Order fulfillment has always been the unsung hero of the eCommerce shopping experience. While a beautiful website and attractive prices may secure the sale, getting the item to the customer and ensuring transparency of the delivery process has traditionally been a key factor in customer satisfaction.

Over the years, technology has made order management and fulfillment a much more complex, yet robust, process. ECommerce software such as SalesWarp can help you track purchases across channels, while new technology has provided customers with more transparency in regards to where their order is in terms of fulfillment.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently illustrated how far order fulfillment has come, with the announcement of new technology that provides near real-time tracking information.

The IMD Wireless system, which went under a limited release earlier this year, transmits product service information and operational data for programs like managed service points (MSP) and global positioning streams (GPS).

In other words, it updates its position once every 15 minutes, which gives customers nearly real-time knowledge on where their product currently is. As of right now, the USPS goes through approximately 12 different scans in a day, so this is clearly a forward step in terms of progression, according to MultichannelMerchant.

Speaking with Harry Whitehouse, chief technology officer and co-CEO of Endicia, the source reports the new shipping solution will improve retail customer service, as merchants will be able to provide customers with better information regarding the order fulfillment process. Retailers may soon even be able to notify customers about the specific time their order will be delivered.

Considering how important shipping is to successful eCommerce operations, it’s critical that merchants are using advances in technology to pass a better customer experience down to their customers.