A Shopify order tracking page is one page on your store where customers check where their order is, without emailing you. Shopify already gives every order its own status page. A separate “track my order” page adds a fixed link in your menu, so customers who lost the shipping email can still look up their order with an order number and email, or a tracking number.
This guide covers what Shopify gives you out of the box, when a dedicated page is worth adding, what it should show, and how to set one up. For the wider picture of lost, late and damaged orders, see the order protection guide.
What does Shopify already give you for order tracking?
Shopify’s built-in tracking runs through the order status page. Shopify describes it as the final page of checkout, where customers can come back to see shipping updates once you add a tracking number (Shopify Help Center).
According to Shopify’s order tracking guide, customers can follow a shipment through:
| Channel | How customers get there | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Order status page | Tracking link in the shipping email, their customer account, or order number plus email or phone | Shows live updates for supported carriers |
| Shipping notification emails | Sent at key delivery points | You edit them in Settings > Notifications > Customer notifications |
| Shop app | Orders sync to the customer’s Shop account | Push notifications, map tracking, delivery estimates |
| Customer account | Sign in to see order history | Shopify uses one-time codes, no password needed (customer accounts) |
Shopify’s status labels are Confirmed, On its way, Out for delivery, Delivered and Attempted delivery. If you fulfill without a tracking number, the order stays at Confirmed until you mark it delivered (understanding order status pages).
Why add a separate track my order page?
The order status page works well when the customer has the email. The gap is everything else. A customer who deleted the email, checked out as a guest, or lands on your homepage asking “where’s my order?” has no obvious place to click.
A dedicated page fills that gap:
- A fixed link. “Track my order” in your menu or footer is where customers look first.
- No sign-in. Guests look up their order with details they already have.
- Your branding. The page sits on your domain and matches your theme.
- Fewer support emails. Every self-served lookup is one less “where is my order” message in your inbox.
- A path to claims. When tracking shows a problem, the next step can sit one click away.
If most of your customers use accounts and the Shop app, the built-in tools may be enough. If you get a steady stream of order status emails, a tracking page is a cheap fix.
What should a good order tracking page show?
Keep the lookup short and the result easy to scan. Here is a checklist:
| Element | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Lookup by order number plus email or phone | Customers have this in their confirmation; the second field protects privacy |
| Lookup by tracking number | Helps customers who only have the carrier’s number |
| Clear status steps | Ordered, shipped, out for delivery, delivered: no carrier jargon |
| Carrier and tracking number, linked | Lets customers check the carrier’s site for detail |
| Scan history | Shows the package is moving, not stuck |
| One section per package | Split shipments are common; each needs its own status |
| Items in each package | Answers “why did only half my order arrive?” |
| Problem and cancelled notices | Tells the customer what to do next instead of leaving them guessing |
| Your language | Customers should read the page in the language they shopped in |
Avoid showing the full shipping address or payment details. The customer already knows them, and a tracking page should reveal as little as possible to someone who guesses an order number.
How do you add an order tracking page to Shopify with Sam?
Sam Shipping Protection includes a tracking page alongside shipping protection and warranties. The tracking page lookup runs on the Standard and Plus plans. The full steps are in the order tracking page guide.
- Turn it on. Open Tracking page in the app menu and click Turn on.
- Choose lookup methods. Under Customize, pick “Order number and email or phone number”, “Tracking number”, or both.
- Style it. Set colors, a background image, the layout (left, center or right) and the panel opacity so it matches your theme.
- Edit the text. Change the title, labels, status descriptions and error messages.
- Set the SEO title and meta description for the page.
- Add it to your menu. Click Add tracking page, or copy the tracking page URL and add it to your menu yourself.
- Translate it. Click Translate all, or edit each language with the pencil icon.
The page lives at /apps/protect/order-tracking on your store. You can also place it inside any page with the Order Tracking app block in the theme editor, the same way you add the claim page.
What do customers see?
