Fulfilling your own orders

This page was printed on Jun 07, 2023. For the current version, visit https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/orders/fulfillment/fulfilling-orders/fulfill-your-own.

Fulfill your orders by packaging and shipping products without a fulfillment service.

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Fulfill your own orders automatically

If you set your orders to fulfill automatically, then the order is automatically marked as fulfilled after it's paid.

Automatic fulfillment can be used if you exclusively sell digital downloads or digital gift cards. Customers who purchase digital products are automatically emailed a download link and the order is marked as fulfilled.

Fulfill your own orders manually

If you set your orders to fulfill manually, then you need to open your orders and fulfill the line items.

You can fulfill part of an order manually by fulfilling some line items. This is also called partial fulfillment. To make the manual fulfillment process faster, you can fulfill multiple orders at the same time.

Sorting orders using the fulfill by date

You can view and sort the orders that you need to fulfill, using the Fulfill by date on the Orders page of your Shopify admin. The Fulfill by date is the latest date that you can ship an order to ensure that the order is delivered within the estimated delivery window, which was communicated to the customer in the sales channel or online store.

Fulfill entire orders manually

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.

  2. Click the order number of an unfulfilled order.

  3. Optional: If you're using multiple locations, and if you want to change the location that you're fulfilling your order from, then click … on the fulfillment card, and then select Change location. Select the location that you want to use, and click Save. The location can only be changed for orders that require shipping, not local delivery or pickup orders.

  4. If you're using Shopify Shipping to buy a shipping label for your order, then select Create shipping label.

  5. If you're using a carrier other than Shopify Shipping, then click Mark as fulfilled, and enter the tracking number from your shipping provider. The tracking URL is shown in the customer's shipping confirmation and shipping update emails.

  6. If you want to send a notification email to the customer right away, then select Send shipment details to your customer now.

  7. Click Fulfill items to mark the order as Fulfilled. If you're using Shopify Shipping, then select a shipping service, and click Buy shipping label.

    The order screen updates to display the order's fulfillment status.

  1. From the Shopify app, tap Orders.

  2. Tap an order that has a fulfillment status of Unfulfilled.

  3. Optional: If you're using multiple locations, and if you want to change the location that you're fulfilling your order from, then tap … on the fulfillment card, and then tap Change location. Select the location that you want to use, and tap Save. The location can only be changed for orders that require shipping, not local delivery or pickup orders.

  4. If you're using Shopify Shipping to buy a shipping label for your order, then tap Create shipping label.

  5. If you're using a carrier other than Shopify Shipping, then tap Mark as fulfilled. Enter a tracking number, or tap the barcode icon to scan a shipping label barcode with your iPhone. The tracking URL appears in the customer's shipping confirmation and shipping update emails.

  6. Optional: Uncheck Send notification to customer.

  7. Tap Fulfill items to mark the order as fulfilled. If you're using Shopify Shipping, then select a shipping service, and tap Buy shipping label.

  1. From the Shopify app, tap Orders.

  2. Tap an order that has a fulfillment status of Unfulfilled.

  3. Optional: If you're using multiple locations, and if you want to change the location that you're fulfilling your order from, then tap … on the fulfillment card, and then tap Change location. Select the location that you want to use, and tap Save. The location can only be changed for orders that require shipping, not local delivery or pickup orders.

  4. If you're using Shopify Shipping to buy a shipping label for your order, then tap CREATE SHIPPING LABEL.

  5. If you're using a carrier other than Shopify Shipping, then tap MARK AS FULFILLED. Enter a tracking number, or tap the barcode icon to scan a shipping label barcode with your Android device. The tracking URL appears in the customer's shipping confirmation and shipping update emails.

  6. Optional: Uncheck Email shipment details to customer now.

  7. Tap FULFILL ITEMS to mark the order as fulfilled. If you're using Shopify Shipping, then select a shipping service, and tap Buy shipping label.

Fulfill part of an order manually

If a customer placed and paid for an order with multiple items, and one or more of the items are out of stock or a pre-order, then you might want to fulfill part of the order so that you can ship the items separately.

Steps:

If you're using Shopify Shipping, then follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.

  2. Click the number of an unfulfilled order.

  3. To buy a shipping label for your order, select Create shipping label.

  4. From the Fulfillment page, change the number of products that you want to fulfill for each line item in the Items section.

  5. Select the shipping method in the Shipping service section.

  6. If you want to send a notification email to the customer right away, then select Send shipment details to your customer now. This option is available only if you have an email address for the customer on file.

  7. Click Buy shipping label. The order screen updates to display the order's Fulfilled and Unfulfilled items.

If you're not using Shopify Shipping, then follow these steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.

  2. Click the number of an unfulfilled order.

  3. Optional: If you're using multiple locations, and if you want to change the location that you're fulfilling your order from, then click … on the fulfillment card, and then select Change location. Select the location that you want to use, and click Save. The location can only be changed for orders that require shipping, not local delivery or pickup orders.

  4. Click Marked as fulfilled.

  5. From the Fulfillment page, change the number of products that you want to fulfill for each line item in the Items section.

