How to set up custom orders on Shopify
Custom orders aren’t for your standard, off-the-shelf items. They handle products or services tailored to a specific customer’s requirements or preferences and span across many industries and types of products. A custom order could be a small trinket intricately personalized to mark a special occasion or a store selling tailor-made clothing. According to Infosys, 86% of customers who have experienced personalization while shopping say it positively influences their purchase and likelihood to shop with that brand again.
Customers are as unique as fingerprints, each with their specific needs, quirks, and desires. This variance becomes particularly essential in ecommerce, where a one-size-fits-all approach to sales simply doesn't cut it. Enter Shopify's custom orders - a tool built to cater to your customers' distinct needs while giving your business a competitive edge.
Here’s a breakdown of how custom orders can be managed and set up on Shopify:
Shopify admin
You’ll have to make some changes to your Shopify store’s product section to start accepting custom orders:
Variants: Shopify's built-in product variant feature lets you offer different versions of your products. You can create variants for a product that comes in multiple options, like size or color.
Line item properties: This Shopify feature allows customers to enter customization information (like engraving text) during checkout.
Draft orders
You can create a draft order if a customer wants something unique that isn’t a standard option on your site. This feature allows you to manually create custom orders on your customers’ behalf. Once you’ve created the draft order with the specific products, prices, and customizations, you can email an invoice directly to the customer to complete the purchase. We go into more detail on draft orders in another section!
Product pages
You’ll want to redesign your product pages to reflect the customization of your products and communicate your offering. Make sure they clearly indicate the guidelines for custom orders. For instance, if you offer engraving, specify character limits or acceptable characters.
Consider using an app that can provide visual previews of customization to give customers a live preview of what their custom product will look like.
Here are some amazing examples of stores selling custom products and using well-designed product pages to boost conversion.
Apps
Shopify’s built-in tools for custom orders and product personalization might be sufficient for many stores, but if you have very complex or unique needs, you might need to explore third-party apps or even custom development. There are tons of apps available in the Shopify App Store, like "Product Options and Customizer" or "Infinite Options", that allow for easy product personalization. To help you make better business decisions, we analyzed the differences between the top-rated product options apps in the Shopify App Store. Check out the post:
Apps also help with pricing. If you're using an app for product personalization, you can often set it up so that adding a custom feature or personalization incurs an additional charge.
Types of custom orders
There are different types of custom orders in ecommerce based on the extent of customization and the process involved, from creation to fulfillment. Here are some distinct types
Made-to-order
Products are manufactured only after the order is placed. While customization might be minimal or even absent, the item isn't produced in bulk or kept in stock.
Example: A furniture store that creates sofas only after a specific fabric and design choice is made by the customer.
Bespoke
This is deep customization where products or services are specifically tailored to the individual needs or specifications of the customer.
Example: A bespoke suit tailored precisely to an individual's measurements and style preferences.
Personalization
Standard products are tweaked or modified to add a unique touch for the customer. This doesn’t alter the basic product but adds something unique.
Example: Monogramming initials on a leather wallet or custom engraving on jewelry.
Build-to-order (BTO) or Configure-to-order (CTO)
Especially common in industries like automotive or tech, customers can choose from a set of predefined options to "build" their product. It allows for customization within set parameters.
Example: A computer company allowing customers to choose specific components like RAM, storage, and graphics card.
Custom design
This involves designing something entirely from scratch based on the customer's needs or vision.
Example: Commissioning an artist to create a one-of-a-kind artwork.
Adaptation or modification
Existing products are modified to fit the specific needs or requirements of a customer. This might involve adding features or making functional changes.
Example: Modifying a vehicle to be wheelchair-accessible.
Mass customization
A blend of mass production and customization. Businesses offer a product that can be altered or customized in specific ways without drastically changing the production process. This allows them to cater to individual customer preferences on a large scale.
Example: Shoe companies that allow customers to choose colors, materials, and patterns for various parts of a sneaker, producing custom shoes on a large scale.
Collaborative customization
Businesses collaborate with customers to produce a product that meets their needs. This might involve back-and-forth consultations and iterations.
Example: An interior designer working closely with a client to decide on decor, furniture, and layout for a room.
Selling custom products on Shopify using draft orders
Draft orders in Shopify are a flexible tool that can be particularly useful when selling custom orders. They allow merchants to create orders on behalf of their customers, which is helpful for bespoke or tailored products that might not have a standard listing on the store. By using draft orders effectively, you can maintain a consistent record-keeping system and ensure all sales, even custom ones, are processed through your Shopify platform.
