Enabling UltraCart’s Shipment Tracking lets store owners automate customer notifications by email and SMS, enrich order pages with real‑time tracking, and integrate delivery events via APIs and webhooks.

Overview

UltraCart’s Shipment Tracking system keeps customers informed by providing automated updates for “expected delivery,” “out for delivery,” and “delivered.” It improves customer satisfaction, reduces support inquiries, and gives your team full visibility into delivery status within both the admin order view and storefront tracking page. There are two service levels—with or without SMS; both include a trial period.

Prerequisites:

• A storefront running one of the supported themes (see below)

• Optional: "Ship To Phone" configured if using SMS tracking

Pricing & Trial

• Free trial: 14 days from initial activation

• Without SMS tracking: US $0.03 per shipment

• With SMS tracking: US $0.05 per shipment

Quickstart / TL;DR

1. Navigate to Configuration → Checkout → Shipping → Tracking.

2. Choose SMS or email tracking (or both).

3. If using SMS, ensure Ship-to Phone is enabled under Configuration → Checkout → Required Contact Information.

4. Install shipment notification templates via Storefronts → [Your Theme] → Communications → Transactional Emails.

5. Customer-facing tracking is enabled by default in supported storefront themes.

Open

Admin Order Tracking

• View tracking summaries in the main order list.

• On each order’s detail page, see full package tracking data: current status, event history, timestamps, and carrier information.

Open

Configure Email Templates

1. Go to Storefronts → [Your Storefront] → (Communications Section) Transactional Emails.

2. Locate the shipment‑related email templates and customize as needed.

3. These emails include embedded links to the tracking page.

Open

SMS Setup (Optional)

1. Navigate to Configuration → Checkout → Required Contact Information.

2. Enable one or both Ship To Phone fields.

   • Only orders with a phone number will be sent SMS updates.

   • No SMS fee is charged if the field is blank.

Open

Example of the OptIn for the SMS notifications

Open

API, Webhooks & Data Warehouse Events

• Tracking events (expected_delivery, out_for_delivery, delivered) are available via REST API, Webhooks, and the Data Warehouse.

• Webhooks fire automatically on delivery status changes, enabling integrations with marketing or analytics systems.

• Events can also be utilized in the StoreFronts Communication Flows to fire custom events and actions.

StoreFront Theme Requirements

Your StoreFront must be running one of the following minimum theme versions to use the latest transaction notifications and provide SMS opt-in capabilities on the receipt.

FAQ

Q) Is there a charge for a shipment that does not have a tracking number?

A) No. Only successfully transmitted and tracked shipments incur charges. Email/SMS notifications do not send for invalid or missing tracking numbers.

Q) Is there a charge for a shipment that does not have a valid tracking number?

A) No, only successfully tracked shipments are billed. The customer will not receive the expected delivery, out for delivery or delivered notifications.

Q) Are there disclosure requirements we are expected to add to the terms of use or on the checkout page itself that need to be given to tell people about SMS. For example in our opt in marketing SMS list we have to say “Data and message rates may apply. You will receive 4 msgs/mo. Text STOP to Opt Out or HELP for help.”?

A) Since these notifications are not marketing related, with only SMS messaging related to a specific purchase shipment status, the disclosure requirement is minimal. The SMS messages do respond to the STOP commend in a reply. There is an “opt-in” link in the receipt that appears in the browser at the end of the checkout, and the receipt content is editable, should you wish to customize it.