Once your online store is up and running, sales will start streaming in. When setting up your Shopify store, it’s crucial to explore the order processing and fulfillment settings. Shopify makes it easy for first-time eCommerce business owners to set up ordering processing so customers have a seamless checkout. Here’s how to process orders on Shopify.
What is order fulfillment on Shopify?
When a customer orders from your store, the status display on the Orders page will register as Fulfilled. Once you fulfill the order, the customer receives an email that their order is on its way. You can set up manual or automatic order processing or archiving. The Orders page from your Shopify admin is where you can manage all of your store’s orders.
What happens when you receive a new order
- You get a new order notification via email
- Your Shopify’s Orders page shows the new order
- The customer receives the order confirmation email
- Order processing starts
Every online order undergoes three stages. Each stage requires different actions on Shopify. You can set up manual or automatic actions for every stage from your Shopify admin. Here’s a table to show you how a typical order processing flow goes:
If you want to automate these actions, turn on these automation options from your Shopify admin account:
- Automatic capture payment
- Automatic order fulfillment
- Automatic order archiving
What is Shopify order fulfillment and why do you need to fulfill an order on Shopify?
After a customer orders from your Shopify store, you need to process the order to have the item/s shipped to the buyer. As an online seller, you need to prepare the items and deliver it to the provided address. This is called order fulfillment and the process involves:
- Picking the products up from a drop-shipping store
- Packaging the products in a box or envelope
- Placing the shipping label on the packaging
- Shipping the package with the chosen carrier
How to set up fulfillment on Shopify
You can set up the fulfillment methods on Shopify by doing these steps:
1. Choose your fulfillment methods
You can fulfill your own orders or use a third-party fulfillment service. Whenever you add a product to your store, you choose a specific fulfillment method for it. That said, every product has its own fulfillment order. So when a customer orders a dropshipped product and your own product, the dropshipper fulfills the order and you fulfill the order for the second item.
2. Choose manual fulfillment method
Once a customer orders an item, the order status is Unfulfilled until you process the order manually. Choose manual fulfillment method if these situations apply:
- Your products are made to order
- You offer preorder products
- If you sometimes run out of stock
- If you offer customers partial fulfillment without issuing a refund
3. Choose automatic fulfillment method
Choosing automatic fulfillment method is a more efficient and hassle-free system to process orders. Once the customer places an order, the order is fulfilled automatically without you having to lift a finger.
Select automatic fulfillment if:
- You sell digital products, such as gift cards or downloads
- You use fulfillment services for all products
Note: Once the order is paid, you no longer have to contact the fulfillment services to request fulfillment. Your service will be notified by a fulfillment request after payment.
4. Assign fulfillment methods to products
Adding or editing a product means choosing a fulfillment method in the Inventory will be stocked at field. You can fulfill orders from several locations if you have more than one store location. You can use the bulk editor to edit the fulfillment service for multiple products simultaneously.
5. Fulfill your orders
After you complete the fulfillment method setup, you can start fulfilling orders. You must follow different steps, depending on which fulfillment method you choose.
How to fulfill orders automatically
Automatic order fulfillment is the easiest way for eCommerce owners to process orders. They don’t have to do anything except wait for the order confirmation. Customers who order digital products are sent a download link. Once the order is paid, fulfillment begins. However, automatic fulfillment methods don’t apply to local pickup orders. Follow these steps to set up automatic order fulfillment:
- From Shopify admin > Settings > Checkout
- Go to the Order processing section
- Select Automatically fulfill the order’s line items under the After an order has been paid heading
- Select Notify customers of their shipment via email if you want to send customers an email notification after fulfilled orders (Optional)
- Choose Automatically fulfill all orders, even those with a high risk of fraud, if you want to disregard order fraud analysis (Optional)
- Click Save
How to fulfill orders manually
Open your orders and fulfill line items if you want to set your order fulfillment manually. Here’s how to fulfill all orders manually.
To begin setting up manual order fulfillment, go to your Checkout settings, then Order processing section. Check if the Automatically fulfill the order’s line items isn’t selected. Follow these steps:
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Click the order number of the unfulfilled order
- Select Create shipping label if you’re using Shopify shipping and buying a shipping label. If you’re using a third-party carrier, select Fulfill item(s). Enter the tracking number from the shipping carrier, and Shopify will automatically select the carrier for you. Otherwise, select the shipping carrier option from the Shipping carrier drop-down menu. Check if the tracking URL is displayed in the customer’s confirmation and shipping email notification.
- You may opt to send the customer an email imemdiately by selecting the Send shipment details to your customer now. Before activating this option, ensure you have the customer’s email on file.
- Select Fulfill item(s) to mark the order as Fulfilled. If you’re using Shopify Shipping, choose the shipping service and select Buy shipping label. Wait until the order screen updates and displays the order’s fulfillment status.
Note: If you’re using multiple locations and want to change the location for order fulfillment, select the kebab menu (…) on the fulfillment card. Choose Change location. Then, select the location you want to use. Click Save. This doesn’t apply to local delivery or pickup orders.
