With businesses operating online worldwide, the fastest way to grow your customer base is through international shipping. While product quality and brand reviews are easy to come by, making sure your order actually gets to you is a different story. This is where order tracking comes into play.
Anytime you order from an online retailer it is important to make sure that a package tracking will be available, before handing over your money. This will give you peace of mind in knowing where your product is at any given time and it will also let you plan around delivery delays. Did you know that according to a recent study, one out of every 10 online orders never makes it to its destination? With online tracking, you can make sure that your order is not in the minority.
Tips to Get Your Order Status
Checking on the status of your order is easier than you may think. Every eCommerce platform will have slightly different tracking tools. These tools will be tailored to fit the needs of their target market and make tracking orders simple. However, with every retailer instituting different tracking protocols, managing orders has become overly complex. We have some tips that will help simplify the process.
Order From A Reputable Online Store
There is nothing stopping anyone from launching an online store. That means that good brands and nefarious sellers alike can set up shop. The first step in making sure that you will actually get your order is checking the reputation of the retailer. Look for reviews and make sure that the retailer offers options for tracking your order before handing over your money.
Secure a Tracking Number
Every order should come with a tracking number. Once you place your order, make sure that you save the email or write down your tracking number in a safe place. This code is the only way to track your package aside from reaching the customer service line of the retailer.
Get Familiar With Tracking Terms
Most shipping companies will use standard terminology when referring to goods and their status. While many of these terms are self-explanatory, some may be confusing. The best way to stay on top of your orders is to familiarize yourself with eCommerce shipping terms. Not only will it give you more confidence when shopping online, but it will also help you decipher what’s going on with your packages.
For example, D.O.A in shipping means the package has been severely damaged. A.T.A. stands for the actual time of arrival of a package. When you see the term Lead Time, this means the amount of time between when you place the order, and when it is actually shipped. F.O.B., however, stands for the person in charge of any damaged packages. Density in shipping is the amount of space your order takes up in the shipping box.
Use a Reliable Package Tracking Service
There are several online package tracking services to choose from, most courier companies have their own tracking service, but if you only have a tracking number without the name of the transporter, like it is in most cases, there are tracking tools like Ordertracker that detect automatically the transporter from the tracking number. These tools can provide you with the tracking information in full only from your tracking ID. Make sure to always use a reliable tracking website, as some of the services can lead to misunderstandings and wrong data regarding your package, especially for parcels shipped from China.