Where-Is-My-Order (WISMO) Tracking System Overview

  • Last updated on June 1, 2022 at 3:27 PM

Why

Where is my order? is one of the most frequently asked questions to e-commerce companies by their customers.

You can automate this request by creating a WISMO / order status function that connects the bot to one of the following order status tracking types:

Two Common System Types

Solvemate can connect to any system that has an open API. Typically in an e-commerce it can be either an e-commerce platform, real-time tracking platform or both of the systems if APIs are available for most precise real-time information.

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Ecommerce platform

Real-time tracking

Description

These platforms offer customizable online storefronts and payment solutions among other features. Typically these platforms offer also powerful APIs that hold all the information about orders and allow to trigger actions.

These platforms manage post-purchase communication offering all-in-one shipment and package tracking tools and tracking APIs for e-commerce businesses. Usually these platforms offer a branded tracking page.

Example

Shopware, Shopify, Plentymarkets, Commerce Layer, internal API

Parcellab, Lateshipment, Aftership, NarVar

Pros

System holds information about the current order status during the whole lifecycle. Additional beneficial information such as payment status, shipping status, dates etc can easily be added to the context.

Systems have information about most up-to-date updates from the carrier, such as estimated delivery times and failed delivery attempts. Depending on the carrier - links to change/update delivery time and address.

Cons

Usually these systems do not hold the most up to date information about the delivery status from the carrier - only a link to a website or tracking page.

The information about order is usually available only after it has been prepared and shipped. In case order is not found we can not know the exact reason (e.g. cancelled or still processing).

Bot example

Optimal solution that gives enduser the most precise real-time information directly in the bot is connecting to both of the systems if APIs are available.

In this scenario the bot always knows the current status of the order (and other details, such as payment status or fulfilment status) and in case it detects that the order has been shipped - connects to real-time tracking API to pull in latest status updates from the carrier.

Other systems

There are of course other types of systems that can contain more or only partial information of the examples above. In any case - an integration is possible whenever minimal requirements are met.


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