What is parcel monitoring?

Parcel monitoring (or package monitoring) is the process in which customers can receive updates on their orders throughout the delivery process. This process is usually done through a track and trace or order status page. Parcel monitoring can be depicted in many ways. It could include a visual representation, a word description, or a live map that tracks where the parcel is until it is delivered.

Depending on the retailer, customers can monitor their parcels on the carrier’s website or on the retailer’s website. On a retailer’s website, a customer can check on their parcel through a self-service portal. It also helps bring shoppers back to the site sooner rather than sending them to a carrier page.

What are the benefits of implementing parcel monitoring on an order status page?

Retailers can deliver a convenient and effective post-purchase experience by putting parcel monitoring, product and warehouse updates, details on multi-packaged orders, and inflight options for address or schedule changes on the order status page. When retailers provide customers with everything they need in one place, they are less likely to reach out to customer service for help.

Instead of sending customers to the carrier’s website, brands can leverage a post-purchase partner to get a page up and running on their own site. This page can deliver an authentic brand experience in the retailer’s look and voice. When this page is hosted on a retailer’s website, it is an additional way to build a community and differentiate your brand. Retailers can share posts from Instagram followers and influencers and encourage the customer who just made a purchase to do the same. There are many ways brands can make this page their own. More importantly, hosting this page opens the door for continuous improvement and customization of the experience to best fit the business.

With parcel monitoring integrated into the post-purchase experience, retailers can take advantage of site analytics to see how changes to the order status page can impact site traffic. Also, this is a place where brands can support integrated marketing campaign efforts and integrate a recommendation engine to encourage customers to shop while they wait. After all, customers are more likely to engage with an email if it is about their order.

What is the most accurate parcel monitoring software?

The most accurate monitoring information comes from the source – the carriers themselves. That being said, a post-purchase software with direct carrier API integrations (like parcelLab) would be the next best thing as we can give you near real-time shipment information and updates. Retailers could also leverage a post-purchase experience software to compare performance analytics across carriers and regions.

parcelLab has a whole team of data experts who manage all of our carrier interfaces. These experts watch for data changes and handle interpretation and matching. Additionally, they maintain load balancing and detect latency issues, so carrier data issues never cause challenges with customer communications. When retailers leverage a post-purchase solution for parcel monitoring, it helps reduce risk, identify areas for improvement, and improve customer experience.