How to fulfill orders on Shopify
How to fulfill orders on Shopify
TLDR;
For the most part, fulfilling an order on Shopify is simple and efficient. Once you receive payment for an order, start preparing the package, and selecting the right items. You should definitely think about adding a personal touch to create the best customer experience. Think thank you cards, stickers, or coupons.
Next, dispatch the package using your chosen shipping method and enter the tracking details in the Shopify admin panel. Shopify automatically updates customers about their package's journey via email. For speedy processing, use Shopify's bulk order fulfillment feature to fulfill multiple orders simultaneously.
Remember, successful fulfillment isn’t just about sending out packages; it’s about building strong customer relationships, which begins with seamless order management.
Fulfilling your own orders
For every Shopify store owner, the moment an order gets placed, it’s like fireworks. Behind each one is a narrative of your hard work and dedication. Now, it's time for the main performance - Order Fulfillment. It's the behind-the-scenes magic of taking your product from warehouse shelf space to your customer's doorstep. And the smoother and quicker this process, the shinier the reviews for your Shopify store, and consequently, your brand.
Different types of fulfillment in Shopify
As you dive into order fulfillment on Shopify, you’ll quickly realize the platform's flexibility. It offers two fundamental modes of fulfillment - Manual and Automatic.
The charm of manual fulfillment lies in its control. It's best suited for orders that require a personal touch, meticulous monitoring, or distinctive handling. From handwritten notes to custom packaging, this method caters to creating memorable unboxing experiences and is particularly valuable if brand storytelling is a key part of your strategy.
Now, if Manual fulfillment is the artisanal approach, Automatic fulfillment is the high-speed express train rushing towards your destination - Delivery Time! Automatic fulfillment walks hand in hand with efficiency and speed, a valuable ally at times of high order volume.
But how does automatic fulfillment work? At its core, orders are automatically dispatched once they’re received through Shopify.
Setting up automatic fulfillment on Shopify
Enabling automatic fulfillment: This feature isn’t enabled by default on Shopify. To trigger it, you'd need to locate your Shopify admin settings. Go to Settings > Checkout. Under the 'Order Processing' section, you'll find an option - "Automatically fulfill the order’s line items". Tick that box, and smile at yourself. You're now an automatic fulfillment convert. Remember to save your changes before leaving the page.
Assigning inventory preferences: It’s important to ensure that all your products have their 'inventory managed by' status set to 'Shopify'. Find this option under each of your product details in the Shopify admin.
Configuring immediate fulfillment for certain products: Wondering about control at a product level? Shopify's got your back! If you'd like to opt for immediate fulfillment for particular products (say, digital offerings), you can do so by going into the product setting and marking them as digital goods. Entering a digital file makes automatic fulfillment a natural choice.
Integrating third-party fulfillment services: For an even more hands-off approach, marry automatic fulfillment with third-party services like Amazon FBA, for example. Once integrated, upon an order placement, Shopify sends the order details to the third-party service, who then packs, ships, and manages the entire fulfillment for you. Truly set-it-and-forget-it!
Editing Shopify orders before fulfillment
Now that we understand fulfillment, let’s address a curveball – order editing. Customers might want to edit their orders. Maybe it’s a second thought or an innocent misstep – it happens. However, allowing room for edits pre-fulfillment drives customer satisfaction and reduces potential shipping errors.
Shopify’s native editing
Shopify has built-in features to allow merchants to modify an existing order. The types of edit Shopify allows you to perform are:
Adding/removing items from an order
Adjusting the quantity of an item in an order
Apply discounts
Depending on your business needs, you might be able to use Shopify edits to create an excellent customer experience. If you’re looking to take advantage of automation or you have complex workflows, you may need more robust features to grow your business. Read more about Shopify’s native order editing.
More editing options
Third-party apps
There are great options for apps you can use if you need more features to meet your business needs. From apps that will let you merge orders (Order Merger), split orders (SplitOrder), or edit any part of an order (Cleverific Order Editor). Let’s talk specifically about editing your orders with more advanced edits than what Shopify allows, like editing the shipping address, for example.
