In 2026, ecommerce customers expect complete visibility into their orders. This means that they have to be able to track the order progress from checkout -> delivery.
If they are not able to view this easily, it will lead to frustration, an increase in tickets, and even lost sales. So offering good and simple order tracking is important for a great customer experience.
This guide will show you step by step how to set up order tracking for your Shopify store. We will use Shopify's native features, the best apps for order tracking, and I'll show you the best strategies to use.
We will also look into how you can use AI automation to improve customer engagement.
Let's find out how you can set up a quality order tracking system that will keep your customers informed and satisfied.
Order tracking on Shopify
Having a good order tracking system has a lot of advantages. Before I show you the different methods you can use, it might be helpful to understand exactly why order tracking is important.
Why is it important
Order tracking will improve customer communication by giving customers real-time updates. They can instantly see order status, when it will arrive, and tracking details.
Having this instantly available will reduce customer anxiety and help with building trust for your brand. Clear and accessible order tracking will reduce your support team's workload.
Your customer who is patiently waiting for their order can simply go to your website and see the latest updates.
AI tools such as chatbots can also help your customers in the same way. They actually speak to your customer and find the tracking details for them.
Order tracking process overview
Shopify already has a few order tracking features built in. One of them is their order status page, where customers can view the current order status.
But you can also set up order tracking in several other ways:
- Using an AI chatbot
- Sending SMS notifications
- Use apps with branded tracking pages and email templates
How to set up order tracking for your customers in Shopify
Shopify's native order tracking features are pretty good, but they are not perfect.
It's good to have a look at how your store is set up to make sure everything is aligned with your brand. You might also want to test to make sure that your customers have the means to check their order status.
In the next section, I will walk you through how to set up Shopify's native order tracking features.
Steps to enable Shopify's native order tracking features
The order status page is the biggest part of Shopify's order tracking system. Your customers will land on this page as the final step after the checkout process.
After checkout, they will see a summary of their order and its current status. If your carrier supports it, they will also see real-time order updates on the shipment's location.
Customers can also revisit this page when they log back into their account later. Generally, you want to include a link to this page in other places as well, like your emails and website footer. Shopify often includes them in its email templates already.
To make sure, go to Settings > Notifications > Order Confirmation and preview the message. There will be a button that says "view your order."
Setting up order tracking notifications
The other key part of Shopify’s order tracking features is its notifications. Shopify comes with a few pre-built notifications that customers can use to monitor the status of their orders. These notification messages include:
Notifications are the next important step in your order tracking setup. Shopify already has a few pre-built templates that you can use:
- Order confirmation: Sent when a customer finalizes an order
- Shipping confirmation: Sent when you change the order status to fulfilled
- Shipping update: Sent when you add or update a tracking number to the order
- Out for delivery: Sent when an order containing a tracking number is out for delivery
- Delivered: Sent when an order with a tracking number is delivered
The order confirmation, shipping confirmation, and shipping updates inlcude a link to the order status page.
The delivery messages do not link to the order status page; they only include a tracking number.
For order confirmation messages, they will receive an SMS to the number they filled in at checkout. Shopify doesn't send SMS messages for order and shipping updates.
If they also gave their email, they will get a confirmation and shipping updates there, too.
Adding a tracking number to an order
Orders need a tracking number to enable tracking updates. You can add tracking numbers manually to orders in the dashboard:
Click on the order, mark it as fulfilled, and then click on the add tracking button
Customizing your order status page
You can customize your order tracking, and I'd recommend you do so. This will make sure it fits the theme of your brand.
To make changes, go to Settings > Checkout > Configurations. There, you can find the active configuration and select Customize.
After the editor opens, use the dropdown menu at the top of the page to select the order status page. From there, you can customize the page to fit your brand.
If you ship orders using a Shopify-supported carrier, the order status updates on the page in real-time (by default).
Shipping through supported will also display the shipping location on a map. Just to be clear, the default Shopify order statuses are:
- Confirmed: The customer's order is created, but has not yet been shipped or fulfilled.
- On its way: The order is marked as either fulfilled or partially fulfilled, and the shipment is currently in transit.
- Out for delivery: The shipment has arrived in the customer's area and will be delivered shortly.
- Delivered: The customer has received their shipment.
- Attempted delivery: The carrier attempted to deliver the shipment but was unsuccessful.
Delivery tracking with Shop
The Shop App gives you another way to let customers track their orders. It includes real-time order status updates, delivery notifications, and live-map tracking.
If your store appears in Shop, customers can use the app to track any order, provided it includes a tracking number from a supported carrier.
Order information from Shopify stores is also synced to the Shop app after a customer creates an account.
In your Shopify admin, you can turn on the option to let customers install the Shop app from your order status page. Customers can still use the app to track orders, whether or not you add the download option to your order status page.
