With the rise of global e-commerce platforms, it’s easier than ever for customers to purchase items online and have them delivered in days or even hours. However, the time period after making a purchase is often filled with anticipation and anxiety. Customers wonder where their package is and when it will arrive.
This is where shipping notifications come in. A shipping notification gives the customer important information about the status of their delivery, transforming that anxious waiting period into one of excitement. Let’s explore best practices for shipping notifications to create an excellent experience for your customers.
What is a shipping notification?
A shipping notification is a message sent to customers after they make a purchase from an e-commerce business. These messages tell customers where their order is in the delivery process and provide an estimated delivery date and time. Customers typically receive multiple notifications as part of the order delivery process.
These notifications are often sent as text messages as part of an organization’s broader SMS marketing campaign. The text message will typically contain a link that takes the recipient to a webpage with more detailed information.
Text messages aren’t the only way to send shipping notifications. Some companies use email notifications instead. If your brand has its own app, you can also provide shipping updates using push notifications and in-app updates.
Why do you need shipping notifications?
Shipping notifications are an essential part of your customer communications and post-purchase experience. With advances in e-commerce technology, tracking online orders has become the norm. In fact, 91% of consumers say they actively track their packages, going out of their way to see where the order is and when it’s arriving.
Here’s why shipping notifications are so important:
- Building customer trust and satisfaction: Shipping notifications show customers you care about their orders and are making every effort to ship them as quickly as possible. This helps boost customer satisfaction before the order even arrives.
- Reducing customer inquiries: Shipping and delivery updates give customers transparency about their order details and delivery time. This keeps them informed and can reduce time-consuming customer inquiries.
- Handling issues proactively: With shipping notifications, you can let customers know right away if an order is delayed. This prevents the frustration and confusion that often come with late shipments.
- Enhancing brand reputation: Shipping notifications demonstrate that your brand is professional and responsive. This can improve your broader brand reputation and perception.
Types of shipping notifications businesses should send customers
There are several different types of shipping notifications you can send to your customers after they’ve placed an order. Each of these types of shipment notifications provides important information and clarity for the customer about where their order is.
Order confirmation
Right after the customer places an order, they should receive a confirmation letting them know that their payment has been approved and their order has been processed. Without an order confirmation, customers might assume that there has been an error and place a duplicate order, which can lead to customer service headaches.
Many brands opt to use email for order confirmation messages. This is because emails provide more room to list product details, payment confirmation, shipping FAQs, and other important information. However, you can also send this information via text message with a link to an order confirmation page.
Shipment notification
A shipment notification lets the customer know that their order is packaged and ready to ship. This notification should contain an estimated delivery date and time so the customer knows when to expect it.
Additionally, shipment notifications should contain a tracking number linking to a site where they can track their order. This gives the customer a transparent look at their order as it moves through the shipping system.
Out-for-delivery notification
Once the package has been shipped, the next step is to send a notification letting the customer know that the product is out for delivery. This gives the customer a more accurate idea of when they will receive the order. Include the product tracking link for more clarity.
This is particularly important as porch thieves often target packages from e-commerce platforms. In fact, over 35% of Americans had a package stolen in 2023. When the customer receives a notification that their item is in transit, they can prepare to pick up their package as soon as it arrives and prevent potential thefts.
The timing of your out-for-delivery notification will vary depending on your shipping carrier and logistics strategy. In most cases, e-commerce providers will send this notification when the shipment leaves the local warehouse in your city and will be delivered within the day.
Delivery confirmation
A delivery confirmation message lets the customer know that their order has been delivered so they can retrieve it. Depending on your shipping carrier and their policies, this notification could also include a photo of the package after delivery.
This message gives the customer a sense of closure in the shipping process. It also provides written confirmation that the package has been delivered, which can be helpful if any customer service inquiries or disputes arise.
Some high-value products require the customer’s signature for delivery. If this is the case and the customer is not home, the delivery driver may need to leave and return at a later time. When this happens, you can send a delivery attempt notification, letting the customer know what happened and providing an updated delivery time.
Additional notifications
There are many additional shipment status notifications you can use for special circumstances. Customers usually appreciate receiving detailed updates about their purchases, even if the delivery is running late.
Some notifications you can send include:
- Delivery exception: A delivery exception or shipment exception message indicates that the package is temporarily delayed in transit. This typically happens due to inclement weather or mechanical issues that are out of the business’ control.
- Delivery delay: This notification lets customers know about delays that don’t fall under the delivery exception category. The message should provide an updated estimate for your delivery date and time.
- Delivery window update: When your shipping schedule changes, packages can arrive earlier or later than expected. This notification gives your customer a new delivery window to watch for.
- Customer satisfaction survey: After the delivery is complete, you can send the customer a quick survey about their delivery experience. This is a very effective way to collect feedback from your customers and improve your delivery processes.
Best practices for shipping notifications
To make your shipping notifications as effective as possible, you’ll need to put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Eighty-five percent of customers say a bad delivery experience will prevent them from shopping with a company again, so you’ll want to do everything possible to make the experience a good one.
Here are some best practices to keep in mind when planning your organization’s shipping communications strategy.
1. Send proactive updates
Customers don’t like being left in the dark about their order status. If they’re unsure where their order is at any point during the shipment process, it could result in a breach of trust that makes them less likely to purchase from you in the future.
Instead, send proactive updates to your customers, even if something isn’t going as planned. Although it’s frustrating when a shipment is delayed, customers will feel better knowing exactly what’s happening and adjust their delivery expectations.
2. Personalize notifications
One of the simplest but most effective SMS marketing best practices is to personalize your messages to your customers. Small details like adding the customer’s first name to the notification makes it feel much more welcoming and less generic. These personalized touches show customers that you value their business and care about their experience, and they can subconsciously influence customer loyalty.
3. Include tracking information
These days, most shipping providers give customers an easy way to track their orders. This gives customers an easy way to see exactly where their orders are. This level of transparency and visibility helps build all-important trust with your customers.
In each message, include the customer’s tracking number, or a link to the shipping provider’s website where they can track their order.
4. Provide customer support information
Sending shipping and delivery notifications can reduce customer support requests. However, there are still instances where a customer might have questions or need help with their order.
Include customer support information in your delivery notifications to make the process as simple and easy as possible. Let customers know exactly how to reach your support team, whether that’s via phone, email, live chat, or social media. For clarity, you should also specify the hours that your support team is available.
5. Ensure mobile-friendly tracking
Since many people use their mobile devices to keep track of their online shopping orders, it’s essential for your shipping notifications to be mobile-friendly. If you include links in your SMS messages, they should direct to responsive websites that adapt to different screen sizes. If you are using email notifications instead, those email templates should be responsive as well.
Enhance your shipping notifications with shortened links from Bitly
Shipping notifications help create an excellent purchase experience for your customers. Making a purchase online can feel like a risk in some cases, but providing timely shipping options boosts customer confidence and trust to keep them coming back.
The Bitly Connection Platform can make it easier for your business to build customer confidence. Bitly Links fit neatly into SMS or email shipping notifications, easily directing your customers to websites with more information. You can customize each short link to fit your brand, and tracking capabilities make it easy to analyze traffic from your shipping notifications to your website.
Take your shipping notifications to the next level with Bitly short links: Create an account today to get started.