Draft orders can be beneficial for scenarios where you have:
One-off custom products.
Special negotiated prices with specific customers.
Orders taken over the phone or in-person that need to be entered into Shopify.
Here's how you can use draft orders for custom orders on Shopify:
Accessing draft orders
From your Shopify admin, go to "Orders."
Then click on "Drafts."
Create a new Draft Order
In the Drafts section, click "Create order."
Add products from your store to the order. For custom products not listed in your store, you can add a custom item by defining its name, price, and tax.
Custom pricing
Draft orders give you the flexibility to adjust the price. This is useful for custom orders where the pricing might vary based on the level of customization.
You can apply discounts or modify the price of individual items as needed.
Add customer details
You can link the draft order to an existing customer or create a new customer profile.
Include shipping information if the order is to be shipped.
Add shipping
If you're shipping the custom product, you can select a shipping method and add shipping costs. Alternatively, for local custom orders, you can set them to be picked up in-store or another suitable method.
Add notes
You can add notes to the draft order, which can be helpful for recording specific customization details or any special instructions from the customer.
Send invoice
Once the draft order is complete with products, customizations, pricing, and customer details, you can send an invoice directly to the customer's email.
The customer can then click on the link in the invoice to complete the payment using the payment methods you've set up in your Shopify store.
Completing the order
After the customer pays, you can mark the draft order as "completed." It will then move from the "Drafts" section to the regular "Orders" section in Shopify.
Managing and editing
You can edit or delete draft orders as needed. If a customer wants to change their custom order, you can easily adjust the draft before they pay.
Editing custom orders
Sometimes a customer will need to make a change to their custom order - like changing the shipping address of their subscription box, or you’ll need to correct a typo to make sure an engraving comes out perfect. Here are a few other edits you might need to make to your custom orders:
Adding customized product options
Adding, removing, and changing taxes
Adding, removing, or changing product weight
Marking a product as unfulfilled or fulfilled
While Shopify doesn’t allow you to make edits to custom products - because you’re not able to edit a line item directly - you’re not out of luck. There are so many editing options available to you using the Cleverific Order Editor app. You can make advanced edits like adjust item weights, adjust taxes, mark specific items as unfulfilled, change shipping addresses, and more. We go into more detail about editing custom orders in another blog post.
Handling returns and exchanges
Customized products often have different return and exchange policies than standard products. Dealing with them can be tricky, but here are some useful tips to navigate this rough terrain:
Set straightforward policies
Be crystal clear and detailed about your return and exchange policies for custom products. Usually, these products are exempt from returns unless they arrive faulty or damaged. Make sure your customers are aware of this beforehand to avoid unpleasant surprises and disputes later.
Quality control check
Someone wearing a quality control hat can be a savior. Ensure every custom product passes through a stringent quality check before it's shipped. This additional shield can drastically reduce the need for returns or exchanges due to defects or errors.
Accurate product description and preview
When it comes to custom products, a little imagination can be a handy tool. Offering an accurate description and visual preview of the customized product can help customers discern what they'll receive, reducing discrepancies between expectations and reality.
Excellent customer service
There's no substitute for top-notch customer service when a problem pops up. Ensure your team is swift, empathetic, and problem-solving oriented. Consider offering store credits or discounts on future purchases in case of genuine issues with custom products - a gentle touch to soothe any disappointment.
Learn from mistakes
Return and exchange requests can be a goldmine of insights. Analyze these requests to identify common issues - Is it a particular product? A recurring customization issue? The insights you unearth can guide adjustments to your process or product offering, taking you one step closer to perfection.
Package with care
We all know the game of postal pinball our products sometimes have to play. So, spend a little more time packing custom products with the care they deserve to avoid needless returns caused by transit damage.
Limitations and considerations for custom orders
Remember to factor in the time and resources required to fulfill custom orders when pricing and setting expectations for delivery. You might occasionally need more information or clarity from a customer about their custom order. Ensure you have a reliable system for reaching out and confirming details. This could be through Shopify’s built-in messaging or through an integrated customer support system.
Stand out with custom orders
From personalizing customer experience to creating a stand-out brand, custom and draft orders could be the hero your store needs. By harnessing the power of Shopify, fine-tuning your sales process with apps, embracing the flexibility of draft orders, understanding the various types of custom orders, and crafting a solid plan to navigate the choppy waters of returns and exchanges, you're creating an experientially rich storefront truly reflective of your customers' unique needs. As you carefully stitch this narrative of personalization into your store, you do more than just sell—you tell a compelling story that’s sure to be remembered.
