Tracking packages across multiple couriers is more broken than I expected

When we started working on a universal parcel tracking tool, I assumed the problem was mostly technical. Different APIs, different formats, some edge cases. Normal stuff.

What surprised me was how fragmented and inconsistent the experience is for users, especially after checkout.

Most people don’t actually care which courier is handling their package. They just want to know:

• Where it is

• If it’s moving

• And whether there’s a problem

But in reality, tracking often means jumping between carrier sites, guessing which courier owns a tracking number, or dealing with updates that lag or disappear entirely.

This becomes even worse with:

• International shipments

• Marketplaces using multiple logistics partners

• Sellers who switch couriers mid-fulfillment

Building around this forced us to think less about features and more about clarity and trust. A tracking page isn’t just data. It’s reassurance.

Still early, still learning, but one takeaway so far:
Post-checkout experience is massively undervalued, and tracking is one of the biggest friction points.

Curious how others here have approached shipment visibility or post-purchase UX in their own products.