  6. Enter the tracking number from your shipping provider in the Tracking information section. The tracking URL appears in the customer's Shipping confirmation and Shipping update emails.

  7. If you want to send a notification email to the customer right away, then select Send shipment details to your customer now. This option is available only if you have an email address for the customer on file.

  8. Click Fulfill items. The order screen updates to display the order's Fulfilled and Unfulfilled items.

  9. If you want to review the order's fulfillment details or add a tracking number, then click Add tracking in the Fulfilled section of the order.

  1. From the Shopify app, tap Orders.

  2. Tap an order that has a fulfillment status of Unfulfilled or Partially fulfilled.

  3. Optional: If you're using multiple locations, and if you want to change the location that you're fulfilling your order from, then tap … on the fulfillment card, and then tap Change location. Select the location that you want to use, and click Save.

  4. If you're using Shopify Shipping to buy a shipping label for your order, then tap Create shipping label in the Unfulfilled section.

  5. If you're using a carrier other than Shopify Shipping, then tap Mark as fulfilled. Enter a tracking number, or tap the barcode icon to scan a shipping label barcode with your iPhone. The tracking URL appears in the customer's shipping confirmation and shipping update emails.

  6. In the Items section, enter the quantity of each item that you want to include in the fulfillment. By default, all the order's unfulfilled items are included in the fulfillment.

  7. Optional: Uncheck Send notification to customer.

  8. Tap Fulfill items to mark the order as fulfilled. If you're using Shopify Shipping, then select a shipping service, and tap Buy shipping label.

  1. From the Shopify app, tap Orders.

  2. Tap an order that has a fulfillment status of Unfulfilled or Partially fulfilled.

  3. Optional: If you're using multiple locations, and if you want to change the location that you're fulfilling your order from, then tap … on the fulfillment card, and then tap Change location. Select the location that you want to use, and click Save.

  4. If you're using Shopify Shipping to buy a shipping label for your order, then tap CREATE SHIPPING LABEL in the Unfulfilled section.

  5. If you're using a carrier other than Shopify Shipping, then tap MARK AS FULFILLED in the Unfulfilled section. Enter a tracking number, or tap the barcode icon to scan a shipping label barcode with your Android device. The tracking URL appears in the customer's shipping confirmation and shipping update emails.

  6. In the Items section, enter the quantity of each item that you want to include in the fulfillment. By default, all the order's unfulfilled items are included in the fulfillment.

  7. Optional: Uncheck Email shipment details to customer now.

  8. Tap Fulfill items to mark the order as fulfilled. If you're using Shopify Shipping, then select a shipping service, and tap Buy shipping label.

Fulfilling orders for multiple locations

If a customer has placed and paid for an order of multiple products, and one or more of the products are stocked at different locations, then you can fulfill parts of the order separately based on the location of your inventory. You can set location priorities to specify the priority sequence for order fulfillment.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.

  2. Click the order number of an unfulfilled order.

    If the order can be fulfilled using the stock at a single location, then the unfulfilled section shows all of the items in the order listed together.

    If the order can't be fulfilled using the stock at a single location, then the unfulfilled section shows the available items listed by location.

  3. Optional: If you're using multiple locations, and if you want to change the location that you're fulfilling your order from, then click the name of the location on the fulfillment card, and select Change location. Select the location that you want to use, and click Save.

  4. If you’re using Shopify Shipping to buy a shipping label for your order, then select Create shipping label in the unfulfilled card that you’re fulfilling your items from.

  5. If you’re using a carrier other than Shopify Shipping, then select Mark as fulfilled, and enter the tracking number from your shipping provider. The tracking URL appears in the customer’s shipping confirmation and shipping update emails.

  6. If you want to send a notification email to the customer right away, then select Send shipment details to your customer now. This option appears only if you have an email address for the customer.

  7. Click Fulfill items to mark the order as fulfilled. If you’re using Shopify Shipping, then select a shipping service, and click Buy shipping label.

The order screen updates to display the order’s fulfillment status.

  1. From the Shopify app, tap Orders.

  2. Tap an order that has a fulfillment status of Unfulfilled.

    If the order can be fulfilled using the stock at a single location, then items are displayed in a single unfulfilled section.

    If the order can't be fulfilled using the stock from a single location, then the unfulfilled section displays the items by location.

  3. Optional: If you're using multiple locations, and if you want to change the location that you're fulfilling your order from, then tap … on the fulfillment card, and then tap Change location. Select the location that you want to use, and click Save.

  4. If you're using Shopify Shipping to buy a shipping label for your order, then tap Create shipping label in the Unfulfilled section. If the order is being fulfilled from multiple locations, then you must tap Create shipping label for each location.

  5. If you're using a carrier other than Shopify Shipping, then tap Mark as fulfilled in the Unfulfilled section. If the order is being fulfilled from multiple locations, then you must tap Mark as fulfilled for each location.

    Enter a tracking number, or tap the barcode icon to scan a shipping label barcode with your iPhone. The tracking URL appears in the customer's shipping confirmation and shipping update emails.

