Update: We originally published this article in 2010 to discuss how personal a shipment notification email should feel. The tools have changed, but the main lesson still applies: customers value clear, accurate shipping information more than forced friendliness.
A shipment notification email confirms that an order has left the merchant and gives the customer the information needed to follow its progress.
The message should reflect the brand’s personality, but clarity comes first. Customers mainly want to know what shipped, where it is going, when it may arrive, and how to track it.
What Should a Shipment Notification Email Include?
A useful shipment notification email should include:
- The customer’s name
- The order number
- The products included in the shipment
- The shipping carrier
- A tracking number or tracking link
- The estimated delivery date, when available
- The shipping address
- Contact information for questions
- Instructions for reporting a delivery problem
Customers should not have to search through several paragraphs to find the tracking information.
How Personal Should the Email Be?
The right tone depends on the brand. A playful retailer may use a warmer, more conversational voice. A business selling expensive, technical, or regulated products may need a more direct and formal message.
Personalization can include the customer’s first name, relevant order details, and wording that matches the company’s normal communication style. However, merchants should avoid adding jokes or overly casual language that distracts from important shipping information.
A simple message such as “Your order is on the way” is often more effective than a long or overly clever introduction.
Make Tracking Information Easy to Find
The tracking link should appear near the top of the email and stand out visually. Customers should be able to open the tracking page with one click instead of copying and pasting a long number. The message should also identify the carrier so the customer knows where the tracking information comes from.
Ordoro’s shipping and order management tools help merchants create labels, update order status, and send tracking information as part of an organized fulfillment workflow.
Send the Email at the Right Time
A shipment notification should go out when the package has entered the shipping process, not simply when someone creates a label several days before pickup.
Sending the message too early can confuse customers when the carrier still shows no movement. Sending it too late removes much of the value because the customer may already be wondering where the order is.
Merchants should align notification timing with their actual warehouse and carrier handoff process.
Set Realistic Delivery Expectations
Avoid promising an exact delivery date unless the carrier or shipping service supports that level of certainty.
Use language such as: “Your package is expected to arrive between June 12 and June 14.”
You can also explain that tracking updates may take time to appear after the carrier receives the package.
During peak seasons or weather disruptions, merchants may want to add a brief note about possible delays. The goal is to set expectations without creating unnecessary concern.
Explain Split Shipments Clearly
Some orders ship in more than one package because products come from different warehouses, suppliers, or fulfillment locations.
When that happens, the email should explain:
- Which items are included in the current shipment
- Which items will ship separately
- Whether the customer will receive another tracking number
- Whether the remaining products have a different delivery estimate
Clear communication can prevent customers from assuming that part of the order is missing.
Give Customers a Clear Way to Get Help
Customers should know what to do when tracking stops updating, a package arrives damaged, or the carrier marks an order as delivered but the customer cannot find it.
Include a reply address, support email, contact form, or help-center link. Avoid sending important notifications from an inbox that customers cannot reply to unless the message clearly provides another support option.
Common Shipment Notification Email Mistakes
Avoid these common problems:
- Hiding the tracking link near the bottom
- Sending the email before the package reaches the carrier
- Using vague subject lines
- Promising delivery dates the merchant cannot guarantee
- Leaving out the products included in the shipment
- Failing to explain split shipments
- Using too much promotional content
- Sending customers to an unhelpful no-reply address
- Forgetting to test links on mobile devices
The email can include a small product recommendation or loyalty message, but the shipment information should remain the main focus.
Shipment Notification Email Example
Subject: Your order has shipped
Hi [First Name],
Your order #[Order Number] is on the way.
Carrier: [Carrier Name]
Tracking number: [Tracking Number]
Track your package: [Tracking Link]
Estimated delivery: [Delivery Window]
This shipment includes:
- [Product Name]
- [Product Name]
Shipping to:
[Customer Address]
Tracking information may take a few hours to update after the carrier receives the package.
Questions about your delivery? Reply to this email or contact us at [Support Information].
Thank you for your order.
[Business Name]
Shipment Notification Email FAQs
What is a shipment notification email?
A shipment notification email tells a customer that an order has shipped and provides tracking, carrier, delivery, and order information.
When should a shipment notification email be sent?
Send it when the package has entered the shipping process and the tracking information is available. Avoid sending it several days before the carrier receives the package.
Should shipment notification emails come from a no-reply address?
A reply-enabled address is usually more helpful because customers may have delivery questions. When a no-reply address is necessary, include a clear support link or contact method.
Can a shipment email include promotions?
Yes, but promotions should remain secondary. Customers open the message primarily to find tracking and delivery information.
What should merchants say when an order ships in multiple packages?
Explain which products are in each shipment, provide separate tracking information, and clarify when the remaining items are expected to ship.
Keep Customers Informed After Every Order
Clear shipment updates start with an organized fulfillment process.
Ordoro helps eCommerce businesses import orders, compare shipping rates, create labels, update order status, send tracking information, and manage fulfillment from one place. Start Your Free Trial
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