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Order shipped: 7 shipping update message templates to copy and send
The right message at the right time heads off ten questions. The wrong one starts them. Here are seven short shipping update templates, written for a WhatsApp, Instagram or Snapchat conversation, ready to copy as they are or to adjust to your own voice.
What makes a good shipping update message
Your customer reads your messages on their phone, squeezed between a dozen other chats. They won't reread a wall of text. What sticks is the first sentence and the link. Everything else is noise, so the first line has to carry the news on its own.
- One piece of news per message. If you announce the shipment and a delay in the same text, the delay is the only thing they'll remember.
- A date or a date range, never "soon." "Expected between Thursday and Saturday" is something they can check; "soon" is something they'll chase you about.
- A link, not a bare number. A tracking number on its own sends the customer hunting for the right carrier website.
- The same tone you used while selling. If you were casual and on a first-name basis, stay that way; a sudden shift to stiff, formal wording reads like bad news.
The seven templates to copy
They're written in a friendly, casual tone, the most common one in direct messages. If you usually write more formally, swap "Hi" for "Hello" and trim the exclamation points: nothing else needs to change. Save them as quick replies in your messaging app, or in a note on your phone. Copying a template takes two seconds; writing a fresh message for every customer takes ten times longer, and the wording drifts a little each time.
Thanks so much, [Name], your order is all set! I'm getting it ready and I'll send you photos before it ships. Everything will be in one place here: [order link]
The photos of your order are up: [order link]. Take a look and let me know if everything looks good to you, then I'll ship it out.
Your package is on its way with [carrier]! Delivery is expected between [date] and [date]. Tracking updates automatically on your page: [order link]
Quick heads-up: the tracking number can take a day or two to show anything, until [carrier] scans the package. That's totally normal, nothing is lost.
Just wanted to give you a heads-up: your package is running a little late, it hasn't moved since [date]. I'm keeping an eye on it and I'll get back to you as soon as it's moving again. You can follow it live here: [order link]
Your package shows as delivered! Let me know it arrived safely and that you love everything. Thanks again for trusting me with your order.
Hey [Name], did your package make it? If you have any questions at all about your order, I'm here.
When to send each message
| When | Template | Why at that moment |
|---|---|---|
| Right after the sale | 1. Order confirmed | The customer just paid: they need proof that their order went through |
| Before shipping | 2. Photos ready | They see their item before it leaves, and can flag a problem in time |
| On shipping day | 3. Order shipped | It's the one date they're really waiting for |
| If tracking stays empty | 4. Tracking shows nothing | A silent tracking number reads like a lost package |
| After several days without movement | 5. Delay | Telling them before they ask changes everything |
| On delivery | 6. Delivered | It closes the order and opens the door to the next purchase |
| Two or three days later | 7. Gentle follow-up | Only if they haven't replied |
The fifth message is the trickiest, because you have to deliver bad news without causing worry. Keep it factual: the last date the package moved, what you're doing about it, and the link. The article "Package Late, Stuck, or Lost: What to Tell Your Customer, and Which Proof to Keep" gives variations depending on how long the delay has lasted.
What not to write
- "It should be fine": the word "should" makes the customer doubt the rest of the sentence.
- An exact date the carrier never gave you: if it passes, you're the one who got it wrong.
- The tracking number alone, with no link and no carrier: the customer has no idea what to do with it.
- A screenshot of the tracking page: it's out of date as soon as the package hits the next step.
Replace six messages with one link
These templates cut down the questions; they don't eliminate them. Between two messages, you're still the only person your customer can ask about where their package is. That's why every template points to the same link. If that page shows the photos and tracking that updates on its own, messages 3, 4 and 5 become almost unnecessary: the customer checks the status whenever they want, without waiting for you to reply. That idea is developed in “Where is my order?”: stop answering it ten times a day.
For message 2, the photos matter more than the words. A clear shot of the item, its details and its packaging reassures far more than any sentence you could write. What to photograph, and how to share it, is covered in "Order Photos Before Shipping: Show Buyers Their Order Without a Shared Folder".
Frequently asked questions
Should I send the tracking number or a link?
A link. A tracking number forces the customer to find the right carrier's website and make sense of its status codes; a link takes them straight to the information.
How many messages should I send during a delivery?
Three when everything goes smoothly: the confirmation, the shipment and the delivery. Add one more only if the package runs late.
Should I write to customers casually or formally?
Keep the tone you used during the sale. In direct messages, a casual, first-name tone is the most common; what matters is not switching halfway through.
Can I automate these messages?
Messaging apps don't allow it without third-party tools. The alternative is an order page that updates on its own and, if the customer asks for it, emails them when the package ships, while it's in transit and when it's delivered.