Package Tracking

The latest WooCommerce PayPal Payments version offers an improved post-purchase experience for merchants and buyers. Benefit from shorter hold times, Seller Protection eligibility, and other improvements to the existing package tracking system to facilitate smoother transactions and better buyer-seller relations.
The latest Package Tracking functionality is available out of the box for merchants operating in the following regions:

• Australia
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain
• United States

Streamline the process of sharing product details and shipping information between WooCommerce and PayPal for a smoother post-purchase experience. PayPal automates the synchronization of package tracking data, reducing manual work associated with payment holds, disputes, chargebacks, and customer support.

Funds held in your PayPal account will be available within 8 days instead of 21 upon providing tracking details, improving cash flow for merchants.

Adding tracking information to PayPal orders makes them eligible for PayPal Seller Protection, which reduces or even eliminates losses associated with disputes and chargebacks. Check out these additional tips on how to reduce chargebacks.

Demonstrating consistent shipping performance helps build trust with PayPal, eventually lowering the amount of reserves held in your account.

An automated “Item not received” dispute resolution process is included, providing an easy-to-navigate resolution workflow for merchants and customers.

Merchants from supported regions can use this PayPal service without additional fees or setup. Customers from the United States who use the PayPal mobile app will be able to track packages in the app and receive push notifications with live shipping updates. This functionality will be available in other supported regions at a later date.
Package tracking is provided automatically for all customers who pay with PayPal in your store, with no need for you to push notifications manually. Customers will receive notifications in real-time, keeping them informed at every step along the way.

The enhanced post-purchase experience is available to merchants operating from a supported region out of the box without any complex setup procedures. Benefiting from this is as easy as providing your package tracking data from the PayPal Package Tracking meta box from the edit order page in WooCommerce. Customers using the PayPal mobile app can track packages and receive live updates, facilitating a transparent transaction process.

The latest WooCommerce PayPal Payments version provides merchants and buyers with an enhanced post-purchase experience. It simplifies the sales process by automatically sharing all relevant product details and shipment information between your WooCommerce store and PayPal. This means fewer headaches due to disputes and quicker access to your funds, enhancing the buyer-seller relationship. For more details on how to take advantage of the new functionality, check out How to use Package Tracking features.

If you operate outside the supported regions, rest assured you will not be left behind. You can use the existing tracking integration to update PayPal with your shipment details and enjoy benefits such as PayPal Seller Protection. The updated PayPal Package Tracking meta box allows for the same customization of carrier options and statuses as in previous iterations while providing a better overview of existing shipments. Note that providing a tracking number is mandatory when submitting details to PayPal in the latest package tracking iteration.

The PayPal Package Tracking meta box is displayed below your WooCommerce order details by default. Depending on your preferences, the meta box can be freely moved to different positions on the edit order page. The meta box can also be hidden from the Screen Options at the top of the page without impacting the package tracking plugin compatibility.
Once the tracking number for your shipment is available, create the tracking data by following these steps:

• Edit the WooCommerce order
• Navigate to the PayPal Package Tracking meta box
• Fill out the Tracking Number field
• Select the Status of the shipment 
• Select the Carrier
• Click “Add Package Tracking” to transmit the tracking data to PayPal

That’s it! Once the tracking data is submitted, PayPal automatically provides additional benefits such as seller protection or customer shipping notifications. The shipment status can be updated after the submission, but if you need to change the tracking number, create a new shipment with the new number and set the existing shipment to the Canceled status. Shipment statuses:

Available Status selection

The recommended way to submit your tracking data to PayPal from outside of WooCommerce, e.g., with an external ERP system, is to utilize the REST API integration from the official WooCommerce Shipment Tracking extension. PayPal Payments automatically picks up the tracking data and submits it to PayPal.
Please note that tracking data at PayPal can be created via REST API but not modified or deleted.

If you already provide package tracking functionality in your WooCommerce store with another popular or widely used extension, they may integrate with the PayPal Package Tracking feature.  When creating a shipment with any of the following extensions, PayPal Payments automatically transmits the package tracking data to PayPal without you having to enter the same data twice:

• WooCommerce Shipping
• WooCommerce Shipment Tracking (incl. REST API)
• ShipStation for WooCommerce
• Germanized
• YITH WooCommerce Order & Shipment Tracking

Example of the integration with the WooCommerce Shipment Tracking extension:

Beyond this, customizations such as custom shipping providers or support for additional package tracking plugins can be added by taking advantage of the filters provided by the PayPal Payments extension. More details can be found in the developer-oriented GitHub documentation.

If you are not operating from a supported region, the tracking feature must be enabled for your PayPal account before you can add tracking information to orders.
The easiest way to enable tracking is to disconnect your PayPal account from the integration and reconnect it using the onboarding wizard.
Alternatively, get in touch with PayPal Merchant Support and request Tracking to be enabled for your account.

Q: What can I do with PayPal Package Tracking?
A: The PayPal app provides live shipping updates for your purchases so you know where your packages are and when they’ll arrive — learn more.

Q: Which Package Tracking-related information is sent to PayPal?
A: The Tracking data is shared with PayPal when creating it from the WooCommerce order. The following details (among others) are shared with PayPal during the order/tracking data creation process:

• Product Name
• Product SKU
• Product URL
• Product Image URL
• A UPC value can be sent with a code snippet (contact support for guidance)

When the tracking data is submitted, PayPal will automatically match the line items provided with the tracking based on their SKU and utilize the data for customer presentation.

Q: Can you integrate package tracking support for extension XYZ?
A: Please open a feature request, and the team will look into possible options. You can also ask the development community for help with customizations, as any developer can programmatically extend the tracking integration thanks to the provided filters.

Q: Want more information about PayPal Package tracking? 
A: Here are some more articles that may be helpful:
Does PayPal provide package tracking?
What can I do with PayPal Package tracking?
What if there’s an issue with one of my packages?