Customers enter their details and get a result with a step bar (Ordered, Shipped, Out for delivery, Delivered), the carrier and a linked tracking number, and a list of scan updates. Orders shipped in several packages get one tab per package, with the items in each. If the carrier reports a problem or the order was cancelled, the page shows a notice instead of a misleading status.
What are the limits?
Know these before you announce the page:
- Tracking numbers only work for shipments created after you turn the page on. Older shipments can still be found by order number and email or phone.
- Order lookups cover recent orders. In the current version, orders older than 60 days are not returned.
- Repeated attempts are rate limited, so nobody can guess through order numbers.
For older orders, send customers to their Shopify order status page or your support contact.
Where should you link your tracking page?
A tracking page only cuts emails if customers find it before they write to you. Link it from:
- Your main menu or header, labeled “Track my order”.
- Your footer, next to Contact and your shipping policy.
- Your contact page, above the form: “Most order questions are answered here.”
- Shipping confirmation emails, as a second link next to the carrier link.
- Your FAQ, under “Where is my order?”
- Auto-replies from your help desk or inbox.
Use the same label everywhere. “Track my order” matches how customers phrase the question.
How does order tracking connect to claims?
Tracking answers “where is it?”. When the answer is “stuck”, “delivered but missing” or “returned”, the customer needs a next step. Put a short line on your tracking and FAQ pages that explains when a delivery counts as a problem and where to report it.
| What tracking shows | What to tell the customer | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| No update for days | When you treat a parcel as lost | When is a package considered lost? |
| Delivered, but nothing arrived | Check neighbors and safe places, then file a claim | Delivered but not received claims |
| Returned to sender | Confirm the address and offer a reship or refund | Package returned to sender |
| Arrived damaged | Take photos and file a claim | Damaged in transit: refund, reship or credit |
If you use Sam, link the tracking page and the claim page to each other. The self-serve claims portal guide covers what that page should collect. For the messages you send once a claim comes in, use the lost and damaged order email templates.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Asking for the order number only. Order numbers are sequential and easy to guess. Pair it with an email or phone.
- Hiding the page. A tracking page buried three menus deep will not stop emails.
- Promising delivery dates you don’t control. Show what the carrier reports. Don’t add your own “arrives Friday” claims.
- Leaving error messages vague. “We couldn’t find that order. Please contact the store.” beats a blank screen. Say what to try next.
- Forgetting other languages. If you sell in several languages, translate the page with the rest of your store.
- Fulfilling without tracking numbers. No tracking number means no updates on any page, Shopify’s or an app’s.
Do you need a tracking page if you have the order status page?
Not always. Shopify’s order status page, shipping emails and the Shop app cover customers who keep their emails or sign in. A dedicated track my order page helps everyone else: guests, customers on a new device, and anyone who starts on your homepage. If “where is my order” is one of your most common support emails, add the page, link it everywhere customers look, and connect it to a clear claims process.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify have a built-in order tracking page?
Shopify has an order status page for every order. Customers reach it from the tracking link in their shipping confirmation email, by signing in to their customer account, or by entering their order number and verifying their email or phone. It does not add a standalone track my order link to your menu by default.
What is the difference between the order status page and a track my order page?
The order status page belongs to one order and is opened from emails or the customer account. A track my order page is a single page on your store, linked from your menu or footer, where customers look up any order themselves.
What should customers enter on a tracking page?
Usually the order number plus the email or phone used at checkout, or the tracking number. Asking for both an order number and a contact detail keeps strangers from looking up other people's orders.
Can I add a tracking page to Shopify without coding?
Yes. Apps such as Sam Shipping Protection add a tracking page you turn on in the app, then add to your store menu with one click or place on any page with an app block in the theme editor.
Why can't a customer find an older order on the tracking page?
Each tool has limits. In Sam, tracking numbers can only be found for shipments created after you turn the page on, and order lookups cover recent orders. Point customers with older orders to their order status page or your support contact.
Sources
Part of our guide: Order protection →