The Amazon Fulfillment Tracking Number (AFTN) is a new tracking ID feature that provides shoppers and TikTok Shop with greater visibility to your Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) orders. Use AFTN to share tracking information within minutes after an order is placed to comply with TikTok Shop’s Fulfillment Service Level Agreement (SLA). AFTN replaces other tracking numbers such as TBA and USPS.
In this guide, you will learn:
- The benefits of using AFTN
- Where to find AFTN for your MCF orders in Seller Central
- How to upload AFTN to TikTok Shop
- How you and your customers can view tracking events
Prerequisites
AFTN is currently available for TikTok Shop orders that are routed to MCF for delivery in the US. AFTN is currently only generated for single item orders.
What is Amazon Fulfillment Tracking Number (AFTN) and why should you use it?
AFTN is a tracking number that is generated within minutes of order creation, providing visibility to tracking before your package ships. It’s different from the Carrier Tracking Number (CTN), for example TBA or USPS, which are only available closer to delivery.
Key benefits of using AFTN:
- Help meet TikTok Shop requirements: TikTok Shop requires tracking numbers within two business days. AFTN helps you comply with the TikTok Shop Fulfillment SLA and avoid penalties.
- Reduce customer queries: Share tracking information earlier, so shoppers know their order is being prepared, helping to reduce support requests.
- Provide a seamless experience: AFTN works alongside existing Carrier Tracking Numbers. Once a carrier is assigned, both tracking numbers remain valid.
Important: AFTN is supported by the following MCF integrations and will work automatically. No action is required if you use MCF through: Aftership Feed, Base, Dianxiaomi, LingXing, Store Automator, WebBee, Fulfil, Geekseller.
If you are using MCF to fulfill TikTok Shop orders and you do not use one of these integrations, follow the steps below to help meet TikTok Shop’s Fulfillment SLA.
Find orders awaiting shipment in TikTok Shop
Follow these steps to identify TikTok Shop orders that are awaiting shipment and do not have tracking information. If you are not using one of the MCF integrations listed above, you can manually add AFTN to these orders to help meet the TikTok Shop Fulfillment SLA.
- Log in to your TikTok Shop Seller Center.
- Go to Manage Orders from the left navigation menu.
- Click the “To ship” tab.
- Filter orders by “To ship within 24 hours”.
- Filtered orders should have the “Confirm shipment in…" label as shown below. Copy the TikTok order ID. You will need it later to find the MCF fulfillment order and associated AFTN in Seller Central.
Steps for merchants that use Shopify app to manage TikTok Shop orders
If you use the Buy with Prime and MCF app for Shopify to manage TikTok Shop orders, you will need to use the Shopify order ID to find MCF fulfillment orders in Seller Central. This is because MCF doesn’t have the TikTok Shop order ID if it’s placed through Shopify. Follow these steps:
- Log in to Shopify Admin.
- Navigate to Orders.
- Search for the order using the TikTok Shop order ID (see step 5 above).
- Copy the Shopify order ID. You will use it later to find the MCF fulfillment order and associated AFTN in Seller Central.
Find your AFTN in Seller Central
Follow these steps to locate the AFTN for your MCF orders:
Step 1: Sign in to Seller Central.
Step 2: Navigate to Manage Orders
- From the side navigation of Seller Central, select Orders.
- Select the Manage Orders option.
- Enter the order ID in the search bar to locate your MCF order.
Step 3: View order details and copy AFTN
- Click on the order to open the Order Details page.
- Select the Shipments tab to view tracking information.
- Copy the Amazon Fulfillment Tracking Number (example: AFTN1161384).
- You can share the AFTN with your customers (Example: https://swiship.com/track?id=AFTN1161384).
Note: AFTN is typically generated within a few minutes after order creation. If you don’t see the AFTN immediately after placing an order, wait a few minutes and refresh the page. The Carrier field may show “UNASSIGNED” until a carrier picks up your package, but you can still upload the AFTN to TikTok Shop prior to pick up.
Upload your AFTN to TikTok Shop
TikTok Shop accepts AFTN as a valid tracking number and recognizes Amazon MCF as the fulfillment and shipping provider. Follow these steps to upload your AFTN:
Step 1: Copy the AFTN from Seller Central
- Follow the steps above to locate your AFTN in Seller Central.
- Copy the AFTN (Example: AFTN12005261).
Step 2: Navigate to TikTok Shop Seller Center
- Log in to your TikTok Shop Seller Center.
- Go to Manage Orders from the left navigation menu.
- Select the appropriate MCF order.
- Click Add tracking info.
Step 3: Enter the AFTN and select shipping provider
- In the Tracking ID field, paste the AFTN you copied from Seller Central.
- Click the Shipping provider dropdown menu. Select Amazon shipping + Amazon MCF from the list.
- Click Submit package.
You can also add tracking information for orders in bulk. Follow the steps described here.
Remember: You can upload your AFTN as soon as it’s available in Seller Central.
Understanding tracking events
When you use an AFTN, you, TikTok Shop and the shopper will see pre-shipping tracking events that weren’t previously available, such as:
- Order Preparing: This indicates inventory has been picked and your order is being packed in the fulfillment center.
- Carrier Assigned: This means a shipping label has been created and a carrier has been selected (At this point, the CTN becomes available).
- Shipped: This means the package has departed the fulfillment center.
These event notifications help set shopper expectations and reduce questions about order status. Once a carrier is assigned, both the AFTN and CTN provide the same tracking information.
Where customers can track their orders:
TikTok Shop: Once you upload the AFTN to TikTok Shop Seller Center, your customers can track their order on TikTok via the in-app order tracking page.
Swiship tracking page: Customers can visit the Swiship tracking page using the AFTN. If you send a customer email when creating an order, they will receive an email with a tracking link.
FAQs
Does AFTN work for all orders? AFTN does not support multi-item orders yet. If your order contains multiple items, you’ll need to wait for the Carrier Tracking Number (CTN), which appears after a carrier is assigned to deliver the package.
What sales channels does AFTN work for? Currently, AFTN works with orders from TikTok Shop. We will provide updates as when additional sales channels adopt AFTN.
Support
If you have questions or need help with AFTN for TikTok Shop, contact the support team.
