WISMO Solutions That Work for ecommerce Brands [Real-World Examples + Tools]

If you’ve been watching the shift in customer expectations lately, you’ve likely noticed that experience is everything.

Expectations on speed and convenience have reached an all-time high, patience is thinner, and brand loyalty now hinges less on what you sell and more on how you sell it.

To back this up, PwC research found that:

• 73% of people consider experience to be a key factor when deciding where to shop
• 80% say speed and timely communication are what make that experience worth coming back for

Having said that, experience isn’t just about how easy it is to browse your site. It’s also about how customers feel after they hit ‘place order.’

Once the excitement of purchase wears off, what’s left is nervous anticipation while awaiting the package to arrive. We’ve all been there—checking our phones, digging through emails, and refreshing tracking pages.

If the package is late and there’s no update, the whole experience starts to fall apart, and your support gets flooded with “Where is my order?” (WISMO) inquiries. These WISMO tickets pile up and eat into your support team’s time and eventually your bottom line.

According to DispatchTrack, 90% of shoppers now expect real-time tracking updates. If you can’t meet this expectation, 60% will move on to a competitor who can.

WISMO requests signal a broken piece of the post-purchase experience.

The good news? You can reduce WISMO inquiries, and it doesn’t have to mean more work for your team.

In this post, we will cover how to reduce WISMO inquiries without overloading your support team. 

We’ll look at proven strategies and automation tools that work across Shopify and ecommerce platforms. We’ve also included real-world examples so you can put these ideas into action fast.

WISMO: What it means (and why it matters more than you think)

WISMO stands for “Where is my order?”, a seemingly simple customer question that’s anything but simple behind the scenes.

These inquiries hint at problems that run deeper. A lack of timely, clear communication around delivery and, more importantly, broken customer trust.

A shopper left guessing about their order is more likely to vent online (like this Reddit user), clog your support queues, or walk away from your brand. Repeated WISMO inquiries can be equally frustrating for your already strained support teams, who now have to address numerous order status questions, resulting in longer wait times for high-value requests.

What is WISMO, exactly?

WISMO is the most common type of inquiry ecommerce brands receive post-purchase, and it highlights the online shoppers’ rising expectations for speed, transparency, and reliable delivery processes.

How do you calculate the WISMO rate?

The WISMO rate is a key metric often used to gauge the efficiency of fulfillment by ecommerce brands. It shows how many of your orders generate WISMO tickets.

It’s calculated like this:

WISMO Rate = Total WISMO Queries ÷ Total Orders Received Over a Certain Period

Let’s say you’re receiving 1,200 orders a month. If 480 of them result in WISMO queries, your WISMO rate would be 480 ÷ 1,200 = 0.40, or 40%

WISMO questions come through every possible channel: phone, email, SMS, live chat, DMs, and even as comments on TikTok or Instagram reels.

While WISMO questions begin with a simple “Where is my order?”, they barely end there. They can also look like this:

• “When will my order be shipped?”
• “Why hasn’t my delivery arrived yet?”
• “Has my package even left your warehouse?”
• “The tracking link doesn’t work. Can you please check?”

Why WISMO overwhelms e-commerce support teams

WISMO questions aren’t isolated tickets. They come from customers who have already paid for their purchase and are now stuck waiting.

The challenge with WISMO is that it’s deceptively small. One question from a customer doesn’t seem like much. But multiply that by hundreds or thousands of orders per month, and WISMO starts to overwhelm your support infrastructure.

Customers feel the drop in quality, too. OptimoRoute found that 87% of consumers say real-time tracking improves their delivery experience, and more critically, 98% of respondents to a survey say the delivery experience directly influences their trust in a brand.

This means every time a customer has to reach out to ask about their order, you have already lost points on the customer experience scoreboard.

As per Gorgias, WISMO inquiries make up 18% of all incoming support requests on average. While another report reveals that WISMO requests aren’t just time-consuming. They are a silent cost center, costing approximately $5 to resolve a query on average.

