Why does an online storefront framework need a fucking app, anyway?

(Don't seriously answer that, I know)

Every time I run into this, I email their support for tracking updates, daily.

You should express your distaste to Dropout directly - they made the decision to subject their buyers to this trash

Doing the lord’s work

Seconding this. Dropout listens to feedback. They've shown enough grace in the past for me to assume it's not intentional - there's a good chance the storefront didn't even operate like that when they set it up. It's a textbook enshittification pattern. If I were them, I'd want to know.

Stuff like this may be in their contract with their store vendor too. If this enshitification happened in breach of a contract there can be hell to pay.

Shopify nags you to install the Shop app for tracking, but I've never ordered from a Shopify store that doesn't also send out an email with the tracking number once the thing actually ships.

Why stop there. With a bit of python you can probably get hourly updates sent out.

I have. LG replacement parts. Not only was there no tracking number, you had to download the app AND "connect it to your email" in order to track the package. No mention of what exactly that meant or what level of access the app would have to my emails. I assume it would have to scan all my email to even find what it was supposed to be tracking. That's a big no.