Founder, Oxaide

"Where is my order?"

Four words that consume 30-50% of e-commerce customer support resources. Every online store, from small Shopify shops to enterprise retailers, deals with the same reality: customers want to know where their stuff is.

This guide covers how to automate WISMO (Where Is My Order) queries so your team can focus on issues that actually need human attention.

The WISMO Problem: By the Numbers

How Much of Your Support Is WISMO?

Industry data shows:

E-commerce Segment	WISMO % of Total Support
General retail	35-45%
Fashion/apparel	40-50%
Consumer electronics	30-40%
Food/grocery	25-35%
Luxury goods	20-30%
Subscription boxes	45-55%

For a store processing 1,000 orders/month with 15% contact rate:

• 150 support tickets/month
• 50-70 are WISMO queries
• At $10/ticket human cost = $500-700/month on "where is my order"

Why Customers Ask

The question seems simple, but motivations vary:

Customer State	What They Really Need	Solution
Excited anticipation	Reassurance it's coming	Proactive updates
Delivery date approaching	Confirmation of timing	Real-time tracking
Delivery date passed	What went wrong?	Issue investigation
Tracking shows delivered	Where is it?	Human escalation
Gift/time-sensitive	Will it arrive in time?	Priority handling

Understanding the "why" helps design better automation.

Anatomy of Great Order Tracking Automation

What the Experience Should Look Like

Customer Messages on WhatsApp:

"Where is my order?"

AI Response (within seconds):

"Hi Sarah! Let me check on your recent order.

I found order #ORD-4829 placed on Dec 1: 📦 Status: Out for delivery 🚚 Carrier: UPS 📍 Last scan: Singapore sorting facility, 8:42 AM today 📅 Expected delivery: Today by 6 PM

Track live: [tracking link]

Is there anything else I can help with?"

What Makes This Work:

1. Instant response (no waiting)
2. Found the right order automatically
3. Clear, scannable information
4. Live tracking link provided
5. Offer to help further

The Technical Stack

Order tracking automation requires:

1. Order Management Integration

• Connect to Shopify, WooCommerce, or your OMS
• Real-time order status access
• Customer identification via email/phone

2. Carrier/Tracking Integration

• Tracking status from carriers (UPS, FedEx, DHL, local carriers)
• Last scan location and timestamp
• Estimated delivery date

3. Customer Identification

• Match incoming message to customer account
• Handle multiple orders per customer
• Guest order lookup by order number

4. AI Conversation Layer

• Natural language understanding of WISMO queries
• Order disambiguation when needed
• Proactive follow-up offers

Implementation Guide

Step 1: Connect Your Order System

For Shopify:

• API integration via Shopify Admin API
• Access order status, tracking, customer data
• Webhook for real-time status updates

For WooCommerce:

• REST API integration
• Order status and tracking plugins
• Customer lookup by email

For Custom Systems:

• REST API or database connection
• Order status field mapping
• Tracking number association

Data Points Needed:

Field	Purpose
Order ID	Customer reference
Order status	Fulfillment state
Tracking number	Carrier lookup
Carrier	Which provider
Customer email	Account matching
Customer phone	WhatsApp matching
Order date	Recency sorting
Items	Context in responses

Step 2: Configure Customer Identification

Customers do not always provide order numbers. Handle various inputs:

By Phone Number (WhatsApp):

• Match incoming WhatsApp number to customer phone
• Most accurate for WhatsApp support
• Works automatically with no customer effort

By Email:

• Customer provides email address
• Lookup orders associated with email
• Handle multiple matches

By Order Number:

• Direct lookup when customer provides order ID
• Validate format before searching
• Handle typos gracefully

By Name:

• Last resort if no other identifier
• Confirm with additional details
• Higher verification needed

Step 3: Handle Multiple Orders

When customer has multiple recent orders:

AI Response:

"I found 3 recent orders. Which one would you like to check?

1️⃣ Order #4829 (Dec 1) - Blue Wireless Headphones - In transit 2️⃣ Order #4815 (Nov 28) - Phone Case - Delivered Nov 30 3️⃣ Order #4801 (Nov 25) - USB Cable - Delivered Nov 27

Just reply with 1, 2, or 3."