How to fulfill a partial order manually
You can opt for partial fulfillment of some line items if you want to fulfill part of an order. This applies to orders for multiple items wherein you have to preorder an item or some items are out-of-stock. That way, you can send the available items partially to the customer while waiting for the rest.
If using Shopify Shipping:
To begin setting up manual order fulfillment, go to your Checkout settings, then Order processing section. Check if the Automatically fulfill the order’s line items isn’t selected. Here’s how to fulfill part of an order manually:
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Click the number of the unfulfilled order
- Click Create shipping label to buy a shipping label for the order
- Go to the Fulfillment page > Items section, choose the number of products you want fulfilled for each line item
- Go to the Shipping service section, choose the shipping method
- You may opt to send the customer an email immediately by selecting the Send shipment details to your customer now. Before activating this option, ensure you have the customer’s email on file.
- Select Buy shipping label. Wait until the screen updates and displays the order’s Fulfilled and Unfulfilled items.
If you’re not using Shopify Shipping:
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Select the number of the unfulfilled order
- Select Fulfill item(s)
- Go to the Fulfillment page, then Items section, select the number of products you want fulfilled for each line item
- Go to the Tracking information section, enter the tracking number from the shipping provider. Check if the customer’s Shipping confirmation and Shipping update emails display the tracking URL. Shopify will automatically select the carrier for you. Otherwise, select the shipping carrier option from the Shipping carrier drop-down menu.
- You may opt to send the customer an email immediately by selecting the Send shipment details to your customer now. Before activating this option, ensure you have the customer’s email on file.
- Select Fulfill item(s) and check if the screen updates and displays the order’s Fulfilled and Unfulfilled items.
- To review the order fulfillment details or manually add a tracking number, go to the Fulfilled section and select Add tracking
How to fulfill orders for multiple locations
In some cases, products might be from different locations, and customers may order multiple products from various suppliers. You can fulfill orders for multiple products from multiple locations separately. You can set priorities to fulfill orders based on their priority sequence.
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Select the order number of the unfulfilled order
- The unfulfilled section shows all items in the order listed together if the order can be fulfilled using a single location’s stock. Otherwise, if the order can’t be fulfilled using a single location’s stock, the unfulfilled section shows the available items listed per location.
- If you use Shopify Shipping, create a shipping label on the unfulfilled card you’re fulfilling items from. If you use a third-party shipping carrier, select Fulfill item(s), and enter the tracking number from the shipping provider. Check if the customer’s shipping confirmation and shipping update emails display the tracking URL.
- You may opt to send the customer an email immediately by selecting the Send shipment details to your customer now. Before activating this option, ensure you have the customer’s email on file.
- Select Fulfill item(s) to mark the order as “fulfilled.” For Shopify Shipping, select the shipping service, then select Buy shipping label. Check if the order screen updates and displays the order fulfillment status.
How to fulfill multiple orders simultaneously on Shopify
You may fulfill multiple orders by using the Mark as Fulfilled button for stores that activate manual order fulfillment. Here’s how:
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Select the Unfulfilled tab to view the orders that need to be fulfilled
- Choose the orders you want fulfilled by ticking the boxes
- Select Mark as fulfilled
- You may opt to send the customer an email immediately by selecting the Send shipment details to your customer now. Before activating this option, ensure you have the customer’s email on file.
- Click Mark as fulfilled
How to split an order fulfillment on Shopify
If you want your products delivered faster to customers, you can split fulfillment orders, line items, and quantities. For instance, if some items are out-of-stock, you can remove them from the list and ship the rest of the items to the customer as soon as possible.
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Click the order you want to split
- Select the kebab menu (…) button
- Click Split
- Use the up and down arrows to select the quantity and items you want to split
How to merge an order fulfillment on Shopify
You can combine or merge various sets of fulfillment orders from one location into one according to their line items and quantities. This can reduce shipping costs and simplify fulfillment processes.
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Click the order you want to merge
- Select the kebab menu (…) button
- Click Merge
- Use the up and down arrows to select the quantity and items you want to merge with a current fulfillment in the same location
How to hold a fulfillment on Shopify
If you’re experiencing issues fulfilling orders, you can manually hold order fulfillment. This will put your order fulfillment status On hold.
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Click the order you want to put on hold
- Select the kebab menu (…) button
- Click Hold Fulfillment
- Choose the items you want to put on hold
- Choose a reason for the hold
- Click Hold fulfillment
How to release a fulfillment on Shopify
After resolving the order fulfillment issues, you can release the manual fulfillment hold.
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Select the order you want to release
- Select the items you want to release
- Click Release fulfillment
How to cancel a fulfillment on Shopify (Cancel automatic and manual fulfillments)
Remember to void the purchased shipping label before canceling a fulfillment. Contact your fulfillment service to cancel the fulfillment.
- From Shopify admin > Orders
- Click the number of an order from the list with a Fulfillment status of Fulfilled
- Click the kebab menu (…) button in the Fulfillments section
- Select Cancel fulfillment
