Getting a customer to visit your eCommerce site is tough, but convincing them to place an order, that’s even tougher. Now, imagine yourself having accomplished both these tasks but your customers still don’t return for the next purchase.  

While you may think the issue lies with your product or marketing plan or your shipping partner, chances are you are looking in the wrong direction. You might have missed the mark on a simple customer experience point. Perhaps you didn’t notify them of their order’s status. 

Or, more seriously you received a couple of their anxious “Where is my Order” (WISMO) calls. Such a tragedy could have been avoided easily if you had reliable shipment tracking software. 

In this article, we’ll take care of your pain point and give you the best options for shipment tracking softwares.

What is Shipment Tracking Software?

A shipment tracking software is a platform that makes the order fulfillment and shipping process an automated, seamless, and easy-to-control operation. A shipping software additionally has tracking capabilities for end-to-end visibility of a shipment’s movement from the moment it is handed over to a carrier from a warehouse or fulfillment center. 

Shipment tracking software is a technology platform that gives you direct visibility and control over your shipments, from the time of their dispatch to final delivery. 

Such a software seamlessly automated tracking using advanced shipping API and webhook integration technology. A shipment tracking software or a shipping automation software is typically integrated with multiple carriers. 

It keeps track of the carrier’s database and gets updated with a parcel’s location as and when the airway bill (which contains a unique tracking ID for every shipment) is scanned while in transit. This way, you are always in sync with the movement of your shipment till it reaches your customers.

Top 10 Best Shipment Tracking Software – Unbiased Reviews for eCommerce Businesses [2024 List]

With so much to gain from integrating with shipment tracking software, let’s look at the best possible eCommerce automation tools for your business’s success.

1) ClickPost 

ClickPost is a multi-carrier shipment tracking software that specializes in automated shipping, NDR management, and returns management authorization. It comes pre-integrated with 400+ carriers and is trusted by 350+ brands worldwide to deliver a branded tracking experience to customers.

ClickPost has garnered its clients’ appreciation for real-time order tracking and a multi-pronged order notification system. It has a track record of reducing WISMO calls and support tickets by improving operational efficiency with on-time shipment tracking and exception management.

It monitors SLA breaches, shipment delays, and shipping exceptions like stuck shipments and reports of any impending delivery issues.

Here are a few of the reasons why you can consider ClickPost for shipment tracking:

• It has both Push and Pull APIs and Webhooks to provide real-time order status and the flexibility to integrate with your tech stack.
• It offers a unified dashboard view from where you can monitor, sort, and filter shipments conveniently exercising total control over them.  
• Its domain-masked branded tracking page gives on-time tracking updates to customers plus revised delivery dates in case of delays. 
• It embeds personalized product recommendations into the tracking page for cross-selling.
• It sends milestone-specific notifications to customers via SMS, email, WhatsApp, and IVRS.
• It sends proof of deliveries from carriers, reports on fake delivery attempts, and lets your customer give feedback after every delivery. 

2) FarEye

FarEye is a last-mile optimization solution that aims to bring down shipping costs and instill customer loyalty. It caters to brands desiring a simplified approach to managing last-mile logistics for tracking, shipping and routing shipments.

FarEye has received positive reviews from its users for reducing turnaround time and delighting customers with real-time tracking. Fareye has a vast array of 5000+ carriers. When paired with its dynamic route planning and scheduling system it makes it a good tracking tool for all types of businesses and 3PLs (3rd party logistics).

Here are some of its core strengths in tracking and shipping:-

• It gives accurate estimated arrival times with the combination of multimodal shipment tracking and cross-dock scanning.
• It ensures shipping efficiency with an AI-powered routing system and a dynamic delivery mechanism for rescheduling deliveries flexibly. 
• It gives granular visibility of shipment movements across multiple carriers, 3PL fleets, and ocean vessels.
• It integrates with WMS and TMS software for improved shipping and a unified view of the entire supply chain. 
• It has a predictive algorithm to forecast delays and delivery exceptions and lets you alert customers via notifications.

3) Sendcloud

Sendcloud is another shipping software that’s reliable and fast. It has a technology structure based on automation. Its elaborate set of APIs removes the tediousness of repetitive tasks like manually creating orders and tracking shipments from carriers.

Sendcloud comes pre-integrated with 100+ carriers and has a wide reach in the European market with a strong network of service points there. With Sendcloud you can improve your shipping performance, save time, and improve delivery experience for customers.

