Shipping update WhatsApp template: 4 versions that get read

A shipping update tells the customer their order has left and gives them one button to track it. It is one of the most-read messages a brand sends: on TextYess the median brand’s shipping update is read by 83.4% of recipients, and the best one reaches 91.9% with three short lines and a tracking button.

What works, from the messages brands send on TextYess

• Read rates are high and close together. Shipping updates on TextYess are read by 82% to 92% of recipients. The median brand gets 83.4%, so the wording matters less than sending it at all.

• Order number plus one tracking button. The best-read messages say which order has shipped and point to a single “Track my order” button. The top one (91.9% read, 2,404 delivered) is three lines long: the warehouse has the order, tap to track, signed by the team.

• Emoji make little difference. Shipping updates with emoji are read by 84.2% of recipients and those without by 81.7% (median brand). Use them if they fit your tone.

• Keep promo out. Only a handful of brands add something extra. One beauty brand invites customers to its VIP community in the same message (91.1% read), but a line like that can push the template into marketing.

Templates

1. Picked up by the warehouse

Modelled on the best-read shipping update in our data (91.9%). It says what happened, names the button, and signs off as the team.

• Header: none

• Buttons: URL “Track my order” (tracking link as the dynamic suffix)

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{order_number}} = 10482, {{brand}} = your shop name

2. Short and done

For brands that want the shortest possible message. It follows the TextYess preset that one food brand uses, read by 91.8% of 1,230 recipients.

• Header: none

• Buttons: URL “Track my order”

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{order_number}} = 10482

3. From a person, with a heads-up on tracking

Modelled on a fashion brand’s English-language message. It sets expectations (“tracking may take a while to update”), which saves a round of “where is my order?” chats.

• Header: none

• Buttons: URL “Track my parcel”

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{brand}} = your shop name, {{order_number}} = 10482, {{carrier}} = DPD. Replace “Sara” with a real person on your team.

4. Delay notice, without a voucher

For when the courier is late. Tell the customer before they ask, give the new date and offer help. Don’t add a discount: Meta treats a delay apology with a credit as marketing.

• Header: none

• Buttons: URL “Track my order”

• Example values: {{first_name}} = Emma, {{order_number}} = 10482, {{delivery_date}} = Thursday 6 November

When to send it

Send it the moment the order is fulfilled in Shopify. That is the trigger brands on TextYess use, with no delay. Send the delay notice only when the carrier reports a problem, and only to the orders affected. With TextYess, the shipping update goes out automatically when Shopify marks the order as fulfilled.

Meta category

A shipping update is utility: Meta’s own example is “Hooray! Your package from order {{order_number}} is on its way.” It stays utility as long as it only talks about that order. A community invite, a code or a “shop the new collection” line can turn it into marketing, and so does a delay apology that includes a credit. See Meta’s template categorisation.

Avoid rejection

• Never start or end the body with a variable. “The {{brand}} team” works because the body ends with “team”.

• Put the tracking link in the URL button as a dynamic suffix, not in the text. A URL button takes one variable, at the end of the URL.

• If the text says “below”, add the button. A message that points to a missing button confuses customers.

• Keep the # outside the variable: #{{order_number}}, with 10482 as the sample value.

• Button labels can be 25 characters at most.

Full list: Meta’s template review.

FAQ

Related templates

Delivery confirmation, Order confirmation and Cash on delivery reminder.

See all 20 WhatsApp message templates for ecommerce.