Streamlining UK Deliveries: Adding APC Overnight (and More!) to Your Shopify Tracking

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 Solution: Adding APC Overnight (or Any Custom Carrier) Tracking

The key to solving Tim's dilemma, and indeed, anyone using a non-standard carrier, lies in using Shopify's custom tracking URL feature. It's a manual step, but it's incredibly effective and ensures your customers still get the tracking information they need directly from their order confirmation emails or their order status page.

Here's a step-by-step guide to adding APC Overnight tracking details:

The process is quite straightforward once you know the specific tracking URL format for your courier. For APC Overnight, we'll use their public tracking page.

1. Go to your Shopify Admin: Log in to your store's backend.
2. Navigate to Orders: From the left-hand menu, click on "Orders."
3. Select the Relevant Order: Find the order you want to add tracking information to and click on it.
4. Add or Edit Tracking:
   • If you haven't added tracking yet, click the "Add tracking" button.
   • If you need to edit existing tracking, scroll down to the "Fulfilled" section and click "Edit tracking."
5. Choose "Other" or "Custom carrier": In the "Carrier" dropdown menu, scroll all the way down and select "Other" (or "Custom carrier" depending on your Shopify version).
6. Enter the Carrier Name: In the new field that appears, type in "APC Overnight" (or the name of your specific courier). This is what your customer will see.
7. Input the Tracking Number: Enter the actual tracking number provided by APC Overnight for this shipment.
8. Add the Custom Tracking URL: This is the crucial part. You need to provide the URL that, when combined with the tracking number, takes your customer directly to the tracking page. For APC Overnight, a common format is:

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

   Important: The {tracking_number} part is a placeholder. Shopify will automatically replace this with the actual tracking number you entered in the previous step. Make sure you include the {tracking_number} exactly as shown, including the curly braces.

9. Save Your Changes: Click "Save" (or "Add tracking").

Once saved, Shopify will use this custom URL to generate the tracking link for your customer. They'll see "APC Overnight" as the carrier and when they click the tracking link in their email or on their order status page, it will take them directly to the APC Overnight tracking portal with their specific parcel details.

Finding the Correct Tracking URL for Any Carrier

What if you're not using APC Overnight? The principle remains the same. Here's how to find the right custom tracking URL for almost any courier:

1. Go to the courier's website: Find their official tracking page.
2. Track a sample number: Enter any valid tracking number (you might have one from a previous shipment) and hit "Track."
3. Copy the URL: Once the tracking results page loads, look at the URL in your browser's address bar. It will typically look something like https://www.somecourier.com/track?id=1234567890 or https://www.somecourier.com/tracking/details/1234567890.
4. Replace the tracking number with {tracking_number}: Take that URL and replace the actual tracking number you used for the sample with the placeholder {tracking_number}.

That's your custom tracking URL!

Why This Matters for Your Store

Providing accurate and direct tracking links for all your shipments, regardless of the carrier, is crucial for a great customer experience. It:

• Reduces Customer Service Inquiries: Fewer "where is my order?" emails mean more time for you to focus on growing your business.
• Builds Trust: Transparent shipping information makes customers feel more confident and valued.
• Enhances Professionalism: It shows you've thought through the entire customer journey, right up to delivery.

While this is a manual process for each order, for stores with lower volume or those just starting out with a specific regional carrier, it's a perfectly viable and effective solution. If your volume grows significantly, you might then consider exploring Shopify apps designed for advanced shipping and tracking, which can automate this process for multiple carriers. But for getting APC Overnight (or any other local hero) integrated into your tracking, the custom URL method is your go-to. It's a simple tweak that makes a big difference to your customers!