Track and trace systems, often referred to as shipment tracking software, are essential tools for preparing and transporting goods across various industries. They provide end-to-end visibility during the transport of goods, helping companies and eCommerce improve logistics performance and gain greater control over transport operations.
There are many types of track and trace software available. Depending on the industry you operate in, you may require a specific type. Let's explore some of the most popular options.
What is track and trace?
Track and trace is the process of monitoring a product’s journey through each stage of the supply chain, providing updates on location and status to ensure transparency, improve efficiency, and enhance customer satisfaction.
Types of track and trace
- E-commerce: Lets customers track online orders from purchase to delivery, improving transparency.
- Delivery: Provides real-time delivery updates and estimated arrival times, optimizing last-mile logistics.
- Logistics: Monitors goods as they move through warehouses and transit points, reducing loss and delays.
- Manufacturing: Tracks production stages, ensuring quality control and regulatory compliance.
- Healthcare: Ensures safe, traceable movement of drugs and medical supplies, preventing counterfeits and enabling recalls.
What is a track and trace solution
Track and Trace software is a technological solution that enables you to monitor the location and status of an item throughout the supply chain. It is utilized in various sectors such as logistics, retail, manufacturing, food, and healthcare to manage shipments, inventories, production, quality, food safety, and medication tracking.
In B2C industries such as eCommerce, these solutions are crucial for keeping shoppers informe d about the whereabouts of their orders, thereby forming part of their shopping experience. Track and trace solutions are often part of the supply chain management strategy.
Benefits of using a track and trace system
Enhanced inventory management capabilities
Implementing track and trace software empowers you to maintain superior oversight of your inventory levels, meticulously analyze product demand trends, and proactively mitigate the risk of stock shortages.
Optimized cost management
By leveraging track and trace solutions, companies can strategically devise and implement more streamlined delivery routes, thereby minimizing transportation expenses and mitigating the occurrence of delivery-related incidents.
Increased customer satisfaction
You can send notifications or integrate a tracking portal into your business to keep customers always informed. Updating customers on the status of their purchases will strengthen their relationship with your business, increasing the likelihood that they will return to you in the future.
Troubleshooting and route optimization
Platforms like Outvio identify and resolve transport problems. Also collect information from your carriers and analyze their performance. This is useful for detecting routes prone to incidents or carriers with high rates of delays or losses. Use this information to optimize your strategies.
Regulatory compliance
Supply chain security laws(among others) require certain industries to implement control and traceability measures on transported goods. Track and trace software enables you to stay up to date with this type of regulation.
Track and trace tools: comparative
| Software | Industry | Why use it | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outvio | eCommerce | Optimisation of all eCommerce operations: shipments, returns, tracking, marketing and customer service | $125/ $250/month + order fee |
| TrackTraceRX | Pharmaceutical | Ensures drug authenticity and patient safety through scanning and encryption in pharmaceuticals. | Customized |
| Katana | Manufacturing | Optimizes manufacturing with intelligent inventory and production control | $199/$399/$899/month |
| Parcellab | Food Industry | Tailors solutions for the food industry with optimized routes and high customization | Customized |
| Tibco Spotfire | Business Intelligence | Provides robust business intelligence and analytics for medium to large enterprises | Customized |
| QuickBooks Time | Time Management | Offers efficient time management for accounting and finance | Basic Plan: Starts at $20/month |
| Sendcloud | Small Online Stores | Provides basic tracking for small stores with a free plan | $23/$70/$138/month + order fee |
Best track and trace solution providers by industry
1. Outvio, track and trace software for eCommerce
Outvio is a track and trace software specialized in shipping and returns for eCommerce. This software has a wide range of integrated carriers and CMS to streamline the customization process for shops. It has advanced tracking systems, both with notifications and real-time portals. You can personalize customer communication, automate logistics management, and process returns. Outvio is the best choice for eCommerce companies that want to transform the tracking of shipments and returns into a marketing element and enhance the customer experience.
Advantages
- Complete centralization of ordering, marketing, and customer service operations
- Automatic management of transport and return processes
- Customizable order notifications
- Customizable real-time tracking portal
- Complete suite for internal order control
- Automated transport incident management
- Transport and tracking analytics and reporting
- Barcode scanning
Pricing
Shipping prices range from 125 to 250 dollars per month. Additionally, it charges a fee per order processed within the platform.
2. TrackTraceRX, pharmaceutical track and trace software
TrackRX is a track and trace solution specialized for pharmaceutical companies that need to track and trace medicines. It allows you to closely monitor the movement of medicines throughout your supply chain, ensuring authenticity and safeguarding patient safety.It is characterized by high security to protect sensitive data.
Advantages
- Scans drug codes to verify drug identity
- Encrypted sensitive data
- Facilitates access to medication doses and instructions
- Generates reports and analysis for pharmaceutical companies
Pricing
- Custom
Katana, track and trace manufacturing system
Katana is a manufacturing track and trace software. It offers a wide range of functions to help companies manage their production, inventory, finance, and accounting processes. The software allows you to create and manage recipes and production formulas, facilitating process standardization and quality improvement.