Best Practices:

• Show most recent first
• Include key identifiers (date, item, status)
• Make selection easy (numbers work well on mobile)
• Limit to 5 most recent if many orders

Step 4: Design Status-Specific Responses

Different order statuses need different messages:

Processing/Confirmed:

"Order #4829 is confirmed and being prepared. 📦 Items: Blue Wireless Headphones 📅 Estimated ship date: Dec 3

You'll receive tracking info once shipped."

Shipped/In Transit:

"Order #4829 is on the way! 📦 Status: In transit 🚚 Carrier: UPS 📍 Last location: Chicago, IL (Dec 2, 3:15 PM) 📅 Expected delivery: Dec 5

Track here: [link]"

Out for Delivery:

"Good news! Order #4829 is out for delivery today. 📦 Status: Out for delivery 🚚 Driver left facility at 6:42 AM 📅 Expected: Today by 6 PM

Keep an eye out! 📬"

Delivered:

"Order #4829 was delivered! ✅ Delivered: Dec 5 at 2:34 PM 📍 Left at: Front door

Everything arrive okay? Let me know if you have any issues."

Exception/Problem:

"I see order #4829 has a delivery exception. ⚠️ Status: Address issue 📍 Last location: Local post office

This usually means the carrier needs clarification. Let me connect you with someone who can help resolve this.

[Escalate to human]"

Step 5: Configure Escalation Points

Not every WISMO query can be automated. Know when to escalate:

Escalate Immediately:

• "Delivered" but customer says not received
• Significant delivery delay (3+ days past estimate)
• Package shows "returned to sender"
• Damage reported
• Wrong item concerns

Escalate If Customer Requests:

• Wants to change delivery address
• Wants to cancel order in transit
• Has questions about specific items
• Needs delivery instructions added

Stay Automated:

• Standard status inquiries
• Tracking link requests
• General "when will it arrive"
• Recent order confirmation

Step 6: Add Proactive Updates

The best WISMO query is one that never happens:

Proactive Notifications:

Trigger	Message
Order confirmed	"Order received. We'll notify you when it ships."
Order shipped	"Shipped. Tracking: [link]. Arriving ~Dec 5."
Out for delivery	"Arriving today. Keep an eye out."
Delivered	"Delivered at 2:34 PM. Enjoy!"
Delay detected	"Slight delay. New ETA: Dec 7. Sorry for wait."

Channel Selection:

• WhatsApp: Best for real-time updates (98% open rate)
• SMS: Good backup, works without app
• Email: Acceptable for non-urgent updates

Opt-In Requirements:

• WhatsApp requires 24-hour session or template approval
• SMS requires explicit consent
• Email has most flexibility

Platform-Specific Implementation

Shopify + Oxaide Integration

Setup Process:

1. Install Oxaide app from Shopify App Store (or custom OAuth)
2. Authorize order data access
3. Configure customer matching (phone → WhatsApp)
4. Enable AI order lookup responses
5. Test with sample orders

Capabilities:

• Real-time order status lookup
• Tracking number retrieval
• Customer identification by phone/email
• Order history access

Limitations:

• Carrier tracking requires separate integration
• Some custom order flows may need API work

WooCommerce + Oxaide Integration

Setup Process:

1. Connect via REST API credentials
2. Configure order status mapping
3. Set up customer matching
4. Enable tracking plugin integration
5. Test across order states

Tracking Plugin Compatibility:

• AfterShip
• TrackShip
• Advanced Shipment Tracking
• Custom tracking fields

Custom E-commerce Platforms

API Requirements:

• Order lookup by customer identifier
• Order status field
• Tracking number field
• Customer contact info

Webhook Support:

• Order status changes
• Shipping updates
• Delivery confirmation

Advanced Features

Delivery Date Intelligence

Go beyond carrier estimates:

AI Enhancement:

"Based on this carrier's recent performance to your area, packages typically arrive 1 day earlier than estimated. Likely arrival: Dec 4."

Weather/Event Awareness:

"Note: Holiday shipping volumes may add 1-2 days to estimates this week."