Note that Shop app tracking is only available in:
- United States
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Australia
Best Shopify apps for order tracking
Shopify has tools to help customers track their orders. But you might want to use a special app to make this even easier and better.
Good tracking apps include Ringly, AfterShip, and ParcelTrackr.
These apps have cool features for your customers. They offer smart updates about the order status.
They also give customers a tracking page that looks like your store. And they send messages by themselves to let customers know where their order is.
Overview of the most popular order tracking apps
Ringly is an AI phone support tool that works on top of your current help desk. It's not built for only order tracking, in general, it can resolve 73% of Shopify support calls without a human.
Ringly has built in features that allow customers to get real-time order status on the phone. When a customer calls, Ringly will find their order before they even start to speak.
Order status calls are usually handled within 30 seconds with Ringly.
AfterShip
AfterShip is a tool for checking on packages. It lets you make a tracking page that looks like your store. It sends messages on its own from over 1,100 different mail companies. You get a main screen to see how all your shipping is going. Also, it can send text messages. This helps stop people from calling to ask, "Where is my order?"
Trackr
is a tool that helps watch packages. It works with over 2,100 different mail companies. It shows where an order is right now, and it sends email notes to customers. You can make the page where people check their order look just like your store. It can also share this information in more than 40 languages.
Setting up order tracking with Ringly
Adding order tracking to your phone support can be done within minutes:
1. Upload your FAQ's
After you’ve signed up for Ringly, your agent will automatically be set up for you. It will be trained on your website and connect to your Shopify store. If you want to add more information to your agent, you can just add it to the knowledge base.
2. Adding escalation options
Once you connect a phone number in the dashboard, your agent is ready to go. It will be able to solve at least 70% of your support calls. To make sure the remaining 30% get the help they need, you can set up real-time call transfer, or let the agent create a ticket in your helpdesk.
3. Analyze your calls
Your agent is now ready to go, a nd you can publish the phone number to your site for customers to call. Once you start getting some calls, Ringly will analyze every call on user sentiment, call category, and much more. So you can keep track of exactly what's happening in the analytics dashboard.
Benefits of offering order tracking
Improving customer satisfaction and loyalty
When customers can see where their order is, shopping feels better:
- It helps people know about their packages.
- When customers are informed, they feel good about the store.
- Happy customers often buy again.
- This leads to customers who like the store more, and the store makes more money.
Reducing support workload
When people can easily track their orders, they ask "Where Is My Order?" less often. This makes the job easier for the team that helps customers. This also saves the business money because less time is spent on simple questions. The workers who help customers can then work on bigger, harder problems instead.
Building trust by being transparent
To make customers feel good about a store, you must talk to them often and be honest. Giving updates about orders and having a nice page to check status makes customers feel that everything is okay. When they see where their package is right now, it makes them worry less. This helps customers trust the store more, and it makes the store's name look good.
Technical requirements and costs of implementing order tracking
Giving customers order tracking on Shopify is a good idea for making them happy. But to keep giving them good information, you need to know about the tools, the cost, and what might be hard to do. You must look at what your store needs. Then you can pick the best way to track orders, using Shopify's tools or other apps, to make it work smoothly.
Do I need to be technical?
Making order tracking work on Shopify can be easy or hard, based on the way you choose. The tracking tool that is already in Shopify is very simple to use. It does not need a lot of special skill. You only need to turn on customer accounts. Then, you set up messages about orders and put the tracking number in the notes you send when an item ships.
Using most Shopify order tracking apps is also quite easy. But making special tracking pages or messages might need some simple coding knowledge. This can include:
- Knowing Shopify Liquid: This helps you quickly change the tracking page's design.
- Knowing basic HTML and CSS: This helps change how the order page looks.
- Knowing how to use APIs: This is for stores that want to connect to other special tools or mail companies.
Potential costs and fees
The money you spend to set up order tracking on Shopify changes based on how you decide to do it. You need to think about a few main things when looking at the cost:
Third-party order tracking apps
The tracking that Shopify gives you is free and uses its order status page and emails. But this free way does not have special things, like a tracking page with your store's name, or smart updates. Other tracking apps have these special features, but they may cost money each month. For example:
- AfterShip is free for a small number of packages (50 shipments). After that, it starts at $11 each month.
- ParcelTrackr starts at $10 each month for tracking up to 400 orders.
Custom development costs
If you choose to build your own tracking page or connect with mail companies using special tools, you will have more costs. You might need to pay someone who writes code for Shopify. Paying this person can cost from $50 to $150 for just one hour of work.
Common challenges and how to overcome them
Shopify's own tools and the other apps give you a good start for tracking orders. But you may still run into some common problems when you try to make the whole tracking system for your customers work perfectly.