Advantages
- Intelligent control of inventory references
- Optimization of production lists and materials
- Barcoding system
- Batch control and management of products with expiry dates
Pricing
- Starter: $199 per month, 1 inventory location
- Standar: $399 per month, 3 inventory locations
- Professional: $899 per month, 10 inventory locations
4. Parcellab, tracking for the food industry
Parcellab is a platform specialized in post-payment communication. It provides real-time order tracking throughout the entire ordering experience.Its strength lies in the delivery prediction system, which is very useful for companies that ship perishable goods, such as the food industry.
Advantages
- Tailor-made customer developments
- Optimization of delivery routes
- Very good levels of customization
Pricing
- Custom
5. Tibco Spotfire, system for business intelligence
TIBCO Spotfire is a robust business intelligence (BI) and data analytics platform designed for medium to large enterprises. It offers a wide range of capabilities, including handling large data sets, content analysis, predicting future trends, advanced team collaboration, machine learning, and discovering hidden patterns in data.
Benefits
- Can be integrated on-premises or in the cloud
- Processes large datasets quickly and efficiently
- Free 30-day trial
Pricing
- Custom
6. QuickBook, accounting and finance
QuickBooks Time is time management software that is part of the QuickBooks family of products, known for its accounting expertise. It is ideal for small and medium-sized staffing firms and integrates with more than 50 other accounting and payroll applications, including QuickBooks packages.
Advantages
- Project time tracking
- Scheduling of employee tasks and schedules
- Customized alerts, notifications, and reports
Pricing
- Basic Plan: Starts at $20/month
- Elite Plan:Costs $40/month
7. Sendcloud, shipping tracking software for small stores
Sendcloud is a tracking and tracing software for new shops. With its free plan you can send up to one status notification per order in up to two languages. Just opened your first shop and need a tool to get you out of trouble? Sendcloud is what you've been looking for!
Advantages
- Free plan
- Excellent option for small business needs
- There are worse options
Pricing
- Lite: €23/month + label fee
- Growth: €70/month + label fee
- Premium: €138/month + label fee
How track and trace technology works
Each product has a barcode, RFID tag, or GPS chip for identification. This information is recorded in a database that includes details such as origin, destination, weight, content, value, and other important product data.
This data is transferred to the track and trace system solution for monitoring, allowing the flow of products to be managed from a much more intuitive user interface. In addition, the software must be connected to the rest of the organization's technology providers.
For example, in the case of eCommerce, it is important to connect with the transport APIs to be able to print the shipping label with the tracking codes.
Authorized employees, such as warehouse operators, logistics managers, or customer service personnel, can access this interface to perform various tasks, such as:
- Viewing the real-time location of the product in transit.
- Tracking the exact route of the product and reviewing its event history, including details such as scans and deliveries.
- Obtaining detailed information about the product's features and specifications.
- Estimating the expected delivery time based on real-time tracking and analysis of historical data.
- Receiving automatic alerts on relevant events, such as delivery delays or changes in shipment schedules.
Practices with track and trace shipping sofware
Correctly check the goods in the warehouse
Track and trace systems that lack barcodes may encounter limitations when verifying goods. This can lead to incidents or difficulties in logistics management, particularly during the transfer of product information into the track and trace system. We recommend using software that integrates with a digital barcode reader for improved accuracy.
Personalise notifications and the tracking page
89% of consumers prefer personalized content in follow-up messages. Using delivery notification software allows businesses to add brand elements and tailored product recommendations that may be of interest to shoppers. This personalization not only enhances the customer experience but also boosts indirect sales by engaging customers with relevant suggestions and reinforcing brand loyalty.
Segment and create post-payment audiences
In addition to personalizing the content of your messages, you should also personalize the customers who receive them. If your tracking and tracing system includes an audience manager, you can create highly profitable sales campaigns. For example, with Outvio, you can send recommendations related to the product code of the current item. This way, the chances of your customer making an additional purchase are much higher.
What to consider when choosing a track and trace system supplier
- Make sure the track and trace software is specialised in your sector for greater scalability.
- Make sure the software supports multiple carriers so you can offer a variety of shipping options and choose the most appropriate one for each order
- Look for customization options that allow you to adapt order tracking to your brand aesthetics or add promotional banners to create a cross-sell strategy
- Check if the software allows you to send automatic notifications to customers, such as order confirmations, status updates and shipping notices
- Try enabling multiple channels, such as WhatsApp, SMS or email. Tracking should also affect the return experience. Make sure that the software you will be working with ensures an effective, automatic and trackable returns and exchanges process
Conclusion
Keeping your customer up to date is essential to ensure a good online shopping experience. It also goes a long way to reducing the number of missed deliveries or lost products. Want to keep your customers informed and engaged? Consider integrating track and trace software, a valuable tool that enables real-time monitoring of shipments. With a reliable track and trace system in place, you can provide your customers with accurate information about the whereabouts of their orders, enhancing transparency and trust. Partnering with reputable track and trace solution providers ensures seamless implementation and efficient management of this vital aspect of your business.
