to your customers can be the difference between an overwhelmed or smoothly running customer service team, a high or low retention rate, and even more or fewer returns.

    That's why it's essential to know your customers' expectations and understand what they want to receive, how, and when.

    Based on the findings of the E-commerce Delivery Compass, we can conclude:

    1. What: having a parcel tracking app. 26% of French online shoppers would no longer buy from an online store if tracking wasn't available.

    2. How: consumers want to be informed by email (67%) or SMS (66% of French shoppers)

    3. When: at every step of the delivery process. 20% of online shoppers changed the delivery time and/or location while the parcel was already on its way.

    4. If you want to learn more about your customers' expectations and needs, download the 2023 E-commerce Consumer Study for free to get valuable insights into the entire purchasing journey.

       Why offering a high-performing parcel tracking app matters

       If you run an online store, parcel tracking is a fundamental part of delivering a flawless post-purchase customer experience.

       What's more, according to the E-commerce Delivery Compass, a consumer study conducted by Sendcloud and Nielsen, 68% of French online consumers are interested in a single parcel tracking app to track their orders.

       For consumers, being able to track their orders is crucial.

       Here are 5 benefits of having a parcel tracking app

       1. Improve your customer experience

       Whether a parcel arrives early or late, or is lost or delayed, proactively informing your customer will help build trust in your business.

       This will also help you avoid negative reviews of your business.

       We always position ourselves as e-commerce experts, but we're also customers (who hasn't shopped online?), and it's really frustrating not knowing where your parcel is and when it will arrive.

       2. Reduce your customer service workload

       Reduce your customer service workload by cutting down on the number of inquiries, since your customers will always receive automatic updates on their parcel status.

       What's more, your team will save time since they won't need to contact the carrier to find out where the order is (lost or delayed?).

       
       

       

       3. Increase your delivery success rate

       Your customer knows where their parcel is throughout the delivery process. This significantly increases the likelihood of a successful delivery.

       4. Increase cross-selling and customer retention

       You've already got their attention. This is the moment when your customers are most receptive to hearing from you again. Make the most of it.

       Imagine being able to inform your customers using an email like the one shown below. A parcel tracking app (as part of an all-in-one shipping solution) lets you add personalized offers for their next purchase, showcase your upcoming collection, and run a pre-sale or launch flash promotions.

       These days, it's far more expensive to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. You need to make the most of the customers you've already won and take care of them. Offering them a discount to come back and order from your online store costs you nothing.

       
       

       

       Want more tips to boost your e-commerce conversion rate? Check out our article on e-commerce checkout and multiply your sales with an optimized checkout.

       5. Stand out from the competition

       By offering a transparent, personalized tracking experience, your customers will remember you and choose your online store over your competitors'.

       But that's not all. You can also use these emails to ask your customers to leave positive feedback about their shopping experience.

       This will be reflected on review pages and search engines, which will have a positive impact on your business and attract more customers.

       Bonus: reduce the number of returns

       Parcel returns represent a significant cost for your e-commerce business.

       And returns caused by failed delivery attempts are even more frustrating. But these problems can easily be solved with the right tracking experience.

       In this case, SMS tracking is the best option. After all, a mobile phone is always within reach. This makes it more likely that the customer will read the tracking update right away and stay home to receive the parcel.

       5 examples of effective parcel tracking

       Personalized tracking emails

       Personalization is key. Some parcel tracking apps let you not only sync the parcel status at every stage of the shipment, but also customize the message you send and make it feel more on-brand by adding your company's colors and logo.

       You can customize the message you send and incorporate your visual identity by adding your company's colors and logo.

       Shipping internationally? Set up your emails so they're automatically sent in your customers' language.

       You also decide when you want to inform your customers about the current status of the shipment, or even a return.

       Personalized tracking pages

       With software like Sendcloud, you can add your own widgets and promotional banners, such as product announcements or your Instagram feed, alongside your parcel's tracking status.

       This lets you create a "wooooooooooow" effect (in other words, a memorable one) while cutting the cost of other marketing tools you'd otherwise need to keep customers coming back to your online store after purchase.

       It will also help you grow your follower count and boost your company's credibility.

       
       

       

       SMS tracking

       Improving your customer experience isn't just about telling them where their order is. It's also about knowing which channel to use to do it.

       Did you know that 66% of French online shoppers prefer to receive tracking notifications by SMS? That's the highest rate in Europe!

       It would therefore make sense to consider this channel through a parcel tracking app.

       Tracking widget on your website

       With a tracking widget, you can redirect traffic back to your online store.

       All you have to do is embed your personal tracking widget by copying the corresponding code onto your online store page in just a few clicks, letting your customers track their orders directly from there.

       Here's what this widget would look like on your online store if you set it up with Sendcloud:

       
       

       

       Using a parcel tracking app: often untapped growth potential

       As you've seen, offering a parcel tracking app holds huge potential for customer satisfaction with your store, your sales forecasts and, ultimately, your company's growth.

       However, it's surprising to see how many e-commerce businesses have yet to tap into the full potential of tracking and location updates, leaving this part to their respective carriers.

       But it doesn't have to be that way. Sendcloud offers you the following tracking features for an optimal experience:

       1. Sending personalized tracking emails.

       2. Creating a tracking page.

       3. NEW! SMS and WhatsApp tracking notifications.

       4. Integrating a tracking widget into your online store.

       5. Access to a tracking API to build your own tracking solution.

       6. In just a few clicks, you can set up a fully tailored tracking experience with Sendcloud. What are you waiting for?

          Sign up for free with Sendcloud and take advantage of everything an all-in-one shipping platform has to offer.

          If you're not ready to sign up just yet, schedule a personalized demo with our e-commerce experts. They'll walk you through the platform based on your business needs.