Tracking Alerts

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Tracking Alerts

Get a complete birds-eye view of all your shipments and proactively intervene when issues arise. Tracking Alerts automatically monitors every package and alerts you the moment action is needed—whether that’s contacting Australia Post, reaching out to customers, or investigating delivery problems.

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Business Value

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Proactive Operations Management

Instead of reactively responding to customer complaints or discovering problems days later, Tracking Alerts gives you complete visibility into your shipping operations. You’ll know about issues before your customers do, allowing you to:

• Intervene Early: Contact Australia Post or customers proactively when packages need attention
• Prevent Escalations: Resolve delivery issues before they become customer service problems
• Save Time: Stop manually checking hundreds of tracking numbers—the system monitors everything automatically
• Reduce Costs: Catch lost or delayed packages early to minimize refunds and reshipments
• Improve Reputation: Demonstrate proactive customer service by reaching out first

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When to Contact Australia Post

Tracking Alerts helps you identify exactly when you need to contact Australia Post:

• No Tracking Updates: Packages with no updates for several days may be stuck or lost
• Possible Delays: Carrier-flagged delays that need investigation
• Damaged Packages: Immediate notification when damage is reported
• Delivery Failures: Packages that cannot be delivered need address verification
• Labels Not Lodged: Verify labels were properly submitted to Australia Post

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Complete Visibility

With daily email summaries and the alerts dashboard, you get:

• One-Click Overview: See all issues across all shipments in one place
• Categorized Alerts: Quickly identify which packages need Australia Post contact vs. customer outreach
• Actionable Intelligence: Each alert includes suggested actions and relevant details
• No Missed Issues: Automated monitoring ensures nothing falls through the cracks

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Overview

Tracking Alerts automatically monitors all your shipments 24/7 and notifies you when specific conditions require your attention. This transforms your shipping operations from reactive to proactive:

• Birds-Eye View: See all shipment issues across your entire operation in one dashboard
• Proactive Intervention: Know exactly when to contact Australia Post or customers before problems escalate
• Time Savings: Eliminate manual tracking checks—the system monitors everything automatically
• Customer Service Excellence: Address issues before customers contact you, improving satisfaction and retention
• Operational Efficiency: Focus your time on resolving issues rather than finding them

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Key Features

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Alert Types

The Tracking Alerts system supports seven different alert types, each designed to catch specific shipment issues:

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1. No Update for X Days

Purpose: Identifies packages that haven’t received tracking updates for a specified number of business days—a key indicator that you may need to contact Australia Post. Business Value:

• Early Detection: Catch packages that may be lost or stuck before customers notice
• Proactive Contact: Know exactly when to call Australia Post to investigate missing updates
• Prevent Escalations: Resolve issues before customers file complaints or request refunds

When It Triggers:

• A package has no tracking updates for the configured number of business days
• The last tracking sync date exceeds the threshold

When to Contact Australia Post:

• Domestic packages with no updates for 3-5 business days
• International packages with no updates for 7-10 business days
• Use the tracking number from the alert when calling Australia Post customer service

Suggested Action: Contact Australia Post to verify package status and location Configuration:

• Enable/disable the alert
• Set the number of business days before triggering (default: 3 days)

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2. Awaiting Collection for X Days

Purpose: Alerts you when packages are waiting for customer collection for an extended period, helping you proactively reach out to customers. Business Value:

• Customer Outreach: Contact customers before packages are returned to sender
• Reduce Returns: Prevent packages from being returned, saving on reshipment costs
• Improve Service: Show customers you’re monitoring their deliveries proactively

When It Triggers:

• Package status is “Awaiting collection”
• Status has remained unchanged for the configured number of business days

When to Contact Customer:

• Packages awaiting collection for 3-5 business days
• Reach out via email or phone to remind customers to collect
• Provide collection location details and hours

Suggested Action: Contact customer to arrange collection before package is returned Configuration:

• Enable/disable the alert
• Set the number of business days before triggering (default: 3 days)

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3. Returned to Sender

Purpose: Immediately notifies you when a package is returned to sender, allowing you to quickly address the issue with the customer. Business Value:

• Immediate Action: Know the moment a package is returned so you can contact the customer right away
• Customer Retention: Proactively offer solutions (reshipment, refund, address correction) before customers complain
• Cost Management: Understand return reasons to prevent future returns

When It Triggers:

• Package status changes to “Returned to sender”
• Any tracking event indicates the package was returned

When to Contact Customer:

