Optimize Shipping & Delivery Notifications
We’ll provide you with guidance on how to activate FedEx shipping and delivery notifications alongside your own notifications to customers.
We’ll provide you with guidance on how to activate FedEx shipping and delivery notifications alongside your own notifications to customers.
E-commerce Platform Notifications
Your brand's presence doesn't start and stop with your online store. Shipping and delivery notifications are another avenue that can help you stay connected to your customers and keep them informed.
Why are shipping notifications important?
Since the perfect e-commerce journey includes a polished delivery experience, it’s important to support your customers by providing up-to-date status notifications.
To learn more, check out the Email Customization section on our Choose an E-commerce Platform page.
Email Layout Considerations
Whether you’re using an e-commerce platform, service, or customized option to send shipping and delivery notifications to your customers, here are some best practices to keep in mind.
Descriptive Subject Line
Use clear and informative language in your subject line to capture your customers' attention in emails (e.g., "Today is the day, your order has shipped!").
Shipping Notification Details
Include the billing and delivery address, shipping method, estimated delivery date & time, tracking number, and tracking link to the courier’s website/app (e.g., fedex.ca/tracking) right at the top of your email.
Simplified Order Summary
Include the order number, sizes, quantities of products purchased, and images as a helpful reference for customers and to get them excited about what they’ve ordered.
Be Upfront About Potential Delays
Let your customers know whether your store requires additional time to prepare the item for shipping, or if there will be delays due to COVID-19 or holidays.
Returns Policy
Provide brief details on your return policy and/or a link to it, if applicable for the order. You can read more about best practices here.
Stay On Brand
Stay on brand with your content in terms of tone and messaging. If possible, ensure the design reflects your brand’s style as well (e.g., font, colours, etc.).
Mobile-Friendly Layout
Use a single-column design to ensure that your emails are easy to read and responsive on all devices and screen sizes.
Include Shipping Support
Rather than including the courier’s 1-800 number, encourage customers to visit the self-serve section of the courier’s website if they have questions. For FedEx, the Manage My Deliveries section on the website provides your recipients with last-mile solutions, and Mobile Tracking Tools helps them set up proactive notifications to improve their experience.
Additional Tips
- Only send shipping notifications once a shipping label is created or or your courier has provided a shipment status update. This will help ensure that the information included in your emails is accurate to prevent customer frustration.
- If your team is familiar with HTML and CSS, look for platforms/services that allow you to overwrite this code to further customize your emails.
FedEx Notifications
In addition to sending shipping and delivery notifications to customers from your e-commerce platform, you can also enable FedEx shipping updates. FedEx notifications are intended to keep your customers in-the-know and complement your store’s communications.
FedEx® Delivery Manager Notifications
Activated by shippers
As a shipper, you can activate FedEx Delivery Manager for your customers’ shipments. Once activated, your customers will have access to a range of delivery options (e.g., options to reschedule or redirect shipments, where available) and receive timely shipping notifications.
Standard Tracking Notifications
Activated by shippers and/or recipients
To receive notifications for a specific shipment, both you and your customers can enable and receive standard tracking notifications through the tracking page or mobile app.
FedEx Delivery Manager Notifications
FedEx Delivery Manager is a shipment management tool that grants customers added control over their packages. The features offered include a variety of shipping email notifications, as listed below. These will be available when you activate FedEx Delivery Manager for your customers' packages.
* Delivery options may vary depending on the destination postal code, shipping services and availability.
FedEx Delivery Manager Notification Types
Delivery Option Access
The package has been picked up from the merchant by FedEx and the recipient is able to choose a delivery option.
Delivery Update
Estimated date and 4-hour window for delivery of the package to the specified address.
Delivery Option Confirmation
Confirmation that a delivery option — such as an address change — has gone through.
Delivery Confirmation
Confirmation that the package has been delivered to the address specified.
Standard FedEx Tracking Notifications
In addition to FedEx Delivery Manager, both you and your customers can enable and receive standard shipping notifications through the tracking page or mobile app. These can be sent via text, email or in-app push notifications — whatever is most convenient.
FedEx Tracking Notification Types
| Picked Up | Package has been picked up from the merchant by FedEx. |
| Delivery Exception | Includes details on any issues with the delivery of the package (e.g., weather delays). |
| Delivery Update | Estimated date and 4-hour window for delivery of the package to the specified address. |
| Delivery Confirmation | Confirmation that the package has been delivered to the address specified. |
Mobile app push notifications
Merchants and recipients can enable these by downloading the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play.
Email and text notifications
Merchants and recipients can enable these by visiting fedex.ca/track and entering their tracking ID.
Direct text notifications
Merchants and recipients can enable these by following the steps on FedEx Text Message Tracking.
You can find more information on notification types and channels on our Mobile Tracking Tools page.