With 85% of consumers saying they will buy from a retailer again if they can track their purchase throughout the delivery process, it is important for companies to consider that the post purchase experience is an important driver of sales and customer loyalty (Descartes, 2026).
Traditional shipping communications often fall short of these expectations. Our research found that consumers strongly prefer receiving tracking updates through messaging channels rather than email. Inboxes are already flooded with hundreds of messages, making it easy for important delivery updates to get buried. When customers need information quickly, they are far more likely to want to check a messaging app they use every day than search through their email history.
Messaging platforms such as WhatsApp have evolved beyond simple conversations with friends and family. Consumers now use them to organise their daily lives, manage appointments, receive service updates, and communicate with businesses. As a result, messaging has become one of the most effective channels for customer engagement. In fact, 89% of consumers have opted in to receive text messages from businesses, demonstrating a growing preference for receiving important information through messaging channels (Morning Star, 2026).
While most consumers have multiple retailer and courier apps installed, very few engage with them regularly. Our research found that only 14% use these apps daily, while 25% have never used them and a further 24% access them only a few times a year. This suggests that retailers and carriers may be investing heavily in channels that customers rarely use, while overlooking social messaging platforms that are already embedded in consumers' everyday routines. By delivering WhatsApp shipping updates through consumers preferred messaging channel, businesses can meet customers where they are already engaged, creating a more convenient and accessible post-purchase experience.
The post-purchase period is often the point of greatest uncertainty for customers. By allowing customers to simply send a message such as "Where is my order?" and receive an instant, real-time update, WhatsApp shipping reduces customers anxiety and creates a more customer connected post-purchase experience. Customers gain immediate access to the information they need, without navigating websites, downloading apps, or searching through their emails.
Solutions like stampfree.ai help retailers provide a single place to manage returns and delivery updates all through WhatsApp returns and WhatsApp shipping updates. By managing both WhatsApp shipping and WhatsApp returns through a single familiar channel, retailers can improve customer satisfaction while reducing support enquiries.
References
• Morning Star (2026) 2026 Consumer Texting Behavior Report: SMS Has Won. Now 89% of Consumers Expect Every Message to Earn Every Message to Earn Its Place. PR Newswire, 14 April. Available at: https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20260414sf33456/2026-consumer-texting-behavior-report-sms-has-won-now-89-of-consumers-expect-every-message-to-earn-its-place (Accessed: 29 June 2026).
• Descartes (2026) 5 Reasons Customers Love Real-Time Order Tracking. Available at: https://www.descartes.com/resources/knowledge-center/5-reasons-customers-love-real-time-order-tracking (Accessed: 29 June 2026).
• Modern Retail (2023) How the Post-Purchase Experience Impacts Brand Loyalty. Available at: https://www.modernretail.co/sponsored/how-the-post-purchase-experience-impacts-brand-loyalty/ (Accessed: 29 June 2026).
