Running an e-commerce business means you’re always juggling logistics. Orders need to be shipped on time, customers expect updates, and if a package is delivered late or goes missing? It could mean dissatisfied customers and added costs.
If you run an e-commerce business that relies on Canada Post, you know how critical shipment tracking is. In fact, a recent McKinsey report reveals that approximately 50% of consumers track their orders to ensure timely progress.
At the end of the day, it’s all about keeping customers informed, avoiding support tickets, and ensuring your logistics operate smoothly. Fortunately, Canada Post offers robust tracking tools and features, allowing both businesses and customers to monitor shipments in real time.
In this guide, we’ll understand how Canada Post shipment tracking works and how it can help you ensure a smooth delivery experience.
Understanding Canada Post Shipment Tracking
Canada Post shipment tracking is a service provided by the shipping company for most domestic and international shipments. Every package comes with a unique tracking number assigned at the time of shipping that you (or your customers) can use to check the delivery status at different stages.
The tracking system is updated regularly to give you the current status and location of the package in real-time, allowing your e-commerce business to communicate accurate delivery time with the customer and streamline their purchase experience.
However, not all Canada Post shipping services include tracking by default. To be able to track a package, choose a trackable shipping option like XpresspostTM, Expedited ParcelTM, or Regular ParcelTM, which are domestic parcel services that include tracking.
Moreover, if a service doesn’t feature tracking by default, you can purchase it separately at the time of shipping. Otherwise, tracking won’t be available after the package is shipped.
That said, certain services do not offer tracking on packages coming into Canada, including-
- Registered Mail™ International
- Small Packet™ USA – Air
- Small Packet™ International – Air
- Small Packet™ International – Surface
How to Track Your Canada Post Shipment
Canada Post offers an official tracking page to help you track shipments, ensuring you can keep customers informed without the hassle of manual updates. To track your package, you’ll need the tracking number generated at the time of shipping.
A tracking number is a unique number made up of 16 numeric digits or 13 alphanumeric characters that is assigned to each package to monitor the package easily. This tracking number is available at the bottom of the tracking receipt or directly on the package.
Here’s how you can monitor the current status of your package via Canada Post’s Track page-
- Visit the Canada Post’s website and navigate to the Track tool.
- Enter the tracking number in the empty field. If you’re a customer using tracking your package, you can also use the Delivery Notice card number or reference number to do so.
- Click on the Track button to get real-time tracking results.
You can also contact their customer support via website, phone, or email to get updated details on shipment tracking. Further, you can sign up for text or email delivery updates via your Canada Post business account.
Interpreting Tracking Information
Being able to track a Canada Post shipment is one thing, but you need to interpret the tracking information accurately to share the package updates with the customers.
Here’s what some of the common tracking statuses mean-
In transit
“In transit” means that Canada Post has shipped the package, and it’s en route to its destination.
Out for delivery
The package is on its way to its final destination for the customer. You can check the delivery progress section for the accurate location.
Notice left
The package couldn’t be delivered as expected and has been sent back to the post office for the customer to pick up. This could happen for many reasons: perhaps the customer wasn’t available to receive the package and there was no secure location to leave it, the package couldn’t fit the mail compartment, the community mailbox was full, and more.
Delivery attempt made / Rescheduled for delivery next business day
The delivery attempt by Canada Post delivery partners wasn’t successful, in which case they will try to deliver the package the next day. Alternatively, this could also mean that the package was brought back to the depot, and the customer cannot collect it from a postal outlet yet.
Verifying recipient's address; Possible delay
In case there is an error in the customer’s address, the delivery agent will verify the address, which can lead to a possible delay.
Items held by customs
For packages shipped internationally, the package must clear customs before delivery. “Items held by custom” means the package is currently being reviewed by customs.
Delivered as a safe drop
If a customer wasn’t available to receive the package, the delivery agent has left the package in a safe area at their location (a “safe drop” such as inside a porch), and they don’t need to pick it up from the post office.
If the tracking status shows “Tracking information is unavailable”, it could mean that there is a delay between the time the package was scanned and the availability of packing information. It could also mean that the information is provided by foreign postal administrations, so it isn’t available yet.
Finally, if you have sent the package using any service for which the tracking feature is unavailable, you will see this status.
Benefits of Using Canada Post Shipment Tracking
As an e-commerce business, the Canada Post shipment tracking feature is a great tool to build customer trust, reduce service inquiries, and prevent losses.
Here’s how Canada Post shipment tracking will help you-
1. Improve customer experience and retention
It is very simple- transparency builds trust. Customers want detailed and proactive delivery updates to monitor their packages. When you offer a seamless post-purchase experience, it can turn a one-time buyer into a repeat customer.
2. Fewer WISMO (Where Is My Order?) inquiries
The second an order confirmation email goes out, a countdown starts in the customer’s mind. If they can’t track or access their package information, they’ll reach out to you, flooding your support inbox with “Where’s my order?” (WISMO) requests.