Here are a couple of ways Soundcloud optimizes shipment tracking:-

• Its widget version can be easily embedded into a checkout page to conveniently display delivery options to customers.
• Its tracking widget directly integrates into websites, enabling customers to find their order status without having to leave a site.
• It delivers notifications via email and SMS in six European languages.
• Its tracking page can display promo codes, product recommendations, upcoming promotions, and sales events.
• It can incorporate Instagram links on the tracking page and gives brands a chance to increase their followers.

4) Easyship 

Easyship is a cloud-based shipping automation software that has established its name for offering pre-negotiated and discounted shipping rates. It has a base of 250+ carriers for domestic shipping across the U.S. and internationally. Easyship handles your customs clearance, prepares the right paperwork, and calculates taxes. 

Apart from this, it also improves customer conversions with a seamless checkout flow and personalized delivery experience. With Easyship you can manage relationships with your 3PL (3rd Party Logistics), warehouses, and other vendors as it integrates with a select batch of WMS, TMS, and ERP software.

Here are a couple of ways that Easyship streamlines the shipment tracking flow:

• It notifies customers via emails about their parcel’s movement once it’s dispatched.
• It uses real-time data from carriers to push estimated delivery dates.
• It offers custom branding tools for landing pages, tracking emails, and packaging slips. 
• Its APIs track couriers globally and showcase shipment information on a unified dashboard. 

5) ShipWell

ShipWell is a transportation management software that aids in inventory procurement, freight audit, visibility, and other supply chain solutions.

It easily configures and integrates with EMS, ERPs, CRMs, and other shipment tracking software. If your business requires direct fleet management, be it trucks, drayage, or ocean containers then ShipWell is the right solution.

Here are a couple of ways ShipWell helps with visibility and shipping:

• It offers intermodal and multimodal tracking across TLT, FTL, and parcel carriers, ocean containers, drayage, and rail cars. 
• It presents automated visibility of shipments in the first-mile, middle-mile, and last-mile phases on a single interface. 
• It gives early alerts for potential delays and proactive notifications for effective communication with customers.
• It enables you to monitor a carrier vehicle’s service hours through integrations with a native Electronic Logging Device (ELD).

6) Parcellab

Parcellab shipment tracking software offers 2 main services, one aimed at complete fulfillment and the other at integrating you to a top-class ecommerce suite. This includes superfast integrations with storefronts like Shopify, and marketplaces like Amazon, along with CRMs, chatbots, payment partners, etc.

Here are some ways in which Parcellab nails post-purchase customer experience:

• Boost NPS, reduce WISMO calls, and increase revenue with personalized order tracking portals and messages.
• Collect customer data around returns with a self-service returns portal.
• Run campaigns aimed at improving any aspect of your business with measurable outcomes and newer growth opportunities.

7) TrackingMore

TrackingMore is known for its API aggregation which enables businesses to tie up with the best shipping carriers and provide real-time order status notifications to customers. It offers integrations with many global shipping carriers like FedEx, DHL, UPS, USPS, etc. They also have a special feature exclusively built to help ecommerce companies manage logistics from China.

Some of TrackingMore’s special features include:

• Businesses can improve shipping performance with detailed insights shared by TrackingMore’s reports.
• They are connected with over 80 airlines and can provide live freight visibility of your moving goods.
• TrackingMore collects customer feedback after every fulfilled delivery.

8) ParcelPanel

ParcelPanel, from Channelwill, is a post-purchase customer experience software. It offers 3 main solutions – returns management, order tracking, and shipping insurance. It also provides integrations with ecommerce platforms, shipping carriers, and many other apps from the Shopify app store.

Some ways in which ParcelPanel can help you provide a better customer experience are:

• Send real-time shipment tracking notifications to customers and reduce Where Is My Order (WISMO) calls by almost 75%.
• Boost engagement and revenue with cross-sells and upsells on your branded tracking page.
• Encourage exchanges on the returns portal with featured items that your customers already like.

9) ParcelPerform

ParcelPerform is much more than just a shipment tracking software because its services focus on improving the entire supply chain. They have many different solutions that target specific pain points including the problem of delayed shipment status notifications.

