Track Amazon Shipments via Text Message

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So I’m about two years late on this bit of “news” … but if I’m just discovering it, there could be others in a similar boat. You see, I’m such an early adopter that I’ve largely missed out on the text messaging phenomenom. I picked up the original Sidekick in 2002 and have been emailing and IMing via cellphone ever since. I only grudgingly enabled a basic text messaging plan within the last few months as folks in my circle (and inappropriate marketing personel) have cost me money (with every incoming SMS). But now that I’m retro modern, I’ve been keeping my eye open for texting opportunities. And it turns out Amazon offers “Text Trace” – a service to provide package tracking/shipment updates. Pretty cool, and much more efficient than babying the UPS site for status. In fact, beyond just ‘out for delivery’ and ‘delivery’ notifications, I’d be OK with even more info. Like when a product leaves the warehouse and later lands in my region. Although I’d prefer to see more real-time alerts. If you’re as behind the times as I, check out Text Trace at the bottom of your Amazon Order Summary, Shipment Tracking status page.

15 thoughts on “Track Amazon Shipments via Text Message”

  2. Thanks, this is news to me too, even though I consider myself pretty tech savvy and a frequent Amazon customer.

    Check out TrackMyShipments.com to track packages automatically via email, sign up for an account, then just forward your email from the shipper that contains the tracking number and they will email you every time the package’s status changes.

  5. I’m just waiting for Amazon PrimePlus, where every package gets its own embedded GPS device and cell Whispernet broadcaster, so I can track my packages in realtime on Google Maps…

  6. I just discovered this a couple of months ago. But I think it’s useless. It only lists the order number so if I have ordered a few things days apart, I don’t really know what order shipped. Plus there was a noticeable delay (sometimes days) of when something was delivered. That seems to have cleared up now though.

  7. Robs, good point – didn’t think about the order number limitation… or multiple items in an order. Guess I better only order one thing at a time, like two days apart. ;)

  8. Personally I use the Posted iPhone app since it works with any tracked package and it sends push notifications instead of text messages. I still refuse to pay the carriers ridiculously high texting fees.

  10. I recently tried this feature but it doesn’t work well with Amazon’s free super saver shipping. In my area, there is no more tracking info after FedEx or the carrier drops off at the regional post office. It can than take days for the post office to deliver and hence there is no visibility to when the shipment is coming.

  12. Ha, lucky. Then again, the two years that I worked from home the stuff would end up outside without knocking on the door or at the front office (when we rented), also without notification.

    Will check out TrackThis in the future, thanks.

  13. “since my studio is in my home, I use this nifty little thing called a doorbell…”

    How is your doorbell hooked up to the LAN? Is it WiFi or Bluetooth enabled?

    I wasn’t aware such tech was available…

  14. Hm, looks like you got the RSS comments linked up? As that was quick. :)

    Speaking of LAN doorbells, now that we’re home owners again I may dabble in some home automation stuff. Most is overkill, but I think reading & controlling the thermostat via iPhone has some practical uses.

  16. thanks Dave Zatz. This is new to me too. I consider myself tech-savvy but missed this one. I just signed up for trachthis using external authentication, and I like it.
    regards,
    baksharp.

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