What is a Booking Number?
A booking number is a numeric code that a shipping company issues once a service request to ship a product has been confirmed. It is also referred to as a PNR code, confirmation number, or reference number. Apart from validating the confirmation, a merchant can use a booking number to check a shipment’s status.
Significance of Booking Number in E-commerce Shipping and Delivery
A reference number is the sign of booking confirmation with a shipping company or a freight forwarder. This number is used to check the list of services required for shipping a particular product while allowing one to check the shipping status.
- Tracking: A booking number is used to track the products, as it allows a seller and a buyer to see the transit status of a shipment at a certain point in time.
- Transparency: A successful e-commerce shipping life-cycle requires the inclusion of several mini-services. A merchant can use a booking number to procure the list of included services. Therefore, a seller can enjoy full transparency over the included services.
Prerequisites of Booking Number and How It Works
A booking number is only issued when a shipping company acknowledges the request to ship a product. It can also be determined as a prerequisite to procuring a PNR code.
- Booking: After receiving an order, a seller must identify the best-suited shipping company and place a shipping request.
- Acceptance and documentation: Once a shipping company acknowledges the request, the seller receives a booking number. The merchant is then required to attach the booking number to the parcel.
Use Case with Booking Number
For example, an e-commerce cosmetic brand receives an acknowledgment and a booking number against the request to ship a makeup kit to Melbourne. During the estimated transit time of 6 days, the reference number was used three times by the seller and twice by the customer to check the transit status before final delivery.