Shopify Tracking for Custom Couriers: Your Guide to APC Overnight & Beyond

Hey everyone! As a Shopify expert who spends a lot of time sifting through the community forums, I often come across questions that, while specific, touch on really common pain points for store owners. Recently, a post from TimRideout caught my eye, asking about adding APC Overnight couriers to the tracking dropdown in Shopify. It's a fantastic question because it highlights a challenge many of you face: how do you handle tracking for carriers that aren't on Shopify's default list?

Tim's question was straightforward: "We use APC Overnight couriers in the UK. Is it possible to add them to the dropdown list of couriers when adding tracking details?" And while there weren't a ton of replies in that specific thread, it's a topic that comes up a lot in various forms. The short answer is: yes, you absolutely can provide tracking for APC Overnight and virtually any other courier, even if they're not natively listed in Shopify's dropdown. You just need to know where to look and what to do!

Understanding Shopify's Tracking System

Shopify does a great job of integrating with many major global carriers right out of the box. Think USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL, Royal Mail, and so on. When you select one of these from the dropdown and enter a tracking number, Shopify automatically generates a link to that carrier's tracking page, making it super easy for your customers to follow their package. It's a seamless experience, and it really helps reduce those "where's my order?" emails.

However, the world of logistics is vast! There are countless regional, specialized, or smaller carriers like APC Overnight in the UK, or similar services in other countries, that aren't pre-configured. Shopify can't possibly list every single one. But that doesn't mean you're stuck. This is where the "Custom Carrier" option becomes your best friend.

The Power of "Custom Carrier": A Step-by-Step Guide

Shopify's flexibility shines through its "Custom Carrier" option, allowing you to manually input tracking details for any courier, regardless of whether they are on the default list. Here's how to do it, using APC Overnight as our prime example:

Step 1: Locate the Order in Your Shopify Admin

• From your Shopify admin, navigate to Orders.
• Click on the specific order for which you want to add or edit tracking details.

Step 2: Access the Tracking Section

• On the order details page, find the "Fulfilled" section.
• Click on "Add tracking" (if no tracking has been added yet) or "Edit tracking" (if you need to modify existing details).

Step 3: Select "Other" as the Carrier

• In the "Carrier" dropdown menu, scroll down to the very bottom.
• Select the option labeled "Other".

Step 4: Enter Your Custom Carrier Name

• A new field, "Custom carrier name," will appear.
• Type in the name of your courier, for example, "APC Overnight".

Step 5: Find and Format the Tracking URL

This is the most critical step. You need to provide Shopify with the exact URL structure that your chosen carrier uses for tracking. Here's how to find it:

• Go to the official website of your carrier (e.g., apc-overnight.com for APC Overnight).
• Find their tracking page.
• Enter a sample tracking number (if you have one handy, or just observe the URL structure if they have a dedicated tracking form).
• Once you've tracked a number, look at the URL in your browser's address bar. It will typically contain the tracking number within the URL itself.
• Copy this URL, and then replace the actual tracking number with the placeholder {{ tracking_number }}.

For APC Overnight, a common tracking URL structure might look like this:

https://www.apc-overnight.com/tracking?tracking_number={{ tracking_number }}

Step 6: Paste the Formatted Tracking URL

• Paste the templated URL (with {{ tracking_number }}) into the "Tracking URL" field in Shopify.

Step 7: Enter the Actual Tracking Number

• Input the specific tracking number for your customer's shipment into the "Tracking number" field.

Step 8: Save and Notify Your Customer

• Click "Save".
• You'll then have the option to "Send notification" to your customer, which will include the tracking link you just created.

Why Bother? The Benefits of Seamless Tracking

Implementing proper tracking, even for custom carriers, offers significant advantages for your Shopify store:

• Enhanced Customer Experience: Customers appreciate transparency and the ability to self-serve. Knowing where their package is reduces anxiety and builds trust.
• Reduced Customer Service Load: Proactive tracking information drastically cuts down on "Where's my order?" inquiries, freeing up your support team for more complex issues.
• Professionalism and Trust: A well-managed shipping process, complete with easy tracking, reflects positively on your brand and reinforces your professionalism.
• Improved Delivery Rates: When customers can track their packages, they are better prepared to receive them, potentially reducing missed deliveries and return-to-sender scenarios.

Scaling Up: When to Consider Advanced Tracking Apps

While the "Custom Carrier" option is excellent for individual orders or stores with lower volume, what if you're processing hundreds of orders daily with multiple niche carriers? Manually finding and formatting URLs for every shipment can become a bottleneck. This is where Shopify's App Store offers powerful tracking solutions.

These apps are designed to automate and centralize your tracking process. They often provide:

• A unified, branded tracking page on your store, giving customers a consistent experience regardless of the carrier.
• Automated tracking updates and notifications (via email, SMS, or within the app) for various shipment statuses.
• Support for hundreds of carriers worldwide, often including many regional and specialized services that aren't natively supported by Shopify.
• Advanced analytics on delivery performance, helping you identify potential shipping issues or carrier inefficiencies.

For a more robust, automated, and scalable tracking experience, exploring these third-party integrations can be a game-changer.

Best Practices for Shipping and Logistics on Shopify

• Clear Communication: Always set clear expectations for shipping times and delivery processes on your product pages and at checkout.
• Test Your Links: If you're using custom tracking URLs, always test them with a real tracking number to ensure they work correctly.
• Review Carrier Performance: Periodically assess the performance of your chosen carriers. Are they reliable? Are their tracking systems easy to use?
• Integrate Wisely: As your order volume grows, consider integrating with shipping label apps or fulfillment services that can streamline your entire logistics workflow.

Conclusion

TimRideout's question about APC Overnight tracking might seem small, but it opens the door to a critical aspect of e-commerce success: customer satisfaction through transparent shipping. Whether you leverage Shopify's native "Custom Carrier" feature for specific regional couriers or opt for powerful third-party apps to centralize and automate your tracking, ensuring your customers can easily follow their orders is paramount.

At Shopping Cart Mover, we understand these nuances of Shopify store management and optimization. From seamless migrations to fine-tuning your shipping and tracking processes, we're here to help you build a robust, customer-centric e-commerce operation that drives growth and builds lasting customer loyalty.