The cost of doing nothing

We will take a look at what WISMO can cost a business in a month:

If a business has around 750 monthly orders and a WISMO rate at 30% (close to 225 tickets), with the average cost per WISMO ticket at $5, the total monthly cost incurred by the business is $1125 (225 x $5).

Root causes of high WISMO volume

WISMO queries are often the result of gaps in communication and weak (or the lack of) order-tracking systems in place. If your WISMO questions have been on the rise, there are real issues worth fixing.

1. Lack of proactive communication

One of the most common problems is that you’re not reaching out soon enough. For many brands, post-purchase updates stop after the initial “your order is on the way” confirmation.

This passive approach builds frustration, and when delays occur, your brand’s reputation takes a hit.

Things usually go off track when there is:

• No heads-up when shipments are delayed or rerouted
• No SMS or email when the delivery attempt fails

Even short messages like “Your order is delayed, but we’re on it” or “Out for delivery today” can change the experience completely and show that your brand is in control.

2. Poor order tracking visibility

When your tracking link sends customers to a plain carrier page, they’re left piecing things together. Many of these pages lack context and useful updates. Or worse, they don’t always reflect the picture if the delivery is being handled by multiple carriers.

All of this can create a lot of confusion, given how over 77% of customers tend to check real-time order tracking pages more than once.

Some of the typical problem areas include:

• A plain tracking link without useful details
• No self-serve portals for query resolution
• Lack of mobile-optimized tracking pages

Brands that own the entire post-purchase flow see better results. In addition to offering branded, mobile-first, and informative tracking hubs, you can also share estimated delivery windows, location-based updates, and even prep tips for large item delivery.

3. Customer trust issues in delivery reliability

Once a customer has had a bad experience (late delivery or no updates), they will be quicker to question things the next time.

This is especially true for international shipping or complex logistics setups like drop-shipping. Even if you have a strong logistics network, poor communication lets doubt creep in.

Trust tends to break down when:

• Vague delivery promises are made at checkout
• There are no updates during long shipping windows
• Delivery delay updates are sent too late to be useful

Adding clear shipping timelines by product type and sending delay alerts within 12 hours of carrier holds can help you bring down the WISMO tickets.

Key benefits of reducing WISMO

Once a brand hits scale, WISMO inquiries will go from being a minor inconvenience to a margin-eater. Brands that automate order updates and build clarity into the post-purchase flow are not just winning at keeping customers calm. They reduce ticket volume, clear queues, and make room for deeper support where it counts.

Lower customer support costs

Most WISMO tickets take under a minute to solve, but they pull customer support agents into back-and-forths that take up way too much time.

By setting clear expectations upfront and investing in proactive order tracking emails and automated delivery updates, brands typically see a 20% to 40% drop in WISMO volume.

This, in turn, frees agents to handle returns, escalations, and fraud checks; brings down the average resolution times; and reduces the overall cost of support.

Better customer satisfaction and trust

The brands that successfully lower WISMO queries do three things well:

• They talk early
• They talk straight
• They follow through

Through consistent and transparent ecommerce shipping communication strategies, brands are building confidence and setting the tone for the rest of the post-purchase experience.

Improved team focus

Most support teams are running short on time. Reducing WISMO inquiries frees up time for support agents to attend to higher-value tickets, like managing returns or cancellations. This shift in focus will pave the way for better retention metrics.

Proactive strategies to reduce WISMO inquiries

Reducing WISMO inquiries requires proactive, well-planned strategies that address customer concerns before they arise.

Below is a list of actionable strategies and trusted tools that have helped some of the leading ecommerce brands reduce WISMO-related queries at scale.

Strategy #1: Set clear delivery expectations upfront

A WISMO inquiry pops up only when a customer is uncertain about delivery timelines. You can prevent this by displaying delivery timelines early in the customer journey.

Add shipping timelines on PDPs and cart pages

Displaying estimated delivery dates directly on Product Detail Pages (PDPs) and during checkout helps set the right expectations.

Adding phrases like “Order within 2 hours for delivery by Friday” helps establish clear delivery expectations while also nudging customers to make a purchase.