Let’s see how ParcelPerform can help straighten your real-time visibility in terms of shipment movement:

• Offer accurate estimated delivery dates to customers so that they know when their orders are arriving from the start.
• It provides expert help to curate personalized shipment tracking notifications so that shoppers truly feel connected with your brand.
• Allows constant testing of new integrations so that everything keeps running smoothly at all times.

10) Ship24

Ship24 is a shipment tracking software in the sense that it provides tracking APIs for businesses and carriers. They offer 4 very straightforward services, customs clearance, APIs and webhooks, shipping logistics, and a tracking dashboard. 

Some of Ship24’s most beneficial services are:

• Ship24 can ship ecommerce products in 40 countries and the shipping charges depend on the weight and dimensions of the package.
• They help brands and their customers track the status of their shipments 24/7 and also provide constant customer support.
• Customers can also schedule pickup and delivery according to their availability.

4 Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Shipment Tracking Software

By now you know the basic functions of a shipment tracking software but that’s hardly enough. To really give your business an edge over the competition you need to pick one that works best for you. Think of these as must-have components of whichever software you choose.

1) Branded Tracking and Live Notifications

Your customers want real-time shipment tracking notifications and so do you. The provision of sharing automatic status updates with customers is the first and very basic want from any shipment tracking system. 

And it’s not enough to just send the alerts if you want to build a consistent brand voice. Make your customers feel connected with your business through personalized messages and a branded tracking page that allows you to showcase your best products to your shoppers.

2) Estimated Delivery Dates

Anyone who’s ever bought anything online knows exactly how tough the waiting time is. Estimated delivery dates, EDD for short, promise customers that their products will reach them on a certain specified date. It allows them to look forward to that day with anticipation and joy. 

The shipment tracking software must deliver on the promise you make to your shoppers or you risk losing your reputation. EDDs are also super critical for gift shopping. 

3) Multi-Carrier Integrations

There is no business without the customers and there are no customers without a varied shipping carrier suite that spans across geographies. A shipment tracking software, for that matter, any shipping software must offer a ton of carrier integrations so businesses can diversify their customer base with ease. Having multiple carriers at your disposal also allows you to bargain for better rates and eventually ship at lower prices.

4) Customer Support

One thing we can say for sure is that you will need help throughout your journey as an entrepreneur. Be it to take better businesses or to run software smoothly. 

Therefore, customer support or technical expertise is required at all times. Research, talk to previous clients, and question the team you want to work with about the kind of support you can expect while using the tracking software.

What Makes Shipment Tracking so Crucial?

According to a survey conducted by Verte, at least 90% of U.S. customers actively track their shipments. Moreover, around 80% of them have high expectations for receiving accurate tracking notifications. Even more tellingly, 70% of shoppers prefer checking their order tracking notifications over contacting customer service in case a shipment is delayed. 

This tells us that customers like to be in control in their post-purchase phase, and they are particularly sensitive before a delivery is completed. Hence, their demand for transparency.

To thrive in a competitive market and leave a lasting impression on your customers, order tracking has to be in your plan of action. 

Other than this, a shipment tracking software gives you critical details and reports that pinpoint inefficiencies in carrier performance and breaches of SLAs. When you track orders, you can preemptively handle delays, coordinate with carriers for alternate routes, and manage your customer’s shipping expectations.

A shipping software gives eCommerce businesses the ability to control all shipping-related performance, from order processing to managing final delivery. 

This involves processes like order manifestation with carriers, generating shipping labels, and allocating shipments to a standard shipping service provider. Then, tracking it along its journey to the customer’s address.

Meanwhile, eCommerce courier services companies can rely on these tracking software to connect with buyers for an enhanced post-purchase customer experience. They can do so with a branded tracking page or personalized customer notifications sent via SMS, email, and WhatsApp.

An eCommerce delivery tracking software raises the operational efficiency of businesses and improves shipping procedures. Below are some of the ways retailers can benefit from associating with it:-

• Integrate with multiple carriers and get pre-negotiated shipping rates.
• Conveniently connect with their eCommerce marketplaces, storefronts, WMS, OMS, and accounting software.
• Avail of multiple delivery methods like 2-day shipping and receive international shipping methods, customs handling, etc. 
• Design a comprehensive workflow for well-rounded order processing, order tracking to customer notifications system.
• It helps with returns and exchanges, creating a returns portal to take return requests, and dispatching carriers for reverse logistics.

