Order routing

Order routing automatically routes orders to fulfillment locations based on a set of routing rules. You can use the default Shopify settings or further refine your order routing based on your business needs.

Order routing is available in Shopify after you set up 2 or more active locations. It uses rules to determine the locations to use to fulfill each item in a customer order. By adding, removing, and rearranging rules, you can determine how locations are prioritized.

Note

If you shipped from 2 or more locations before July 5, 2023, then your location priority settings have been automatically updated to the new order routing experience. No changes have been made to how your locations are prioritized. You can go to your order routing settings to make changes.

How order routing works

Order routing works by applying a series of rules to an order and then prioritizing locations based on the results. The locations with the highest priority ranking are selected to fulfill the order.

By default, rules are configured to optimize for fulfillment from the closest location within the destination market that has all of the items in the order in stock. There’s no need to modify your order routing settings if the default settings work for your business.

Note

If you previously set up fulfillment priority, then your existing settings will automatically be migrated to the new Order routing section, and your previous configuration still works the same way. Fulfillment priority is automatically configured in the new Use preferred locations rule, and the default behavior to minimize fulfillment will be added in the Minimize split fulfillments rule. You can make changes to this configuration at any time.

Routing rules

You can use the following four rules to customize your order routing strategy.

Routing rules applied by default to all Shopify stores.

Minimize split fulfillments	Optimize for fulfilling the order in the fewest number of packages. Locations that have all items in stock are prioritized over those that don’t. When none of your locations have all of the items in stock, this rule will prioritize the locations that result in the fewest number of packages.
Stay within the destination market	Locations that are in the same market as the shipping address will be prioritized over those that aren’t. Learn more about Shopify Markets
Ship from closest location	The location closest to the shipping address (measured in a straight line using the Haversine formula) will be prioritized. The Ship from closest location rule functions as a tiebreaker and will always select the location closest to the destination address. For best results, this rule should always be the last rule applied. If there are two locations that share the same address, then the older of the two (based on the date they were added to Shopify) will be prioritized.
Use ranked locations	Prioritizes locations using a group-based ranking that you define for your business. For example, if you want your warehouses to be prioritized over your storefront locations, then create a location group for all of your warehouses and another location group for all of your storefronts. Locations in the first group will be prioritized over locations in the second group. Locations in the same location group share the same rank. For example, all of the locations in the topmost location group share a ranking of 1, whereas all of the locations in the second location group share a ranking of 2.

Note

The default order routing strategy includes the following rules in this order:

1. Minimize split fulfillments
2. Stay within the destination market
3. Ship from the closest location

Configuring routing rules

Rules can have an associated UI (user interface) extension that allows you to configure the parameters of the function execution by using metafields.

In the Shopify admin, rules with an associated UI extension have the following differences from those that don't:

• Rules can be added more than one time to a strategy.
• Rule configuration is triggered by the pencil icon in the rule.
• Rule labels can be changed.

Routing rule extensibility

Early access

Routing rule extensibility is in early access, and is available only to Plus merchants and to Partners enrolled in the Early Access program.

Including the default rules, order routing rules are implemented as Shopify Functions.

It's possible for third party developers to implement and contribute their own custom location rules.

Every rule other than the default rules that are listed in the Routing rules section should be considered a custom rule.

Custom rules can be identified in different ways:

• In the Shopify admin, with the icon of the app that provides them for rules in a strategy.
• In the Shopify admin, with the icon and name of the app in the Add Rule modal.
• In GraphiQL, with the shopifyDeveloped field of the app associated with the rule.

Example order routing

Rules run from top to bottom, and each rule is applied to the results of the previous rule. The final result determines which locations fulfill the order. The following is an example of how order routing rules are applied:

First, a customer places an order with a New Jersey shipping address. The store has 4 locations that can potentially fulfill the order: New York, Vancouver, Miami, and Texas.

The order routing rules are configured to be applied accordingly:

1. The Minimize split fulfillments rule is applied. New York, Vancouver, and Miami have all of the items in stock, so they continue to the next rule. Texas does not.
2. The Stay within the destination market rule is applied. The order is being shipped to an address in the United States, so New York and Miami continue to the next rule. Vancouver does not.
3. The Choose closest location rule is applied. New York is closer to New Jersey than Miami, so New York is prioritized and Miami isn't.
4. The order is assigned to the New York location.

Managing routing rules

You can update your routing rules from the Order routing page in Shopify.

Steps

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
2. In the Order routing section, click Manage. You can add, remove, or rearrange order routing rules, or change the settings on existing rules by doing any of the following actions:
   • To add a routing rule to your setup, click Add rule, and then select the rule that you want to add. Click Manage to select any rule options, and then click Save to add the rule.
3. Click Save.
   • To remove a routing rule, click the x icon.
   • To rearrange the routing rule, click and drag the icon on the rule.
   • To change the settings of an existing location rule with options, click Manage on the rule.
4. Click Save to apply the settings to new orders.

Common configurations

The following are suggested configurations for order routing rules. You can follow them to set up rules that meet your store's needs.

Always ship from the closest location

If you prefer shipments to always ship from the closest location, even if it means splitting up the order into multiple packages, then use the Ship from closest location rule on its own.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
2. In Order routing section, click Manage.
3. Click Add rule.
4. Click Ship from closest location. If this rule is greyed out, then it means that it’s already active in your configuration.
5. Click the x icon on any other rules in the configuration until only the Ship from closest location rule remains.
6. Click Save.

Prioritize your closest warehouse location

If you have some locations that should ship orders first, like a third-party logistics service or warehouse, then rank those locations above your non-warehouse locations.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
2. In Order routing section, click Manage.
3. Click Add rule.
4. Click Use rannked locations.
5. Click the Drag icon ⠀ to move the rule to the top of the list.
6. On the rule, click the Pencil icon ✎ to open the configuration modal for the rule.
7. Drag warehouse locations to the topmost location group. Leave any locations that shouldn't be prioritized in the bottom location group.
8. Click Done.
9. If you have multiple warehouse locations, then add the Ship from closest location rule at the end to break any ties.
10. Click Save.

Frequently asked questions

Is order routing the right place to define overselling behavior?

No, overselling behavior remains the same and it’s configured at the product level. Learn more about tracking inventory

Can I set up restrictions to avoid shipping to certain locations?

Not using order routing, but you can set up shipping restrictions by setting up shipping profiles.

Can I combine rules in any way I want?

Yes, you can add, remove, and rearrange rules as you need them.

Will I lose sales if I don't set up the right configuration?

No, order routing won't prevent you from selling your products. If the configuration isn't optimal, then orders might be shipped in more boxes or be assigned to a location that is further away.

Will my order routing configuration overwrite my current shipping profiles?

No, shipping profile configuration isn't affected by order routing.