Gmail launches Purchases tab for package tracking

Gmail adds Purchases tab to centralize orders and deliveries

Google announced a new Purchases tab for Gmail that pulls together purchase-related emails — from receipts to shipping updates — into a single view. The tab surfaces past orders and upcoming deliveries while Gmail still highlights packages arriving within 24 hours at the top of the inbox.

This builds on Gmail’s 2022 package-tracking feature that lets users monitor deliveries without visiting carrier sites. Google says the new tab will be especially useful during busy shopping windows, noting PwC’s forecast that a large share of holiday gift spending concentrates between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday.

Promotions update and rollout details

Alongside Purchases, Gmail is updating the Promotions tab so users can sort by "most relevant" and receive nudges about timely deals. The Purchases tab starts rolling out today on mobile and web for personal Google accounts worldwide; the Promotions change will arrive on mobile in the coming weeks.

Why this matters for businesses and customers

For consumers, the change reduces friction: one place to check order history, shipping status, and delivery timing. For retailers and brands, it reshapes how transactional and promotional emails are discovered and engaged with — especially during peak shopping periods. Marketers who rely on email opens and promotion visibility should take note.

There are broader operational implications too. Logistics teams that surface tracking numbers and standardized shipping metadata will increase the chance their messages appear correctly in Purchases. Security and delivery teams must keep authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and deliverability metrics healthy so transactional emails reach users' inboxes and not spam folders.

Action checklist for product, marketing, and ops teams

• Audit transactional email content and ensure tracking numbers and delivery dates use consistent, machine-readable formats.
• Separate transactional and promotional messages clearly so essential order info is parsed and surfaced in Purchases.
• Use schema and structured snippets where possible so email clients can extract order metadata automatically.
• Confirm authentication and deliverability settings to avoid lost or misclassified messages.
• Re-evaluate timing of promotional nudges and offers so they align with Gmail’s relevance sorting and deal notifications.

Small changes in email structure can have outsized effects on customer experience and metrics like open rate, click-through, and dispute volume. Think of the Purchases tab as a new storefront shelf where your order and shipping messages compete for attention alongside carrier updates and receipts.

How teams should prepare

Start with a cross-functional review: product owners, email operations, and customer support should map which messages need visibility in Purchases and which belong in Promotions. Run A/B tests on structured metadata and subjects to measure visibility and downstream behaviors like tracking clicks and support contacts.

QuarkyByte’s approach is to combine technical audits with outcome-driven measurement: we analyze email metadata, simulate inbox placement, and quantify the business impact of changes. Organizations can use those insights to prioritize fixes, reduce customer inquiries, and protect holiday revenue.

For consumers, this update promises simpler shipment tracking. For businesses, it’s a reminder that inbox design and metadata matter — and that a few engineering and marketing adjustments before peak shopping days can improve clarity and conversion.