Main Features Provided by Top Shipment Tracking Software for eCommerce Companies

Shipment tracking software works effectively to turn any delivery mechanism into the most streamlined version of itself. It does this using technologically advanced shipping solutions aided by API (application programming interface) Integrations, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and a wide range of smart devices and systems.

To make the most of an eCommerce logistics tracking software, you would need to know how best to utilize it. Keeping in mind the different features offered most commonly by various shipment tracking apps, like those listed below, can help you determine which specialized features you will need.

1. Uniform Order Management

Your business may have over 100 orders a day or reach as high as 1000 daily orders. You would accordingly rely on shipping partners like FedEx, BlueDart and Shadowfax to ship these orders. Instead of toggling between their platforms, all orders can be organized from a single page through software for shipment tracking.

Using shipping software can give you access to multiple carriers. Sometimes the number can be as high as 500+ or even 1000+ carriers operating all over the world.

Some of the multi-carrier shipping software has additional features like calculating shipping rates for a particular carrier. Or, offering you pre-negotiated shipping rates or discounts.

2. AI-Driven Shipping Partner Selection

AI’s are utilized by shipment tracking software to compute order information, like size, weight, and delivery destination, as well as past delivery data. With this combined data, an AI-driven engine can determine which shipping partner is best suited to deliver a specific order. 

Furthermore, some of the shipping software also enables you to configure your own parameters in the selection process and execute load distribution for certain carriers. This way you can have a more personalized AI allocation experience.

3. Automated Shipping Label Creation

Order tracking software solutions help automate numerous processes in the delivery mechanism, even prior to the order being picked up and transported.

Ordering processing is amongst those and the most important function is creating accurate and correct shipping labels. These shipping labels are responsible for guiding the order during shipping.

Most of the shipping software often allows for bulk generation of shipping labels for both single piece and multi-piece shipments (a batch of orders intended for the same recipient).

They can also provide the option to print prepaid return shipping labels for inclusion in the package. Moreover, some of them also give you the amenity to customize shipping labels.

4. Automated Shipping and Tracking

After order processing, the next most important process to automate is keeping customers informed about their orders’ whereabouts.

With the help of shipment tracking platforms, order tracking updates are collected as soon as an order crosses a new shipping milestone. As soon as an update is collected, the eCommerce shipment package or parcel trackers automatically passes it to customers.

The gold standard for tracking software is to use both APIs and webhook technology. This way, they can update you and your customers with the real-time changes in a shipment’s tracking status.

At the same time, each change can be updated to customers in real-time on the order tracking page. Additionally, some of these tracking software also offers branding options and marketing features in the branded tracking page for a more personalized tracking experience for customers.

5. AI-Driven Analytics 

eCommerce shipping isn’t just about delivering orders, but delivering orders in the most efficient manner. Delivery mechanisms can be optimized with the help of AI-driven systems.

An AI-based data analytics program collects past delivery data and provides analytic reports that provide critical business insights.

AI analytics lends business owners visibility and comprehension of the various issues in shipping operations. Identifying problems is the first step in ensuring they are rectified swiftly.

The most important metric is the one that gives you information about SLA breaches so that you can closely monitor and analyze your carrier’s performance.

Note:- There is a wide selection of features offered by a variety of shipping and tracking software. A few features are common to every shipment tracking software, like easy order management and order tracking.

However, many of them offer more specialized services that are unique to the platform and can be customized according to business needs. These seemingly simple features give brands the boost to stay ahead of the competition. Ultimately, they hit the goal of ensuring that customers enjoy the shopping experience with the brand by taking care of shipping.

What are the Costs of eCommerce Delivery/Order/Shipment Tracking Software?

E-commerce businesses rely heavily on shipping companies to fulfill their orders but management of these orders must be internally dealt with.

It is for this reason that shipping and courier software solutions are steadily becoming the go-to e-commerce shipping system. These software use AI (Artificial Intelligence), ML (Machine Learning), GPRS, and API (application programming interfaces) to enable smoother delivery functions as well as enhancement of shipping systems. 

To make such complex tech available, and continuously maintain and upgrade them, these software companies come at a cost, and that’s quite obvious.

There are a variety of payment plans and rates that e-commerce businesses can use to access the best tracking software for eCommerce shipment. A few of the most common ones are listed below.

1. Monthly Rates

Many parcel tracking software systems offer a monthly subscription rate. This is extremely cost-effective for large companies with a high volume of orders as it offers you a greater range of features and more flexibility in terms of shipping large orders. 