Use tools like Narvar or Wonderment to display dynamic delivery ETAs:

Narvar leverages predictive machine learning models trained on logistics data to offer reliable, real-time shipping estimates.

Wonderment recalculates expected dates every 24 hours using recent delivery metrics.

Strategy #2: Send post-purchase notifications at key milestones

When you keep customers informed throughout the delivery process, you can reduce the uncertainty and likelihood of receiving “Where is my order?” inquiries.

Set up automated email and SMS notifications for key stages as shown below:

• Order confirmed: “Thank you for shopping with us! Your order #445 has been confirmed.”
• Shipped: “Your order is on the way. Track it here <link>.”
• Out for delivery: “Order #445 is out for delivery today.”
• Delayed: “We apologize, there is a slight delay in delivering your order. Our team is working on fixing this ASAP.”
• Delivered: “We’ve just delivered order #445. Hope you enjoy it!”

Recommended tools to set up these notifications:

Klaviyo is ideal for setting up behavior-triggered flows across email and SMS

Postscript specializes in SMS marketing and enables brands to send tailored and automated messages that keep customers informed post-purchase

Strategy #3: Create a branded tracking page

It’s time for brands to start treating tracking pages as a brand touchpoint, considering how customers revisit them multiple times before delivery.

Besides being well designed, your tracking pages should also include:

1. ETA: Show up-to-date delivery timelines so customers don’t need to ask
2. Support contact details: Add links to chat, help center, or email for quick issue resolution
3. Product suggestions: Recommend add-ons or related items to drive reorders while customers wait for their delivery

How to implement: Use Shopify plugins like AfterShip or Tracktor to create branded tracking pages

Strategy #4: Enable order lookup through chat or help desk

Make your help desk tool or live chat do more by embedding real-time order lookup. By integrating order status functionalities into customer support channels, you can enable quick resolutions without human intervention.

Two ways you can automate this:

1. 1. Supermoon: Set up macros that pull in real-time order data. When a customer asks, “Where is my order?” they get an immediate response without agent involvement.

2. Zendesk: Employ triggers that identify WISMO-type queries and reply instantly with tracking details using prebuilt rules.

Strategy #5: Offer self-serve order status through portals

Your customers don’t want to wait to know where their stuff is. Minimize WISMO tickets by empowering customers with direct access to their order information.

Implement Amazon-style portals with one-click login using email

Set up a self-serve portal with one-click email access. It will allow them to:

• Track deliveries
• View order history
• Reach out to the support team if needed

Automation tools that help reduce WISMO at scale

The best way to reduce WISMO tickets is to give customers greater control. A simple shipping FAQ and an AI-powered chat widget can answer most WISMO queries before they reach your team.

This explains why WISMO automation tools are increasingly taking over by pulling live updates from your systems and sending them out as timely, informative notifications across channels.

Let’s run by some of the popular automation tools.

Shopify apps and integrations

These tools help you automate tracking alerts, customize tracking pages, and link fulfillment updates to your marketing stack.

• Wonderment: Offers branded order tracking pages and real-time status alerts. It connects to Klaviyo and Postscript, so you can trigger updates the moment the status changes.
• Malomo: Lets you host your own branded tracking page. Additionally, you can include upsells, support CTAs, or policy links to turn tracking traffic into conversions.
• Narva: Builds branded tracking hubs where customers can check order status, request returns, or read your shipping policies.
• AfterShip: Gives both you and your customers a full view of package status. With automation built for Shopify, you can trigger messages for delays, failed deliveries, or customs clearance.

Help desk integrations

These plug-ins and rules help your agents handle WISMO queries faster or avoid them altogether.

• Gorgias rules/macros: Detect WISMO intent and auto-reply with live tracking links or updates pulled from Shopify.
• Supermoon: Supermoon integrates with your Shopify store and scan assist your agents in handling WISMO queries faster or avoid them altogether. Supermoon AI can detect WISMO intent and auto-reply with live tracking links, tracking numbers, order numbers, and more.

