What is the process for an order, from placement to shipment?

There is a set sequence of steps between the moment your customer checks out and the moment the package is shipped. Those steps are roughly the same everywhere; the difference lies in how tightly they are organized and how many of them are automated.

1. The order comes in

Through the integration, the order is automatically transferred from your online store to the fulfillment system. There, you can see what was ordered, in what quantities, to which address, and via which shipping method. Manual exporting and importing are no longer necessary.

2. The order is released

If the item is in stock, the order is prepared for picking. If an item is out of stock, the order is put on hold or split, depending on what you’ve agreed upon. That’s a decision you make in advance, not on a per-order basis.

3. Pecking

An employee walks through the locations and scans each item he picks up. If the scan doesn’t match what’s on the order, the item isn’t included. That’s the most important check in the entire process and the reason why a barcode is so crucial for each item.

4. Packaging

Items are packaged in a size appropriate for their contents. Standard packaging materials are included. If you’d like your own boxes, an insert card, a package insert, or gift wrapping, that’s a standard procedure followed for every order.

5. Labeling and Discharging

A shipping label is created for the selected carrier, and the shipment is included in that day’s pickup route. From that point on, the package is part of the carrier’s network, and the tracking number is sent to your customer.

6. Feedback

The order status is displayed in your account and on the dashboard. You can see whether an order has been picked, packed, and shipped, and when. This means your customer service team doesn't have to call to find out where an item is.

Where Things Go Wrong in Practice

It almost never happens in the warehouse itself. Problems arise with items that can’t be scanned individually, with variants under the same SKU, or when a shipping method is named differently in your online store than in the backend system. Fix that up front, and the rest will fall into place.

What You Hold in Your Hand

You decide on the cutoff you’ll use, the shipping options you’ll offer, and what an order will look like when the box is opened. The warehouse handles the execution; the choices are yours.