2. Per Shipment Rates 

For small and medium businesses, per shipment rates allow you to pay for each order independently. This rate can be charged on a standard basis, i.e., the same price for all shipments, or calculated for each order based on its weight and size. 

3. Discounted Rates

Some shipping tracking tools maintain close partnerships with their shipping partners. This allows them to offer discounted or lower shipping rates to e-commerce enterprises. Alternatively, the order software in itself may offer discounted rates conditionally.

4. Additional Features

With so many different technological advancements being used by delivery tracking software, many different eCommerce shipping features are made available. Some software solutions allow you to select the features you wish to utilize and pay for any additional features separately (beyond the base rate).

Most solutions even offer custom plugins that might cost you extra as per the software’s pricing model. 

5. Enterprise Solutions

Enterprise businesses need extra care in terms of shipping. That’s why almost (if not all) every eCommerce package tracking software provides a dedicated custom pricing system that’s a bit more expensive than other packages.

This extra cost is mainly incurred because of bulk order processing, advanced reporting modules, multi-channel integrations, and special customer support. 

Thus, if you’re an enterprise business, you may need to pay extra for efficient shipment handling. 

5 Clever & Effective Tips to Reduce the Overall Cost for Shipment Tracking Software

At this point of time, we are assuming that you have a good idea of how much you’ll have to spend for a shipping and tracking solution. Now, if the pricing seems too expensive for you, you can adopt a few tricks to lower the cost. For example:  

1. Go For the Basic Plan First

First things first, evaluate your shipment volume and other business needs. Based on that, go for the package that suits you the most.

However, if you are just starting out and have a limited budget to opt for shipping software, then start with the most basic plan it offers. And if you need extra services, you can invest in the feature add-ons instead of paying a huge amount of money in an expensive plan. 

In this way, you can examine the software’s capabilities and fulfill your requirements at the same time. In the future, upgrade the plan only if you think it’s necessary. 

2. Choose the Per-Shipment Rates

As we discussed earlier, most software solutions also offer per-shipment rates. It is a great way to reduce the cost, especially if your shipment volume fluctuates from time to time. 

Suppose you usually deal with 100 orders and you’ve opted for the starter plan for $20. Now, if the volume stands at 50 in the next month, you’ll still have to pay $20, which is a bit expensive as per the order volume. That’s why go with per-shipment rates and pay for additional features to keep the process running. 

3. Try to Negotiate With the Carriers

One of the major perks of working with a shipping software solution for tracking is that you can directly negotiate with the carriers it’s integrated with. Shipping aggregators don’t give you this flexibility.

Reach out to the carriers, negotiate with them, and come to a mutual agreement to use their services. If you are able to do so, you can reduce the overall logistics cost that you need to pay for the carrier’s services and the shipping software.

4. Use the Software’s Carrier Allocation Feature and Discounted Shipping Rates 

The delivery tracking software comes up with a carrier allocation engine. You can set up your own parameter of reduced shipping cost on that portal. In fact, some of them even let you compare shipping rates across multiple carriers.

Leverage these functionalities of your preferred shipping solution to minimize overall costs on a shipping solution.

5. Regularly monitor your shipping performance

Oftentimes, merchants overlook the nitty-gritty details of the shipment operations that cost them a large sum of money in the long run. For this reason, try to monitor your shipping performance and identify areas where you can save your money.

For example, if you find that you don’t need any extra add-ons or premium customer support service, you can cut down your costs there.  Apart from these, costs can also be kept low by ensuring losses caused by RTOs, fake deliveries, and other issues are reduced.

Note:- Shipment Tracking Apps can come in a variety of packages with numerous different features and serviceability options, all of which can affect the overall price of eCommerce shipping for your company.

Depending on the volume of orders your company deals with, the areas and pin code you service, and your business priorities when it comes to shipping, the best shipment tracking software in eCommerce can make a huge difference.

So, evaluate your shipment volume, types, and logistics goal and strategically come to a decision on how much you want to pay for eCommerce courier tracking software.

Conclusion

Without giving timely order notifications, your chances of retaining customers disappear. This is why having reliable shipment tracking software that automatically handles tracking, notifications, and delivery management is critical. We hope the above list will aid in your research so you land with the best shipment tracking software. You can choose any one of the above-listed software for tracking eCommerce shipments according to your business requirements, cost, and budget.