Order Modification Support

For flexible automation:

Address Change (Limited):

"I can request an address change with the carrier. The new address is: [confirm]. Processing now... Done. Change requested. Note: Success depends on package location."

Delivery Instructions:

"I've added a note to leave at your back door. Carriers usually see these, but we can't guarantee. Anything else?"

Return Initiation

Connect WISMO to returns:

Customer: "I got my order but want to return it."

AI:

"I can help with that. Which item from order #4829 would you like to return?

1️⃣ Blue Wireless Headphones ($79)

Reply 1 to start the return process."

[Continue with return flow]

Measuring Success

WISMO Automation Metrics

Metric	Target	Calculation
WISMO automation rate	> 85%	Automated ÷ Total WISMO
Response accuracy	> 95%	Correct info ÷ Responses
Customer satisfaction	> 4.2/5	Post-interaction survey
Escalation rate	< 15%	Escalated ÷ Total WISMO
Response time	< 30 sec	Median time to first response

Cost Savings Calculation

Monthly WISMO Savings:

A. Monthly WISMO queries: 500
B. Human cost per query: $8
C. Total human cost: $4,000

D. Automation rate achieved: 85%
E. Queries automated: 425
F. AI cost per query: $0.15
G. AI total cost: $64

H. Queries requiring human: 75
I. Human cost for remainder: $600

J. New total cost (G + I): $664
K. Monthly savings (C - J): $3,336
L. Annual savings: $40,032

Continuous Improvement

Weekly:

• Review failed lookups (why couldn't AI find order?)
• Check escalation reasons
• Verify tracking accuracy

Monthly:

• Analyze WISMO volume trends
• Identify new query patterns
• Update response templates

Quarterly:

• Carrier performance review
• Proactive notification effectiveness
• Customer satisfaction trends

Common Challenges

Challenge 1: Multi-Carrier Complexity

Problem: Different carriers, different tracking formats, different APIs

Solution:

• Use aggregator service (AfterShip, Ship24)
• Or integrate top 3-5 carriers directly
• Fallback: Provide carrier link for manual lookup

Challenge 2: Guest Orders

Problem: Customer didn't create account, hard to match

Solution:

• Allow order number + email verification
• Store phone at checkout for WhatsApp matching
• Encourage account creation at order confirmation

Challenge 3: Pre-Ship Questions

Problem: Order placed but not yet shipped, no tracking

Solution:

• Provide order confirmation details
• Show estimated ship date
• Explain fulfillment process
• Offer notification when shipped

Challenge 4: International Shipping

Problem: Multiple carriers, customs delays, complex tracking

Solution:

• Parse handoff points in tracking
• Set appropriate expectations for international
• Proactive communication about customs
• Longer escalation thresholds

The Bottom Line

WISMO queries represent a massive opportunity for automation:

• High volume: 30-50% of e-commerce support
• Predictable: Same question, different orders
• Data-driven: Answers come from systems, not judgment
• High satisfaction: Customers love instant tracking info

With proper order system integration, 85%+ of WISMO queries can be handled automatically—instantly, 24/7, on the channels customers prefer.

The result? Your support team focuses on issues that actually need human attention: exceptions, complaints, complex requests. Not looking up tracking numbers all day.

See how Oxaide integrates with your e-commerce platform with a 14-day free trial. Cut your WISMO volume in half this month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need enterprise e-commerce software for this to work?

No. If you use Shopify, WooCommerce, or any platform with API access to orders, integration is possible. Even simple stores with a few hundred orders monthly benefit.

What if customers message from a different phone than their order?

AI asks for order number or email for verification. The experience is slightly less seamless but still functional.

How do you handle carrier tracking inaccuracies?

AI presents carrier information with appropriate caveats. For exceptions or "delivered but not received" scenarios, automatic escalation to humans who can investigate.

Can this work for B2B shipments?

Yes. The logic is the same, though B2B often has more complex fulfillment (partial shipments, backorders) requiring additional configuration.

What about stores with very custom fulfillment?

Custom fulfillment flows need custom integration work. The principles remain: connect to your order data source, enable customer identification, design status-specific responses.