Best practices for writing shipping update emails

Your shipping emails should be more than just a status update. We’re breaking down what great shipping update emails do differently.

What to include in your WISMO-reducing emails

This checklist ensures you’re giving customers every detail they will ask for before they ask.

1. Friendly subject lines

Use subject lines that are clear, helpful, and human. Remember, the subject line is the first thing customers see, and it sets the tone for what follows:

Examples:

• “Heads up: your order is on the move”
• “Out for delivery—someone should be home”

Avoid using vague phrases like “We’ve got news!” or “Exciting update!”

2. Estimated delivery window, tracking link, and carrier

A strong update email answers “Where is it?” and “When will it arrive?”

Example: “Estimated delivery: June 19 via UPS”

3. Contact/support options

Make it easy for customers to reach you. Drop in a direct email, support link, or live chat button, whichever channels you actively monitor.

Example: “Questions? Tap here to talk to our team.”

Examples of great WISMO emails

Here are two email examples that do more than share tracking updates—they reduce confusion, answer questions, and even make people smile.

Example 1

This one uses humor to lighten the mood while covering all the essentials—order confirmation, shipping date, expected delivery window, and tracking link.

Bonus: The email also includes links to FAQs like how to request a hold or change the delivery address. Customers don’t need to open a WISMO ticket; they have options right there.

Example 2:

This one is practical. It confirms delivery timing, gives a clear CTA for the customer (be home), and shares support details. It’s informative, to the point, and reassuring all at once.

Measuring WISMO reduction success:

If you want fewer WISMO tickets, start by measuring key metrics that reveal gaps across your post-purchase journey.

Key metrics to track:

These metrics show where breakdowns happen and how changes affect the post-purchase experience.

WISMO ticket count per month

Raw ticket count is your early warning. If you’re seeing over 1,200 WISMO tickets in a month on 15,000 monthly orders, the ratio is too high. You need to set up triggers when this number spikes, especially around carrier delays or peak season.

The percentage of support volume that’s WISMO

If a third of your support volume is “Where is my order?”, your ops or emails aren’t working hard enough. For lean support teams, anything above 15% can drag first-response and resolution times.

Time to first response + resolution

Fast replies (under 30 minutes) and fast resolutions (under 2 hours) are great. But if agents are waiting on warehouse or tracking syncs, that’s a workflow issue that needs to be fixed.

CSAT and NPS post-purchase

A sudden drop in sentiment post-checkout usually points to poor tracking visibility. Time-stamped CSAT or NPS scores help locate exactly where friction begins.

Setting up benchmarks and improvement goals

Begin with your current WISMO rate. If 30% of tickets are WISMO, set a goal to cut that to 10% in the next two to three months. Achieve this with better tracking emails, dynamic and branded tracking pages, and auto-routing based on SKUs or carriers.

Real-world example: The White Willow cut WISMO by 56%

The White Willow, a sleep essentials brand, struggled with WISMO tickets. The team was manually chasing delivery updates while trying to handle returns.

The before-and-after snapshot

Customers lacked real-time updates, and manual tracking made it hard to stay on top of delivery issues.

After rolling out automated tracking pages and order alerts, they saw:

• 56% drop in WISMO calls
• 2x more tracking page visits
• 50% fewer failed deliveries

What tools did they use?

With ClickPost, the team set up:

• Real-time delivery alerts
• Automated returns and exchange workflows
• Exception alerts and proactive communication

Deliver peace of mind, not just packages

As we’ve seen so far, reducing WISMO goes beyond setting up triggers or dashboards. Greater shipping visibility comes down to building confidence and long-term trust.

Customers don’t reach out because they are impatient; they reach out because they are uncertain. The right ecommerce shipping communication strategy clears that uncertainty. 

Transparent post-purchase flows, such as informative order tracking emails and order status automation, increase perceived reliability, even if the delivery is delayed. Moreover, it saves your support team time, freeing them up to take on the bigger problems.

Reduce your WISMO tickets in 2 weeks. Try Supermoon today!