In today’s competitive e-commerce landscape, the customer experience doesn’t end at checkout. In fact, what happens after the purchase is just as crucial for building brand loyalty and encouraging repeat business. The period between a customer clicking “buy” and the package arriving at their door is filled with anticipation, and providing clear, consistent, and branded tracking information is no longer a luxury—it’s an expectation. This is where a powerful shipping solution like ShipStation becomes a game-changer for online merchants.
By centralizing order fulfillment and offering robust tracking capabilities, ShipStation transforms the often-anxious waiting game into a positive, brand-affirming journey for your customers. This comprehensive guide will explore every facet of ShipStation’s tracking features, from the underlying technology to the branded customer-facing experience, showing you how to leverage this platform to delight your customers with every shipment.
Table of Contents
- what is shipstation and how does it work?
- The Core of the Experience: A Deep Dive into ShipStation Tracking
- Creating a Seamless Post-Purchase Journey with Branded Tracking
- How ShipStation Manages Tracking Across Major Carriers
- The Technology Behind the Scenes: APIs and Integrations
- Keeping Customers in the Loop: Proactive Notifications
- Understanding Auctane’s Role in ShipStation Tracking
- Troubleshooting Common Tracking Issues
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is ShipStation and How Does It Work?
Before we dive into the specifics of tracking, it’s important to understand the platform itself. what is shipstation and how does it work is a common question for growing businesses. At its core, ShipStation is a web-based Software as a Service (SaaS) platform designed to make e-commerce shipping efficient and affordable. It acts as a central hub where merchants can manage orders from all their selling channels—like Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and more—in one place.
The typical workflow is simple yet powerful:
- Import Orders: ShipStation automatically pulls in orders from your connected stores and marketplaces.
- Compare Rates & Create Labels: You can compare shipping rates from dozens of top carriers, access significant discounts, and print shipping labels in batches or individually.
- Notify & Track: Once a label is created, ShipStation sends the tracking information back to the original selling channel and, if you choose, directly to your customer.
This streamlined process saves merchants countless hours on manual data entry and allows them to focus on scaling their business. With support for over 130,000 companies, it’s a proven solution for businesses of all sizes.
The Core of the Experience: A Deep Dive into ShipStation Tracking
The true power of shipstation tracking lies in its ability to centralize and simplify a complex process. Instead of juggling multiple carrier websites, merchants and their customers have a single source of truth for every package.
When you create a label in ShipStation, the platform generates a unique shipstation tracking number from the chosen carrier (like UPS, USPS, or FedEx). This number is automatically associated with the order. From that point on, all tracking updates from the carrier are funneled through the ShipStation system. This allows for a unified view of all shipments, regardless of the carrier used.
Whether a customer wants to track shipstation packages or a merchant needs to check the status of a hundred outgoing orders, the process is consistent. This eliminates confusion and provides a professional, reliable experience. You can easily manage all shipstation tracking numbers from a single dashboard, giving you complete visibility into your fulfillment operations. For businesses that need to export this data, ShipStation also provides tools to export tracking numbers.
Creating a Seamless Post-Purchase Journey with Branded Tracking
One of the most impactful features for enhancing the customer experience is the shipstation branded tracking page. Instead of sending your customers to a generic carrier site filled with third-party ads, you can direct them to a beautifully designed tracking page that features your own logo, brand colors, and even promotional content.
This creates several key advantages:
- Reinforces Your Brand: It keeps the customer within your brand’s ecosystem, strengthening brand recall and trust.
- Reduces “Where Is My Order?” (WISMO) Inquiries: By providing clear, easy-to-access information on the shipstation tracking page, you empower customers to find answers themselves, reducing the burden on your support team.
- Drives Traffic and Sales: The branded tracking page shipstation can include links back to your store, social media profiles, or special promotions, turning a simple status check into a new sales opportunity.
