How To Tell Customers Their Orders Shipped Woocommerce

How to Tell Customers Their Orders Shipped in WooCommerce: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

In the world of e-commerce, communication is key. One of the most important moments in the customer journey is when their order ships. A timely and informative shipping notification not only sets expectations but also builds trust and encourages repeat purchases. This article will guide you through the different methods of informing your WooCommerce customers that their orders have shipped, ensuring a positive experience from purchase to delivery. Effectively communicating shipping information can dramatically improve customer satisfaction and reduce inquiries.

Main Part: Communicating Order Shipments in WooCommerce

WooCommerce offers several ways to notify customers about their order shipment. Understanding and utilizing these Check out this post: How To Make A Subscription Product Woocommerce methods effectively is crucial for a successful online store. We will cover the built-in functionality, common plugins, and customization options.

1. WooCommerce’s Built-in Order Status Updates

WooCommerce has a built-in order status system that allows you to update customers automatically when their order status changes. The crucial status for shipping notifications is “Completed”. This status is typically assigned when an order is shipped.

• How it works: When you change the order status to “Completed” in the WooCommerce admin panel, WooCommerce automatically sends an email to the customer. This email, by default, notifies them that their order is complete.
• Enabling/Customizing the “Completed” Order Email:

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1. Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Emails.

2. Find the “Completed order” email type.

3. Ensure it’s enabled. If not, click “Manage” and check the “Enable this email notification” box.

4. Customize the email template. You can change the email subject, heading, and body to reflect that the order has shipped. Use the available placeholders like `{site_title}` and `{order_number}` to personalize the message.

Here’s a simple example of customizing the email body:

Hi {billing_first_name},

Good news! Your order #{order_number} from {site_title} has been shipped!

You can track your order using this tracking number: {tracking_number}

(If tracking information is available and added to the order).

Thanks,

The {site_title} Team

• Adding Tracking Information: The default WooCommerce email doesn’t automatically include tracking information. You’ll need to add this manually or through a plugin (explained below). To manually add tracking information:

1. Edit the order in WooCommerce admin.

2. Find the “Order actions” metabox.

3. Add a note with the tracking number and carrier (e.g., “Shipped via FedEx with tracking number 1234567890”). Mark this note as “Note to customer”. This will include it in the order update email.

2. Leveraging WooCommerce Plugins for Automated Shipping Notifications

While the built-in functionality is basic, WooCommerce plugins provide more robust and automated solutions for informing customers about shipments. Here are a few popular options:

• WooCommerce Shipping Tracking: This plugin, or similar ones, allows you to easily add tracking information to orders. It then integrates with the “Completed” order email (or other order status emails) to automatically include the tracking link. Benefits include:
• Automatically adding tracking information to the order email.
• Integration with various shipping carriers.
• Providing a tracking link directly in the email, simplifying the process for the customer.
• AfterShip: This is a comprehensive tracking platform that integrates with WooCommerce. It offers features like:
• Automatic tracking updates for customers.
• Branded tracking pages.
• Proactive notifications for potential delivery issues.
• Custom Email Plugins: Plugins like “YayMail – WooCommerce Email Customizer” or “Kadence WooCommerce Email Designer” allow you more control over customizing all WooCommerce emails, including the “Completed” order email. This enables you to design professional and branded shipping notifications.
• How plugins help: These plugins often automate the process of updating the order status, adding tracking information, and sending personalized emails. This saves time and reduces the potential for errors.

3. Custom Coding for Advanced Shipping Notifications

For advanced customization and integrations, you can use custom code snippets to modify WooCommerce’s shipping notification process. This requires some PHP knowledge.

• Example: Adding custom tracking details to the “Completed” order email:

 add_filter( 'woocommerce_email_order_details', 'add_custom_tracking_info_to_email', 10, 4 ); 

function add_custom_tracking_info_to_email( $order, $sent_to_admin, $plain_text, $email ) {

if ( $email->id == ‘customer_completed_order’ ) {

// Replace with your logic to retrieve the Read more about How To Switch Domain From Shopify To Woocommerce tracking number from order meta or elsewhere

$tracking_number = get_post_meta( $order->get_id(), ‘_tracking_number’, true );

$shipping_carrier = get_post_meta( $order->get_id(), ‘_shipping_carrier’, true );

if ( ! empty( $tracking_number ) && ! empty( $shipping_carrier ) ) {

echo ‘

Your order has been shipped via ‘ . esc_html( $shipping_carrier ) . ‘ with tracking number: ‘ . esc_html( $tracking_number ) . ‘

‘;

}

}

return $order;

}

Important: Place this code in your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin. Remember to replace `_tracking_number` and `_shipping_carrier` with the actual meta keys where you store the tracking information. Also, ensure proper escaping and sanitization of the retrieved data.

• Benefits of Custom Coding: Greater flexibility, integration with custom shipping solutions, and the ability to tailor the notification process precisely to your needs.

4. Best Practices for Shipping Notifications

• Be prompt: Send shipping notifications as soon as the order is shipped. Delaying notifications can cause anxiety and dissatisfaction.
• Provide clear tracking information: Include the tracking number and carrier in the notification. Ideally, provide a direct link to the carrier’s tracking page.
• Use Learn more about How To Add Checkbox In Variations Woocommerce a friendly and professional tone: Maintain a consistent brand voice in all your communications.
• Offer multiple communication channels (Optional): Consider providing shipping updates via SMS or other channels, in addition to email. This gives customers more options and improves engagement.
• Handle exceptions gracefully: If there are delays or issues with shipping, proactively communicate with the customer and explain the situation.

Conclusion

Informing customers that their orders have shipped is a critical component of Learn more about How To Make Woocommerce Reponsive a successful WooCommerce store. By leveraging WooCommerce’s built-in functionality, utilizing powerful plugins, or employing custom code, you can create a seamless and informative shipping notification process. Remember to prioritize promptness, clear tracking information, and a professional tone to build trust and encourage repeat purchases. Investing in a well-crafted shipping notification system will significantly enhance your customer experience and contribute to the long-term success of your online business.