Insert Merge Tags in Tracking Notifications

Plans: All plans Platforms: All platforms

Overview

AfterShip Tracking enables you to send personalized delivery notifications to customers via emails, SMS, and Facebook Messenger. You can customize AfterShip Tracking's pre-built notification templates using merge tags, for example, |TRACKING_URL|. Merge Tags are short-codes that you can insert in delivery notification messages to send personalized order updates.

What you'll learn

In this tutorial, we'll discuss:

How do the merge tags work
List of AfterShip merge tags
How to add merge tags in emails
Where can you insert merge tags

How do the merge tags work

Merge tags incorporate essential details such as customer information, order updates, tracking data, and store specifics into the delivery notification for the triggered shipment. You have the flexibility to select the specific information to include in your delivery notifications.

List of AfterShip merge tags

Here is a list of AfterShip's supported merge tags along with their descriptions:

Merge Tag	Description
STORE_NAME	Displays the name of your store.
STORE_URL	Adds your store's URL.
SENT_FROM_EMAIL	Gives your store's contact email address.
TITLE	Displays the order's title (e.g., Order #1004).
TRACKING_NUMBER	Gives the shipment's tracking number.
TRACKING_LINK	Adds URL to your AfterShip branded tracking page. It is an HTML element. <a href="{{TRACKING_URL}}">{{TRACKING_URL}}</a>
TRACKING_URL	URL to your AfterShip branded tracking page.
STATUS	Displays shipment's delivery status (e.g., delivered).
DETAILED_STATUS	Adds details about the order's delivery status.
LOCATION	Gives the current location of the shipment.
LAST_UPDATE_TIME	Gives the time when the order status was last updated.
LAST_UPDATE_TIME_US	Gives the time when the order status was last updated in US format.
COURIER	Displays the courier's name.
COURIER_CONTACT	Gives courier's contact information.
ORDER_ID	Adds the order identifier (e.g., #1004).
ORDER_PATH	Gives URL that customers can click to view their order on your eCommerce store.
CUSTOMER_NAME	Adds the customer's name to the delivery notification.
FIRST_NAME	Inserts the customer's first name.
SIGNED_BY	Displays the package receiver's information.
EXPECTED_DELIVERY_US	Gives the estimated date on which a package is expected to reach the customer in US format (e.g., Jan 05, 2020).
EXPECTED_DELIVERY	Gives the estimated date on which a package is expected to reach the customer. (e.g., 05 Jan 2020).
SHIPMENT_TYPE	Displays shipment's service type (e.g., UPS Express Saver®).
DELIVERY_PROOF_URL	Directs user to the picture proof of delivery. The URL will be expired in days subject to the carrier availability. *This tag will only appear in Delivered notifications. If the email receiver is not the buyer or recipient of the order, they will need to enter the email or phone number used to place the order.
NOTE	Displays additional notes (if any).
TO_EMAIL	Displays customer's email address.
EMAILS	Lists all of the customer's emails.
DIRECT_TRACKING_LINK	Gives a hyperlink to the courier's tracking page.
COURIER_REDIRECT_URL	The courier’s URL where end customer can redirect their parcel
DIRECT_TRACKING_URL	The Courier's tracking page URL
SHIPPING_ADDRESS	The destination address of the shipment
PICKUP_LOCATION	The location from where the customer can pick up their package
ORDER_URL	Displays customer the order tracking page in which all shipments are listed. It shows the default tracking page, or a variation based on any segmentation rules.
ORDER_NUMBER	A number identifying a purchase or order placed by a customer on an eCommerce platform.
ORDER_STATUS_URL	The order status page of an eCommerce platform
ORDER_DATE	The date when the order is placed
Custom field	User-described fields created via API, CSV, or in the Admin. Customize notifications using custom fields (merge tags). For example, if you created “store_name” as a custom field, you can use it in notifications like “Your order from *|STORE_NAME|* is on the way.”
ITEM_NAMES	Name of item(s) purchased by the customer.
SALES_NUMBER	Displays the order's sales number.

Merge tags should be in uppercase letters and enclosed by asterisks (*) on both sides, with an en dash (_) between each word.

Example: *|TRACKING_URL|*

How to add merge tags in emails

Log into your AfterShip account.
Navigate to Notifications > Flows.
Edit the template for the events you wish to notify customers about.
Customize the template with merge tags in sections you want and save your changes.

Where can you insert merge tags

There are several places in your email where you can insert merge tags to auto-populate relevant customer, order, and shipment related information based on the editor you've selected.

Notification type	Editor type	Editor tab	Section name	Block name	Location
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop	Settings	Email subject		Email subject line
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop	Content	Header		Organization name and URL
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop		Image with text		Title, Description, Button text
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop		Text		Description
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop		Shipment items		Product and price info > Link product images to URL
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop		Layout	Image with text	Title, Description, Button text
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop			Text	Description
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop		Hero	Text	Description
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop		Product recommendations		Text title and description
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop		Product documents		Title, Description, Button text
Tracking Email notification	Drag-and-drop		Footer		Title, Description, Button text
Tracking Email notification	HTML	Settings	Email subject		Email subject line
Tracking Email notification	HTML	Content	HTML		Email content
Tracking SMS notification					Text content

For any further questions or help, please contact our chat support team.

Updated on: 05/02/2025