• Immediately upon receiving this alert
• Review the return reason in tracking details
• Offer solutions: reshipment, refund, or address correction
• If needed, contact Australia Post to understand the specific return reason

Suggested Action: Review return reason and contact customer to resolve the issue Configuration:

• Enable/disable the alert (no threshold needed - triggers immediately)

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4. Label Not Lodged for X Days

Purpose: Identifies shipping labels that were created but never lodged with Australia Post, helping you catch operational issues early. Business Value:

• Operational Efficiency: Catch labels that were created but never used
• Prevent Delays: Ensure all labels are properly lodged to avoid shipping delays
• Inventory Management: Identify unused labels that may need to be voided

When It Triggers:

• A tracking record exists but has never been synced with carrier data
• The label was created more than the configured number of business days ago

When to Take Action:

• Verify the label was actually printed and attached to the package
• Confirm the package was dropped off or picked up by Australia Post
• If the label was never used, consider voiding it to avoid charges
• Contact Australia Post if you believe the label was lodged but not showing in tracking

Suggested Action: Verify label was printed and lodged with Australia Post, or void if unused Configuration:

• Enable/disable the alert
• Set the number of business days before triggering (default: 3 days)

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5. Possible Delay

Purpose: Alerts you when Australia Post indicates a possible delivery delay, giving you time to proactively manage customer expectations. Business Value:

• Customer Communication: Reach out to customers before they notice the delay
• Expectation Management: Set proper delivery expectations to reduce support inquiries
• Carrier Investigation: Know when to contact Australia Post for delay details

When It Triggers:

• Package status is “Possible delay”

When to Contact Australia Post or Customer:

• Contact Australia Post if the delay seems unusual or extended
• Proactively email customers about the delay with estimated delivery updates
• Monitor the package closely—if delay persists, escalate with Australia Post

Suggested Action: Monitor closely, contact Australia Post for details if needed, and proactively notify customers Configuration:

• Enable/disable the alert (no threshold needed - triggers immediately)

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6. Article Damaged

Purpose: Immediately notifies you when a package is reported as damaged, enabling you to quickly file a claim and resolve the customer issue. Business Value:

• Immediate Response: Know instantly when damage occurs so you can act quickly
• Claim Filing: File Australia Post damage claims promptly (time-sensitive)
• Customer Service: Proactively contact customers to arrange replacements or refunds
• Cost Recovery: File claims to recover shipping and product costs

When It Triggers:

• Package status is “Article damaged”

When to Contact Australia Post:

• Immediately upon receiving this alert
• File a damage claim with Australia Post as soon as possible (claims have time limits)
• Provide tracking number, order details, and damage description
• Request claim number for your records

When to Contact Customer:

• After filing the claim, contact the customer to:
  • Apologize for the damage
  • Offer replacement or refund
  • Explain the claim process and timeline

Suggested Action: Contact Australia Post immediately to file damage claim, then contact customer to resolve Configuration:

• Enable/disable the alert (no threshold needed - triggers immediately)

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7. Cannot Be Delivered

Purpose: Alerts you when a package cannot be delivered to the address, allowing you to quickly resolve delivery issues. Business Value:

• Prevent Returns: Contact customers immediately to correct address issues
• Customer Satisfaction: Show proactive service by reaching out first
• Cost Savings: Avoid return shipping costs and reshipment fees
• Delivery Success: Increase successful delivery rate by fixing address problems quickly

When It Triggers:

• Package status is “Cannot be delivered”

When to Contact Customer:

• Immediately upon receiving this alert
• Verify the shipping address with the customer
• Request corrected address if needed
• Arrange for redelivery or pickup

When to Contact Australia Post:

• If you need to update the delivery address on an in-transit package
• To request redelivery with corrected address
• To understand the specific reason delivery failed (incorrect address, access issues, etc.)

Suggested Action: Contact customer immediately to verify/update address, then contact Australia Post if redelivery is needed Configuration:

• Enable/disable the alert (no threshold needed - triggers immediately)

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Setting Up Alerts

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Accessing Alert Settings

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Configuring Alert Rules

Each alert type can be individually configured:

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Email Notifications

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Setting Up Email Alerts

Receive daily summary emails with all active alerts:

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Accessing Email Summaries

Email summaries are automatically sent to the email addresses you configure in Alert Settings. To view the email summary:

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Email Summary Format

You’ll receive a daily email summary that includes:

• Total Alert Count: Number of alerts across all categories
• Categorized Alerts: Alerts grouped by type for easy scanning
• Alert Details: For each alert:
  • Tracking number
  • Order number (clickable link)
  • Current status
  • Description of the issue
  • Number of days (for time-based alerts)

