HOW TO FULFILL ORDERS ON SHOPIFY

At Lillian Purge, we specialise in Ecommerce SEO Services and have developed comprehensive guidance on How to Fulfill Orders on Shopify.

Once your Shopify store starts receiving sales, the next important step is fulfilling those orders correctly. Fulfilling an order means preparing, packaging, and delivering the purchased products to your customers. Managing this process efficiently keeps customers happy, builds trust, and ensures your store runs smoothly.

This article explains step by step how to fulfil orders on Shopify, including manual fulfilment, automatic fulfilment, and best practices to keep your customers informed at every stage.

Understanding Order Fulfilment in Shopify

Order fulfilment in Shopify involves several key stages:

  1. Reviewing the customer’s order details.

  2. Picking and packing the correct products.

  3. Adding tracking information and marking the order as fulfilled.

  4. Notifying the customer that their order has been shipped.

You can fulfil orders manually, automatically, or through third-party services, depending on how your business operates.

Step 1: Access Orders in Shopify

Start by logging in to your Shopify admin panel. From the dashboard, click on “Orders” in the left-hand menu. Here, you’ll see a list of all customer orders, along with their payment and fulfilment status.

Orders will typically appear as:

  • Unfulfilled: The order has been placed but not shipped yet.

  • Partially fulfilled: Some items have been shipped, but others are still pending.

  • Fulfilled: The entire order has been shipped and completed.

Click on an order to open its details page.

Step 2: Confirm Payment and Stock Availability

Before fulfilling an order, make sure the payment has been successfully processed and that the items are in stock. If an order has been flagged for review or fraud, resolve that issue first.

Check your inventory to confirm that the items are available. If stock is low or backordered, communicate with your customer to set realistic expectations.

Step 3: Choose a Fulfilment Method

Shopify offers three main ways to fulfil orders:

Manual Fulfilment

This is ideal for small businesses or those who handle shipping directly. You manually mark each order as fulfilled once it’s packed and ready to send.

Automatic Fulfilment

If your store uses dropshipping or a fulfilment service, you can set orders to be fulfilled automatically. Once the customer pays, Shopify sends the order information directly to your supplier, who handles the shipping.

To enable automatic fulfilment:

  1. Go to “Settings” > “Checkout.”

  2. Under “Order processing,” select “Automatically fulfil the order’s line items.”

  3. Save your changes.

Third-Party Fulfilment

If you use a fulfilment partner or warehouse, connect their service to Shopify through an app or API integration. Popular options include Amazon FBA, ShipBob, or local 3PL (third-party logistics) providers.

Step 4: Pack and Ship the Order

When fulfilling orders manually, make sure your packaging is secure, professional, and branded if possible. Double-check product quantities and variants before sealing the parcel.

If you use Shopify Shipping, you can:

  • Buy and print shipping labels directly from your dashboard.

  • Select carriers such as Royal Mail, UPS, or DPD.

  • Access discounted rates through Shopify’s partnerships.

Attach the shipping label securely to the parcel and hand it to your courier or drop it off at a delivery point.

Step 5: Add Tracking Information

Once your package has been shipped, return to the order page in Shopify. Click the “Mark as Fulfilled” button. A form will appear where you can enter the tracking number and select the carrier.

Adding tracking details allows customers to follow their delivery in real time. Shopify will automatically send a confirmation email with the tracking link once you click “Fulfil Items.”

Step 6: Manage Partial Fulfilments

If an order contains multiple products and one item is temporarily out of stock, you can partially fulfil the order.

To do this:

  1. Open the order and click “Fulfil Items.”

  2. Select only the items that are ready to ship.

  3. Enter tracking details for those items.

When the remaining products become available, you can return to the order and fulfil the rest. This approach keeps customers informed and avoids unnecessary delays.

Step 7: Automate Notifications

Shopify automatically sends email notifications when orders are fulfilled, shipped, or updated. You can customise these emails in “Settings” > “Notifications” to match your brand tone and style.

These updates reassure customers that their orders are being processed promptly and professionally.

Step 8: Handle Returns or Cancellations

Sometimes customers may wish to return or cancel an order. You can process returns directly in Shopify by issuing a refund or generating a return label.

To issue a refund:

  1. Open the order.

  2. Click “Refund.”

  3. Choose which items to refund and specify whether they are being restocked.

Always update the customer by email and maintain clear records of the return.

Best Practices for Order Fulfilment

  • Double-check every order: Prevent shipping errors by verifying product details and addresses.

  • Use tracking consistently: Always provide tracking information to build customer trust.

  • Keep customers informed: Update customers about shipping times and any delays.

  • Optimise packaging: Use eco-friendly materials where possible and ensure products arrive safely.

  • Monitor fulfilment performance: Track delivery success rates and customer feedback to identify improvement areas.

Common Fulfilment Issues and Solutions

  • Out-of-stock items: Offer backorders or notify customers promptly about delays.

  • Shipping delays: Communicate clearly and provide updated tracking.

  • Lost packages: Work with your courier to file claims and issue replacements or refunds quickly.

Handling issues proactively improves customer satisfaction and encourages repeat purchases.

Expert Advice from Lillian Purge

  1. Automate where possible. Linking your fulfilment process to suppliers or shipping software saves time.

  2. Set clear policies. Display shipping, return, and refund terms on your website.

  3. Maintain accuracy. Use barcode scanning or inventory management tools to reduce errors.

  4. Monitor metrics. Track average fulfilment time and customer satisfaction.

  5. Stay transparent. Regular communication builds trust and reduces customer queries.

Fulfilling orders efficiently on Shopify is essential for running a successful online store. By combining accuracy, automation, and great customer communication, you can streamline operations and create a positive shopping experience that keeps buyers coming back.

We have also written in depth articles on How to Dropship on Shopify and How to Remove Powered by Shopify as well as our Shopify Hub to give you further guidance.