When you know the status of the package through Canada Post shipment tracking, you can easily convey that information to the customer through your website. This means fewer WISMO inquiries, less stress on your team, and higher customer satisfaction.
3. Fast resolutions
Sometimes, shipping issues cannot be avoided. Packages can get stuck in transit, delivered to the wrong address, or lost entirely. And when that happens, it directly hurts your reputation and revenue.
If you’re not monitoring tracking data, you’re the last to know when something goes wrong. By the time a customer reaches out, they’re already frustrated. With proactive Canada Post shipment tracking, you can spot delays, lost shipments, or delivery exceptions before customers complain.
This gives you the chance to fix issues proactively, like rerouting a package or expediting a replacement, enhancing the customer’s post-purchase experience.
4. Better shipping insights for business growth
If you’re not tracking shipping data, you’re playing blind man’s buff. Regularly tracking shipments through Canada Post can help you understand how well the carrier is performing, where delays are happening, and what they can do to improve.
This way, you can identify delivery bottlenecks more accurately and refine your logistics for better delivery efficiency.
Common Issues with Shipment Tracking
Despite Canada Post’s tracking features, businesses often run into situations where tracking updates are delayed, unclear, or missing altogether.
Here are some of the most common tracking issues and how to handle them:
Tracking number not found
If you don’t see the package tracking number on the Canada Post tracking page, panic might set in. But oftentimes, the issue is simpler than it seems.
Canada Post tracking numbers aren’t always live immediately after shipment. It can take a few hours or even a full business day for their system to update. If the tracking number is not found, it could mean Canada Post has yet to scan the package into the system, or the number was entered incorrectly.
No updates for several days
A customer places an order, and for the first couple of days, everything seems fine. Then, suddenly, the tracking status stops moving.
This can happen due to operational delays at the sorting facility or delays in reaching the scan points. For the business, these tracking blackouts can lead to frustrated customers and increased WISMO inquiries.
The package is marked as delivered but not received
One of the most frustrating experiences for both businesses and customers is when a package is marked as “Delivered,” but the recipient claims they never got it.
It is a common issue that can happen because of premature delivery scans or the delivery agent leaving it in an unexpected place in the absence of the receiver. When this happens, the best approach is to encourage customers to check around their delivery location and ask neighbors first.
If the package is still missing, filing a claim with Canada Post is the next step.
International Shipment Tracking with Canada Post
Shipping orders to customers outside Canada? Canada Post offers international shipping services and a simple way to track your package online. All you need to do is use the Track tool on their website to see the status of the package in real time.
If you have sent a package from Canada, you can use the tracking number available on the shipping label to track the package. However, if the package is sent to the United States, you can visit the United States Postal Services (USPS) website to monitor the package.
Or you can ditch all the manual work and rely on LateShipment.com Delivery Experience Management software to send real-time delivery updates to your customers. The tools seamlessly integrate with top shipping carriers like Canada Post, USPS, FedEx, and more, so you or your customers don’t have to check out different carrier websites to track the package.
You can automate delivery status updates from multiple shipping carriers or allow customers to track their packages on their own.
Canada Post Tracking Tools and Resources
Canada Post offers several tools and resources to help businesses track shipments and share accurate updates with their customers. These include-
Canada Post track tool
The Canada Post tracking tool page allows you to track packages by entering a tracking number for real-time updates on a shipment’s location.
Track by reference number or delivery notice card number
If a customer does not have the tracking number, they can also track their packages by using the reference number or delivery notice card number.
Delivery status updates
Customers can sign up for email or SMS notifications to get updates on their shipments. Businesses can also use Canada Post’s APIs to integrate tracking information into their own systems.
Canada Post app
Canada Post offers a mobile app to help you track packages easily.
Canada Post Support
Businesses or customers can also access the support page to get answers to their queries or contact the support team via phone, email, or website for help.
In Conclusion
For an e-commerce business, Canada Post shipment tracking is a reliable way to give their customers real-time updates, enhance transparency, and ensure a smooth post-purchase experience.
While Canada Post provides robust tracking tools, you will need more visibility, automation, and proactive management to meet rising customer expectations. That’s where LateShipment.com’s Delivery Experience Management software makes a difference. It integrates seamlessly with Canada Post to help businesses:
- Monitor all shipments in one unified dashboard
- Get real-time alerts on critical delivery issues like delays, lost in transit, or failed delivery
- Proactively notify customers about their deliveries
- Automate issue resolution
LateShipment.com streamlines post-purchase experience with advanced shipping tracking, estimated delivery dates, and custom shipping notifications.
Instead of reacting to delivery issues after customers complain, LateShipment.com helps you stay ahead, reducing “Where is my order?” queries, and build trust through proactive communication.