Cleverific Order Editor allows you to tailor your online store to your business practices and make your online store work better for you. Maybe you've tried Shopify's native editing, but you and your customer service team need something more robust to handle custom orders and other specialty requests. Otherwise, you might be stuck canceling and creating new orders manually. The app lets you make these edits and changes:
Change shipping address directly on the order
Change the billing address, taxes, order date, shipping, line item pricing, or customer
Modify line item properties and add custom product options
Add/remove/modify an order's custom fields
Cancel the fulfillment of an item
Customer self-service order editing
Imagine not even having to intervene when a customer needs to make an order change, usually due to a mistake. According to our survey of merchants using Cleverific Order Editor, when customers were allowed to edit their orders, 43% of changes happened because they added the wrong item to an order.
By allowing customers to rectify their own mistakes, you not only minimize the collateral damage of cancellations – like the expensive cost of returns for your business – but also boost customer morale. A satisfied customer is probably a repeat customer. According to Forbes, 87% of customers who say they had a great experience will make another purchase from the company.
Apps like Cleverific Order Editor have self-service features you can take advantage of with your subscription to hand off some of the editing workload to customers. Using Customer Portal within the app, you can let your customers make the following order changes:
Change size, color, or other variants
Increase or decrease item quantities
Remove an item
Change shipping address
Cancel their order
Add an item to their order
Exploring Shopify Apps for order fulfillment
If Shopify's pre-built solutions don't float your boat, consider the ocean of Shopify apps designed to make the fulfillment process smoother and more efficient. From Oberlo and ShipStation, the Shopify app marketplace is like a toolbox stuffed with gems ready to do the heavy lifting for your inventory management, order processing, and shipping. Here are some popular options:
What it does: Consolidates orders from multiple sales channels, creates shipping labels, and tracks shipments. It also offers discounted shipping rates with major carriers.
Best for: Merchants selling on multiple platforms and looking for discounted shipping rates.
What it does: It's a multi-carrier shipping solution that allows you to compare rates, print labels, and automate international documents.
Best for: Businesses looking to streamline their shipping process with integrated labels and tracking.
What it does: A print-on-demand service where they handle both the printing of custom designs and the shipping process.
Best for: Businesses selling custom-designed apparel, accessories, and home & living products.
What it does: Provides distributed order fulfillment in various locations, allowing merchants to split inventory and reduce ship times.
Best for: Merchants wanting to offer 2-day shipping options or reduce shipping costs.
What it does: Integrates with over 250+ shipping solutions globally and provides tax and duty visibility.
Best for: International merchants or those looking to expand their global reach.
What it does: Focuses on post-purchase customer experience by providing automated shipment tracking and notifications.
Best for: Businesses wanting to enhance post-purchase communication and reduce "Where's my order?" inquiries.
What it does: An order management system that automates order flow across channels, streamlining inventory updates, and facilitating multichannel selling.
Best for: Multi-channel sellers needing to synchronize stock and sales.
What it does: Designed for crowdfunded campaigns, it helps with surveys, upsells, and order management.
Best for: Multi-channel sellers needing to synchronize stock and sales.
Remember, the best app for your business will depend on the specific needs of your fulfillment process. It's a good idea to read reviews, try out demos, and potentially reach out to other merchants for recommendations before fully committing.
Growing your Shopify store through excellent order fulfillment
In the age of instantaneous gratification, where two-day shipping is almost a norm and customers expect seamless online shopping experiences, the potency of order fulfillment as a growth tool cannot be overstated. A customer's experience doesn't culminate when they click the "buy" button; it's the journey from cart to doorstep that often leaves the most lasting impression.
Efficient order fulfillment not only ensures that products reach their intended recipients promptly but also underlines a brand's promise of reliability and consistency. Each accurately filled order, delivered on or before its due date, fortifies trust. And in a world inundated with choices, it's this trust that can set a business apart.
