Embedding shipper tracking links in ship email templates.

[ZLA]

We have a drop ship model (AC 7.0.2). When a vendor notifies us that an item has shipped, we can use the Ship Items feature to enter a tracking number which will be included in the Ship Email template. Unfortunately, there isn't a way to paste in the tracking link that is usually included from the vendor.

One thought I had was to tell the admin user to paste in the tracking number along with a shipper code (such as UPS 12345678 or USPS 23456789) and modify the email template with some nVelocity to add the tracking number to one of a few hardcoded tracking links for the shippers involved.

As part of our drop ship model, we do not use integrated shipping.

My questions:
1. Is there an easier way to do this?
2. Do the urls for the shipper tracking links stay constant enough for this to work?
3. What are the different permutations for a shipper's tracking link? Do they have a single one worldwide or do different ones exist for domestic vs international or even by country?

Thanks in advance.

[AbleMods]

The URLs are pretty static so far as I know. Many, many systems auto-link to the carrier tracking systems.

When you talk about not using integrated shipping, do you mean when you post a shipment in AC7 that the default carrier choice list isn't populated? I have that same issue on custom shipping methods - posting just the tracking number is worthless because the default carrier isn't set. I set the dropdown to the right carrier, then set the tracking number and it works fine. But I also have integrated shipping so the dropdown list is still populated.

Since you're not using integrated shipping, then your dropdown is probably completely blank. Have you tried pasting the entire tracking URL as the tracking number? The field supports up to 100 chars for the URL, and most email systems will automatically make it a clickable link if they see the HTTP:// portion.

Another thought: Setup integrated shipping. Then assign all the shipping methods to your admin group. None of the visitors will ever get them as possible choices, but your shipments page will now at least let you choose the carrier so the tracking URL can be produced.

I believe this post (about halfway down) has the code for the email template to show shipment tracking info in emails. viewtopic.php?f=42&t=9329&p=50695&hilit ... url#p50695

[afm]

Another thought: Setup integrated shipping. Then assign all the shipping methods to your admin group. None of the visitors will ever get them as possible choices, but your shipments page will now at least let you choose the carrier so the tracking URL can be produced.

I think you only need to add the carrier (such as UPS), but don't define any methods.

[ZLA]

Thank you both. Looks like one or both will work. Just to clarify, my customer sells products from several vendors and each vendor uses one or more shipping methods which can vary based on speed and product size. So even though we don't ship anything, we still have to provide tracking for a number of shippers.

Joe, one issue I see with pasting the link is that we sell gift items so there can be multiple vendors and multiple destinations which could generate multiple tracking numbers. Once that happens, 100 chars isn't so many.

Do you know how well multiple tracking numbers are handled for shipper tracking links?

[AbleMods]

Handles fine in my install. I have multiple shipments all the time, but I don't do the email links. I leverage the additional marketing opportunity by requiring the visitor to return to my site for tracking info.

Looking at the code in that post, it'll handle multiple shipments just fine.