When an order paid with PayPal gets a tracking number, PlatformDTC sends that tracking number and its carrier to PayPal for you, usually within about 10 minutes. There is nothing to copy into PayPal by hand. The setting lives at Settings → Automation → Send tracking to PayPal. It is on by default for every store with PayPal connected, and you can switch it off in the same place.

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Why it matters

PayPal uses the tracking on a transaction in two ways:
  • To release payment holds sooner.
  • As proof of shipment for “item not received” claims under PayPal Seller Protection.
How holds and Seller Protection apply to your account is decided by PayPal under its own terms. This automation sends PayPal your tracking; it does not change those terms.

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Requirements

PayPal must be connected with your store’s own live REST API credentials — a Client ID and Secret — in Settings → Payment Provider.

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What gets sent

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Which orders

Any order paid with PayPal, once it has a tracking number:
  • One-time checkout orders.
  • Subscription renewals charged through PayPal, including renewals charged on a PayPal billing agreement.

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Where the tracking number can come from

It does not matter how the tracking number reached the order. All of these are sent:
  • Fulfilling a single order
  • Bulk fulfil
  • CSV import
  • A supplier or 3PL fulfillment

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Orders from before it was switched on

When the automation is first switched on, it also sends tracking for PayPal orders from the last 90 days that already have tracking.

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When a tracking number changes

If you change the tracking number on an order, the old number is cancelled at PayPal and the new one is sent.

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How the carrier is chosen

Enter the carrier name accurately when you fulfil an order. A name that matches one of PayPal’s supported carriers is sent as that carrier rather than as the text you typed.

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What your buyer sees

PayPal does not send the buyer an extra email. The buyer receives your store’s own shipping email. They may also see the tracking in their PayPal account or the PayPal app.

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Activity and retries

Open View activity on the automation to see every tracking number that was sent, is waiting, was skipped, or failed — each with the reason. Retry failed re-sends the tracking numbers that failed.

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Why a tracking number is skipped or fails