Beyond the tracking page, you can also customize packing slips and notification emails with your branding, ensuring every touchpoint after the sale is a reflection of your company’s professionalism. The ability to track shipment shipstation becomes a fully integrated part of your brand’s story.
How ShipStation Manages Tracking Across Major Carriers
ShipStation’s strength comes from its deep integrations with a vast network of global carriers. This allows merchants to rate-shop for the best prices and services while providing a consistent tracking experience.
UPS
The ups by shipstation integration is a powerful tool for merchants. ShipStation is a certified UPS Ready® application, offering seamless connectivity and deep discounts—up to 77% off on UPS® Ground shipments and up to 83% off on international services. When you create a UPS label, ups shipstation tracking information is instantly available and synced with the order, providing real-time updates from pickup to delivery.
USPS
For U.S.-based merchants, ShipStation provides a free Stamps.com account, unlocking significant discounts on USPS services. shipstation usps tracking is streamlined, with all tracking events automatically updated in the dashboard. A key feature is the ability to generate a shipstation scan form. This document, officially known as a Shipment Confirmation Acceptance Notice (SCAN), allows a USPS carrier to scan a single barcode to accept an entire batch of packages, rather than scanning each one individually. This ensures your packages enter the mailstream and begin tracking immediately.
FedEx
The integration with fedex ship station provides access to competitive, pre-negotiated rates and a full suite of services. Just like with other carriers, FedEx tracking numbers are automatically generated and updated, giving you and your customers full visibility from your dashboard.
International and Regional Carriers
A common question is, does shipstation ship internationally? The answer is a resounding yes. ShipStation simplifies the complexities of cross-border shipping by integrating with global leaders like DHL Express, GlobalPost, and Asendia, as well as regional powerhouses like Canada Post and Royal Mail. This makes cross-border shipping customer satisfaction achievable by providing clear customs documentation and reliable international tracking. For Canadian merchants, canada post shipstation tracking works just as seamlessly as its domestic counterparts.
The Technology Behind the Scenes: APIs and Integrations
For businesses with custom workflows or those looking to embed shipping functionality into their own platforms, the shipstation tracking api is an essential tool. The API allows developers to programmatically access tracking information, create labels, and get rates, enabling endless customization. Through tracking webhooks, your system can receive automated notifications at every step of the delivery process, which can be used to trigger custom emails or update an internal dashboard.
It’s also worth clarifying the distinction between shipstation vs ship engine. ShipEngine is a multi-carrier shipping API platform, also owned by Auctane. While both provide powerful API capabilities, ShipStation’s companion API is designed to work in tandem with the robust user interface of the ShipStation application, whereas the standalone ShipStation API (formerly ShipEngine) is a pure, end-to-end API solution for developers. Over time, these two offerings are being brought together into a single, enhanced API experience.
This powerful backend is what enables seamless integrations with e-commerce platforms. For example, a frequently asked question is, does shipstation work with shopify? Yes, the integration is incredibly robust. When a label is created in ShipStation for a Shopify order, the tracking number and fulfillment status are automatically pushed back to Shopify, which then notifies the customer. Similarly, paypal shipstation tracking information is updated for orders managed through PayPal, closing the loop on the transaction.
Keeping Customers in the Loop: Proactive Notifications
One of the most common questions from merchants is, does shipstation send tracking to customer? By default, this feature is turned off because most selling channels (like Shopify or eBay) handle the initial shipment notification. However, you have complete control. You can enable ShipStation’s customer notifications to send beautifully branded emails for key delivery milestones.
This ensures your customers are always informed about their shipstation order status. The system can automatically send updates when a package has shipped, is out for delivery, or has been successfully delivered. These notifications include a shipstation tracking link that directs them to your branded tracking page. This proactive communication is crucial for building trust and reducing customer anxiety. So, when asked does shipstation send tracking numbers to customers, the answer is yes—if you want it to, and with full branding control.