  6. Optional: Uncheck Send notification to customer.

  7. Tap Fulfill items to mark the order as fulfilled. If you're using Shopify Shipping, then select a shipping service, and tap Buy shipping label.

  1. From the Shopify app, tap Orders.

  2. Tap an order that has a fulfillment status of Unfulfilled.

    If the order can be fulfilled using the stock at a single location, then items are displayed in a single unfulfilled section.

    If the order can't be fulfilled using the stock from a single location, then the unfulfilled section displays the items by location.

  3. Optional: If you're using multiple locations, and if you want to change the location that you're fulfilling your order from, then tap … on the fulfillment card, and then tap Change location. Select the location that you want to use, and click Save.

  4. If you're using Shopify Shipping to buy a shipping label for your order, then tap Create shipping label in the Unfulfilled section. If the order is being fulfilled from multiple locations, then you must tap Create shipping label for each location.

  5. If you're using a carrier other than Shopify Shipping, then tap Mark as fulfilled in the Unfulfilled section. If the order is being fulfilled from multiple locations, then you must tap Mark as fulfilled for each location.

    Enter a tracking number, or tap the barcode icon to scan a shipping label barcode with your Android device. The tracking URL appears in the customer's shipping confirmation and shipping update emails.

  6. Optional: Uncheck Send notification to customer.

  7. Tap Fulfill items to mark the order as fulfilled. If you're using Shopify Shipping, then select a shipping service, and tap Buy shipping label.

Fulfill multiple orders at the same time

By selecting several orders, you can use the Fulfill orders button to fulfill them at the same time. This applies to stores that manually fulfill orders. If you aren't using Shopify Shipping, then you need to add tracking numbers to the orders.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.

  2. Optional: Click the Unfulfilled tab to view only the orders that need to be fulfilled.

  3. Select the orders that you want to fulfill by clicking the checkboxes.

  4. Click Fulfill orders.

  5. Optional: Select the Send a notification to the customer checkbox to send your customers a notification.

  6. Click Fulfill.

  1. On the Orders page, in the Orders to fulfill section, tap View all.

  2. Tap ....

  3. Tap Select orders.

  4. Tap the checkbox next to each order that you want to fulfill.

  5. Tap Fulfill orders.

  6. Tap Mark as fulfilled.

  7. Optional: Enable the Send a notification to the customer option to send your customers a notification.

  8. Tap Fulfill.

  1. On the Orders page, in the Orders to fulfill section, tap View all.

  2. Tap ⋮.

  3. Tap Select orders.

  4. Tap the checkbox next to each order that you want to fulfill.

  5. Tap Fulfill orders.

  6. Tap Mark as fulfilled.

  7. Optional: Enable the Send a notification to the customer option to send your customers a notification.

  8. Tap Fulfill.

Fulfillment holds

There are two kinds of fulfillment holds:

  • Manual holds, which you can place on fulfillments at any time
  • System holds, which are placed by back end systems, such as apps

Manual fulfillment holds

When issues arise that prevent you from fulfilling an order immediately, you can hold the fulfillment manually. Orders with a fulfillment hold have an On hold fulfillment status in your orders list. To organize and track your fulfillment work, you can use the fulfillment status to filter the orders that are ready to be fulfilled from the orders with fulfillment holds.

The following limitations apply to manual fulfillment holds:

  • You can hold a fulfillment, but not specific items within an order.
  • If an order also contains an unfulfilled fulfillment, then the orders list shows the order as Unfulfilled instead of On hold.

Hold a fulfillment

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.

  2. Select the order that you want to place on fulfillment hold.

  3. Click the ... button.

  4. Click Hold fulfillment.

  5. Select a reason for the hold.

  6. Click Hold fulfillment.

Release a fulfillment

When the issues that prevented you from fulfilling an order are resolved, you can release the manual fulfillment hold. After the fulfillment is released, the order fulfillment status changes to Unfulfilled.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.

  2. Select the order that you want to release from the fulfillment hold.

  3. Click Release fulfillment.

System fulfillment holds

System fulfillment holds occur when an app or other back-end system places a fulfillment on hold automatically. For example, when upsell offers are presented to customers at checkout, the order fulfillment status is set to On hold until the customer completes their order. If a customer doesn't complete a checkout, then the order status remains On hold to allow the customer time to return to the order and complete their checkout.

When an order is On hold you can reserve inventory for the order, but you can't fulfill the order until the fulfillment hold is released, and the order fulfillment status changes to Unfulfilled.

There are four types of system holds:

  • Pending upsell offer
  • Pending Marketplace Partner authorization
  • Pending Markets Pro authorization
  • Unknown delivery date

Cancel a fulfillment (automatic and manual fulfillments)

When you cancel a fulfillment, the fulfillment status of the order returns to Unfulfilled, and you can buy a new shipping label or create a new fulfillment for the order.

If you have purchased a shipping label, then you must void it before you can cancel the fulfillment.

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.

  2. From the Orders page, click the number of an order in the list that has a Fulfillment status of Fulfilled.

  3. In the Fulfillments section, click the ... button.

  4. Click Cancel fulfillment.

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