1. Carrier Limitations
The Shopify order page does not work with every mail company. To show updates on the order page, you must use one that Shopify helps. The mail companies that Shopify supports include:
- USPS
- UPS
- Canada Post
- DHL Express
- FedEx
These companies let the order page show where the package is right now, sometimes even on a map. If you use a company that Shopify does not help, the page only shows a number that links to that company's website. It does not show where the package is right now. Some smaller mail companies also do not give many updates. This makes it hard to give helpful updates, because the order's spot does not refresh often.
The best way to fix this is to use one of the mail companies that Shopify supports. This will make sure your order page shows where the package is right now. These supported mail companies update the order's status often until the package gets to the customer's house.
2. Tracking Delays
The tracking numbers from mail companies usually work well. But sometimes, the updates can be slow. This can make customers upset when they check their order, but cannot see new information.
You cannot control slow tracking from the mail company. But you can tell customers about the chance of slow updates. You should let them know what to expect. You can put this message in the emails you send about tracking and on the page where they check their order status.
3. Integration Issues
Using other apps or special tracking tools can make your system better. But they might also cause connection problems. If an app is not set up right, it might not work well with your Shopify store design or other apps you use.
You can fix this problem by trying out the new tracking app or tool on a practice store first. Do this before you put the new system in the real store that your customers use.
Strategies to improve customer engagement with order tracking
Giving customers clear updates on time helps them know what is happening. This makes them less unsure and shows that the store can be trusted. Every time you send a tracking message, it is a chance to make the store's name look good. It lets you talk to customers even after they buy something.
Integrating order tracking with customer engagement platforms
you do not have to only use the usual Shopify messages for tracking orders. You can connect your tracking system to other special tools that talk to customers. This lets you give updates right away and talk to customers in many ways.
For example, email tools can send special updates and sales messages based on where the package is. Also, tools like Postscript can send text messages (SMS) with updates when Shopify's own tool cannot. This helps fill in the gaps for keeping customers updated.
Using order tracking data for personalized communication
You can use the information from order tracking to talk to customers in a special way. Here are ways to make the tracking process special for each person:
- Ask what they think: Use the order status page to add a link to a short survey. This helps you get ideas about how the shopping went.
- Remind them to buy again: If the package has something they use often, you can add a simple reminder. This tells them to buy it again soon.
- Say thank you with a deal: After the package arrives, send a thank-you message just for them. This can include a special discount.
Best practices for your order tracking communication strategy
You must talk openly with customers while their order is being made and sent. Send quick email updates for when the order is placed, when it ships, and when it is delivered. Good ways to do this include:
- Keep notes short and clear: Customers should know the order status right away.
- Give many ways to track: Let customers check their order on the status page, through a smart chat (AI), and by email.
- Use your store's look: A custom tracking page that matches your brand helps people trust you.
How to use AI for advanced order tracking solutions
Using AI in your order status system is another really good addition to your order tracking. They will reduce your support ticket volume without sacrificing customer satisfaction.
How AI can improve order tracking
Letting AI solve your WISMO tickets will reduce your ticket volume by up to 40%. With AI, you can offer 24/7 consistent support at a fraction of the costs.
Real-time engagement with AI agents
Instead of having to wait for a human, AI will be able to help them instantly. And, in 2026, using AI does not mean sacrificing on quality. From our numbers, we have seen that pretty often customers actually prefer speed, which AI offers all the time.
How to optimize your order tracking system
Make sure you keep your order tracking system up to date. AI is changing the space fast, and new opportunities to improve pop up weekly, if not daily.
Also, try to go through your own flow regularly so you can find flaws more easily.
Gathering customer feedback for continuous improvement
No one understands the order tracking experience better than your customers. That's why you need their feedback to improve.
You can use surveys or review requests to find out what they would want to change. Additionally, use AI to analyze your support. This will also give you lots of insights.
Tip: platforms like Ringly already offer analysis on every call.
Track metrics to optimize performance
Finally, make sure you keep a good track of the numbers. For instance, more and more people are asking you for shipping status; it might be a sign that you need to improve on shipping.
It is also important to measure tickets related to order tracking.
Keeping updated with Shopify updates and app improvements
Shopify and your third-party apps update their platforms regularly. Shopify will notify you of changes, so look out for those.
Shopify has almost infinite data and build their new feature on top of this data. Make sure you take advantage of this!
Bottom line
Simple and easy order tracking is a must for a successful e-commerce brand. Setting up a system for it is definitely worth it in my opinion.
Key Takeaways
Here are the key takeaways for order tracking systems for Shopify stores:
- Set up Shopify’s built-in order status page and notifications
- Use AI agents to give customers self-service options
- Find out the technical requirements for setting up order tracking features and apps
- Calculate the potential costs and fees that come with third-party apps
- Stay up to date with Shopify, third-party apps, and carrier updates
Use AI agents to offer a better experience for your customers
With Ringly, you can add 24/7 instant phone support to your store. Out of the box, your AI agent will resolve at leasy 70% of calls, and transfer the rest to your team via a real-time transfer or by creating a ticket.