Understanding Auctane’s Role in ShipStation Tracking
When you see auctane shipstation tracking, you might wonder about the connection. ShipStation is powered by Auctane, a global leader in shipping and fulfillment technology. Auctane owns a portfolio of top-tier logistics brands, including ShipStation, Stamps.com, ShipEngine, and others. This affiliation gives ShipStation users access to an unparalleled network of carrier relationships, deeply discounted rates, and a wealth of shipping expertise.
Essentially, what is auctane shipstation tracking refers to the tracking service provided by ShipStation, which is part of the Auctane family of companies. When a customer receives an auctane shipstation tracking number, it’s simply a tracking number for a shipment processed through the ShipStation platform. This backing from a global industry leader ensures the reliability and scalability of the tracking services you provide to your customers.
Troubleshooting Common Tracking Issues
Even with the best systems, questions can arise. Here are a few common scenarios:
- ShipStation No Tracking Number: If you mark an order as “shipped” manually without creating a label, or if a fulfillment provider has a delay in returning tracking info, an order might be marked as complete without an immediately available tracking number. It’s important to ensure your workflow is set up to generate labels for all shipped orders.
- Why is ShipStation Not Working: Like any web-based service, ShipStation can experience temporary issues or scheduled maintenance. They maintain a public status page to keep users informed. Often, issues can also be related to a user’s browser, so clearing the cache or checking for extensions can help.
- Tracking Not Updating: Delays in tracking updates are typically on the carrier’s end. A package might miss a scan at a facility, but it is usually still in transit. The shipstation order tracking system will update as soon as the carrier provides new information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to track ShipStation?
You can track a package using the tracking number provided by the merchant on the carrier’s website (like UPS or USPS) or through the merchant’s branded tracking page, which is powered by ShipStation. The track shipment shipstation process is designed to be simple and user-friendly.
Is tracking.shipstation.com legit?
Yes, tracking.shipstation.com
is the legitimate domain for ShipStation’s branded tracking pages. When you receive a link with this URL, it is a secure and official way to track your order sent from a merchant using ShipStation.
How to track Auctane ShipStation?
You track an Auctane ShipStation package the same way you would any ShipStation package. Use the provided tracking number on the carrier’s site or the merchant’s tracking link. “Auctane” simply indicates the parent company behind the technology.
does shipstation track inventory?
Yes, does shipstation track inventory is a key question for many sellers. ShipStation offers inventory management features. It can display stock counts from your selling channels, deduct stock when an order ships from the appropriate warehouse location, and even set inventory alerts to notify you when you’re running low on a product.
Who owns ShipStation?
who owns shipstation is a popular query. ShipStation is owned by Auctane, a global shipping software company that also owns other well-known brands like Stamps.com and ShipEngine.
What is a parcel tracking number?
A what is a parcel tracking number is a unique identification code assigned to a package when it is shipped. This number allows you to monitor the package’s journey from the sender to the recipient through the carrier’s system.
is shipstation worth it?
For most e-commerce businesses, is shipstation worth it is an easy yes. The time saved through automation, the money saved from discounted shipping rates, and the improvement in customer experience through branded tracking and notifications typically provide a return on investment that far exceeds the monthly subscription cost.
How does ShipStation work?
In summary, how does shipstation work is by connecting your online stores and carrier accounts into one centralized platform. It imports your orders, allows you to batch-print discounted shipping labels, and automatically updates your stores and customers with tracking information.
What is the contact information for tracking inquiries?
While you should always contact the merchant you purchased from for order inquiries, some tracking notifications may reference support contacts. Emails like [email protected] or tracking@shipstation are typically automated sender addresses. For direct support, it’s best to go through the merchant or the official ShipStation help channels. Any notifications about tracking at shipstation.com refer to the branded tracking page service.
What is UPS by ShipStation?
what is ups by shipstation refers to the integrated UPS shipping solution within the ShipStation platform. It provides users with access to pre-negotiated, deeply discounted UPS rates without needing to set up their own separate UPS account.