Processing and Managing Orders
Efficiently manage customer orders to ensure timely fulfillment and customer satisfaction.
Order Workflow
Order Stages
Orders move through these stages:
- Pending Payment: Awaiting customer payment
- Paid: Payment received, ready to process
- Processing: Being prepared for shipment
- Shipped: On the way to customer
- Delivered: Successfully received
- Cancelled: Order cancelled by you or customer
Automatic Notifications
Customers receive emails when:
- Order is confirmed
- Payment is received
- Order is being processed
- Item has shipped (with tracking)
- Order is delivered
Processing New Orders
When an Order Arrives
- Review order details
- Verify payment status
- Check inventory availability
- Confirm shipping address
- Mark as "Processing"
Order Details Page
View complete information:
- Customer name and contact
- Shipping and billing addresses
- Products ordered (with variants)
- Payment method and status
- Order total and breakdown
- Special instructions or notes
Fulfillment
Preparing Orders
Steps for fulfillment:
- Print packing slip
- Gather products from inventory
- Pack items securely
- Include invoice/receipt
- Apply shipping label
Marking as Shipped
When ready to ship:
- Click "Mark as Shipped"
- Select shipping carrier
- Enter tracking number
- Confirm shipment
- Customer receives automatic notification
Partial Shipments
For split shipments:
- Mark individual items as shipped
- Enter tracking for each package
- System tracks multiple shipments per order
Order Management
Editing Orders
Make changes if needed:
- Add or remove products
- Update quantities
- Adjust pricing
- Modify shipping address
- Add discount codes
Refunds and Returns
Process refunds:
- Go to order page
- Click "Refund"
- Select items to refund
- Choose refund amount
- Add reason/notes
- Process refund to original payment method
Cancellations
Cancel orders:
- Available before shipping
- Full refund automatically processed
- Inventory returned to stock
- Customer notified
Order Filters and Search
Find orders quickly:
Filters
- Order status
- Date range
- Payment status
- Fulfillment status
- Customer name
Search
- Order number
- Customer email
- Product name
- Tracking number
Bulk Actions
Manage multiple orders:
- Select multiple orders
- Mark as processing
- Print packing slips
- Export order data
- Update status
Order Notes
Internal Notes
Add private notes:
- Visible only to you
- Track special instructions
- Note customer preferences
- Document issues or delays
Customer Communications
Contact customers:
- Send message through order page
- Track conversation history
- Attach relevant documents
- All messages saved to order
Shipping and Tracking
Shipping Rates
Configure shipping:
- Flat rate shipping
- Free shipping thresholds
- Weight-based rates
- Location-based rates
- Real-time carrier rates
Tracking Integration
Supported carriers:
- Automatic tracking updates
- Customer tracking page
- Email notifications
- Delivery confirmation
Order Reports
Generate insights:
- Sales by date range
- Popular products
- Average order value
- Customer repeat rate
- Fulfillment time metrics
Best Practices
Speed
- Process orders within 24 hours
- Ship within 1-2 business days
- Update tracking promptly
Communication
- Respond to customer questions quickly
- Provide realistic delivery estimates
- Proactively communicate delays
Quality Control
- Double-check orders before shipping
- Ensure proper packaging
- Include branded materials
- Add thank you note
Organization
- Process orders in received order
- Keep packing area organized
- Maintain adequate supplies
- Use order management software effectively