Repeat sales from order tracking are still an untapped revenue opportunity for Shopify stores.
Without returning customers – you’ll have a hard time surviving in E-Commerce, especially in today’s economic uncertainty.
One of the most reliable and underestimated strategies to boost customer lifetime value, loyalty, and retention is giving shoppers an easy way to track their orders.
Why?
Because 91% of online shoppers want to track orders and are obsessed with refreshing their tracking page. A tracking page that can be branded and showing relevant upsells customers will want to buy when they associate your store with a positive experience, such as knowing exactly where their order is and when it will arrive.
Today, a remarkable 87.4% of online shoppers assert that their buying experience is greatly enhanced by delivery tracking. Furthermore, 25% express an extreme likelihood of returning to a brand that provides this service.
Order tracking and shipment delivery notifications add a whole new dimension to your customer experience and open a new revenue channel still untapped by most Shopify brands.
At the core of every successful e-commerce business is the happiness of its customers. Happy customers spend more and are more likely to make repeat purchases and stay loyal to your brand.
The order tracking process includes tracking pages, email and SMS notifications, and estimated delivery dates – essentially, everything that can turn your customer’s delivery anxiety into eager anticipation.
Never keep customers in the dark and let them start asking questions like:
- Has my order shipped?
- Is it in transit?
- When will it arrive?
Answering these questions the moment a customer places an order gives a feeling of instant relief, clarity, and peace of mind, knowing that they can trust your brand.
This is the feeling that will bring them back for a repeat purchase. Especially when you nudge them with email & SMS delivery tracking notifications that take them to your tracking page filled with relevant upsells.
Order tracking on Shopify entails more than attaching a tracking number to an order and sending it off into the wild.
In this article, we will dive into what order tracking for Shopify is, why it’s so important for getting more sales, and how you can seamlessly implement it in your store, ensuring you’re ready for better performance on BFCM 2023.
Understanding Order Tracking for Shopify
Here are the benefits of tracking orders for you as a merchant and your customers.
Merchant side
Delivery tracking involves monitoring the status of shipments from the moment they leave your store until they reach the customer’s doorstep. This monitoring includes connecting your store and the carriers responsible for the pickup and delivery.
Once this connection is established, the system operates seamlessly, managing carrier mapping and allowing you to focus on monitoring shipments and taking appropriate actions.
Customer side
For your customers, this translates into a branded order tracking page on your Shopify store. This page empowers them to track their orders using the ID they receive with their purchase confirmation.
As the package begins, multiple touchpoints inform customers via email and SMS. Shopify provides native order status events, such as shipping confirmation, out for delivery, and order delivered. However, advanced platforms like Rush offer an array of additional events, including estimated delivery times, in-transit updates, and more.
Business side
These additional touchpoints allow you to update your customers more frequently, keep them informed about crucial changes, and drive them back to your tracking page, where they can encounter upsells, cross-sells, and exclusive deals at the right time.
Why Activate Order Tracking Right Now
E-commerce is navigating turbulent waters, with order shipments significantly affected by international economic uncertainty, supply chain challenges, and market fluctuations.
Most popular channels for acquisition are so crowded that even the best brands need help. Yet, customers who are already loyal to your brand are known to spend 67% more than first-time buyers. The key lies in encouraging repeat sales and making the most of touchpoints with customers who have already engaged with your brand.
Here’s why your Shopify brand will succeed once you adopt delivery tracking:
- Drive return traffic from delivery notifications to your branded tracking page with upsells.
- Increase repeat sales through tracking page upsells, cross-sells, and other exclusive deals.
- Improve customer loyalty by alleviating customer concerns and enhancing the overall customer experience.
- Boost customer retention and lifetime value by transforming one-time buyers into returning customers.
- Save valuable time and support costs by reducing the number of “Where is my order” (WISMO) inquiries.
- Maintain control by continuously monitoring shipment status, progress, obstacles, delays, or failed deliveries.
The advantages for your customers are equally compelling:
- Say goodbye to concerns about the status of their orders.
- Experience excitement and anticipation instead of delivery anxiety.
- Gain the ability to plan their day and week effectively.
How Brands Increase Repeat Sales with Order Tracking
Shopify brands that leverage order tracking can provide a top-tier delivery experience that yields remarkable results. Some notable success stories include:
- Roma Designer, which achieved a 95X ROI and generated over $74,000 in additional revenue.
- Combat Iron Apparel, experiencing a 50X ROI and adding more than $140,000 in revenue.
- Truck Mount Forums, boasting a remarkable 278X ROI and contributing an additional $73,000 in revenue.
The key to these successes is building an infinite sales loop. When a customer makes a purchase, automated SMS and email notifications encourage them to return to the order tracking page, where they encounter upsells, cross-sells, and enticing offers.
This approach allows your business to generate more revenue from the customers you’ve invested heavily in bringing to your store.
Four Key Tactics to Drive More Sales with Order Tracking
77% of customers check tracking sources more than once when they are provided.
To create the ultimate buying experience that your customers dream about, consider implementing the following four critical tactics related to delivery tracking and notifications for your Shopify store:
- Estimated Delivery Time on Product Pages: A precise delivery date on your product pages can significantly boost your conversion rate. A study found that 71.5% of shoppers positively view estimated delivery dates when purchasing.
- Branded Order Tracking Page: Your order tracking page on your Shopify website is the hub of your delivery tracking strategy. 71% of customers said they get a greater feeling of control in the face of global uncertainty caused by the pandemic with the help of order tracking. This positive experience enhances brand trust and encourages repeat sales, creating an infinite sales loop.
- Branded Delivery Tracking Emails: The average remarketing email open rate is around 21%, while shipment tracking emails have a staggering 91.4% open rate, which means customers want to read those emails when there’s essential information to convey about order status, delays, returns, or failed deliveries. Automating email updates at critical points in the delivery journey helps bring customers back to your store and encourages repeat purchases.
- Branded Delivery Tracking SMS: SMS is a highly reliable channel for updating customers about their order status. With an impressive open rate of over 98%, SMS ensures that delivery tracking updates will be noticed. Moreover, 38% of shoppers prefer receiving shipment updates via text messages rather than email. Implementing SMS notifications enhances brand trust, customer loyalty, and repeat sales.
Building the Delivery Experience Customers Dream About
To fully harness these order tracking tactics, consider using a platform like Rush. With support for over 1,300 carriers and seamless integration with Shopify, SMS, and email marketing apps, Rush streamlines implementing these essential strategies. Getting started with a free plan today will ensure you’re ready to leverage this new revenue channel.
Author Bio
Mike Savoff serves as Shopify Marketing Strategist at Rush.app. He leads Rush.app’s efforts to help e-commerce brands increase revenue by turning one-time buyers into repeat customers. With just a few clicks, Rush enables shipping notifications that take customers to high-converting and beautifully crafted tracking pages filled with upsells and cross-sells. Rush.app displays your order’s predicted delivery date and provides effortless personalization to increase customer lifetime value.
Mike’s decade-plus career in e-commerce has been focused on the Shopify post-purchase experience – from SMS automation and recovering abandoned carts through checkout solutions and upselling, with expertise on making the most of each customer a Shopify brand pays to acquire. Mike works with clients to discover the most meaningful metrics to reveal data-driving insights to increase revenue and profits. Mike has built a portfolio of consistent performance-driving results with marketing leadership roles at companies from SMSBump to Checkout X and Vanga AI. Follow on Twitter & LinkedIn.