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Email Frequency

• Daily Summaries: You’ll receive one email per day with all active alerts
• Automatic Updates: The summary includes all alerts that were active at the time of generation
• No Duplicates: Each alert appears once in the summary, even if multiple conditions are met

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How Alerts Work

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Alert Evaluation

The system automatically evaluates all shipments against your enabled alert rules:

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Alert Lifecycle

1. Evaluation: System checks shipments against enabled rules
2. Trigger: When conditions are met, an alert is created
3. Notification: Alert appears in dashboard and email summary
4. Resolution: Alert automatically resolves when conditions are no longer met
5. History: Resolved alerts are maintained for reference

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Auto-Resolution

Alerts automatically resolve when:

• The triggering condition is no longer met (e.g., package receives an update)
• Package reaches a terminal status (Delivered, Cancelled, etc.)
• Status changes resolve the issue (e.g., “Awaiting collection” changes to “In transit”)

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Viewing Alerts

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Birds-Eye View Dashboard

Access the Alerts dashboard to get complete visibility into all shipment issues: Navigation Path:

1. Open the app in your Shopify admin
2. Click Alerts in the left navigation menu (or go to /app/alerts)

Dashboard Features:

• Complete Overview: See all active alerts across your entire operation in one place
• Prioritized Actions: Quickly identify which alerts require Australia Post contact vs. customer outreach
• Categorized View: Alerts grouped by type make it easy to batch similar actions
• Quick Navigation: Jump directly to order details or tracking information
• Filtering Options: Filter by alert type or status to focus on specific issues
• Settings Access: Click “Alert Settings” button in the top-right to configure alerts

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Daily Email Summary

Your daily email summary provides a complete birds-eye view without logging into the app:

• Morning Briefing: Review all issues at the start of each day
• Categorized Alerts: See alerts grouped by type (No Update, Returned to Sender, etc.)
• Action Planning: Use the summary to plan your day—which packages need Australia Post contact, which need customer outreach
• Complete Details: Each alert includes everything you need: tracking number, order, status, and description

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Alert Information

Each alert provides all the information you need to take action:

• Tracking Number: Use this when contacting Australia Post customer service
• Order Number: Direct link to Shopify order for customer context
• Current Status: Understand the current state of the shipment
• Trigger Reason: Know exactly why the alert was created
• Suggested Action: Clear guidance on whether to contact Australia Post, customer, or investigate
• Timeline: Complete tracking event history to understand what happened

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Best Practices

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Maximizing Business Value

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Recommended Alert Configuration

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Threshold Guidelines

When setting business day thresholds, consider when you want to be notified to contact Australia Post or customers:

• No Update for X Days:
  • Domestic: 3-5 business days (contact Australia Post to investigate)
  • International: 7-10 business days (longer transit times are normal)
  • Business Value: Catch lost packages early before customers notice
• Awaiting Collection for X Days:
  • Standard: 3-5 business days (contact customer before return)
  • Business Value: Prevent returns and reshipment costs
• Label Not Lodged for X Days:
  • Standard: 1-2 business days (verify operational process)
  • Business Value: Catch unused labels and operational issues early

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Email Recipient Management

• Primary Contact: Add your main operations email
• Backup Contact: Include a secondary email for redundancy
• Team Distribution: Share with team members who handle customer service
• Limit: Maximum of 3 email addresses per shop

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Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

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Plan Availability

Available Plans:

• ✅ Growth Plan: Full access to Tracking Alerts
• ✅ Scale Plan: Full access to Tracking Alerts
• ❌ Starter Plan: Not available (upgrade required)

Want to try this feature? Upgrade to our paid plan which includes a 14-day trial period. This gives you full access to Tracking Alerts and all premium features risk-free.

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Integration with Tracking Page

Tracking Alerts work seamlessly with the Tracking Page to give you complete operational visibility:

• Unified Operations View: See both alerts and all tracking information in one place
• Quick Investigation: Jump from alerts to detailed tracking timelines to understand issues
• Complete Context: When an alert triggers, view the full tracking history to understand what happened
• Proactive Monitoring: Combine alerts (what needs attention) with tracking page (complete shipment status) for full visibility
• Efficient Workflow: Use alerts to identify issues, then use tracking page to investigate details before contacting Australia Post or customers

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Support

Need help with Tracking Alerts?

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Related Features

• Tracking Page - Monitor all shipments in real-time
• Getting Started Guide - Complete setup instructions
• Advanced Features - Explore additional capabilities