01
Overview
| Purpose | Ensure every customer order is processed, communicated and fulfilled accurately and consistently — regardless of who is managing the process. |
| Scope | All customer orders received via Shopify, from point of purchase through to confirmed delivery. |
| Owner | Operations Manager / Fulfilment Lead |
| Frequency | Every order — daily execution. |
| Tools | Shopify Admin, Supplier Portal, Email Client, Order Tracking System, Order Log Spreadsheet |
| KPI | Target | Escalate If |
|---|---|---|
| Order processing time | Within 2 hours of receipt | > 4 hours |
| Supplier confirmation | Within 24 hours | > 48 hours |
| Dispatch notification | Same day as dispatch | Not sent within 24hrs |
| Delivery success rate | > 97% | < 95% in any week |
| Customer complaint rate | < 2% of orders | > 3% in any week |
02
The Fulfilment Process
Important — Read Before Starting
This SOP must be followed for every order without exception. If you encounter a situation not covered here, do not make a judgement call — escalate to the Operations Manager immediately.
All actions must be logged in the order management system. "I did it but did not log it" is not acceptable.
Stage 1 — Order Receipt & Verification
1
Log into Shopify Admin and check for new orders
- Navigate to Orders > All Orders and filter by "Unfulfilled"
- This check must be done at the start of every shift and every 2 hours throughout the day
2
Verify each new order
- Confirm payment status shows "Paid" — do NOT process Pending or Refunded orders
- Check delivery address is complete: full name, address, postcode, country
- Check product SKU matches supplier availability
- Flag anomalies to manager before proceeding
3
Tag verified orders in Shopify
- Add tag "VERIFIED" to each confirmed order
- Failed verification: tag "HOLD — [reason]" and notify manager immediately
- Do not proceed to Stage 2 until all orders are tagged
Stage 2 — Supplier Order Placement
4
Place each order on the supplier portal
- Enter exact product SKU, quantity and variant as shown on the Shopify order
- CRITICAL: Copy and paste the customer delivery address — never retype manually
- Select the correct shipping method as per your product listings
5
Record the supplier order reference
- Copy the supplier order reference number once confirmed
- Paste into Shopify order notes: "Supplier Ref: [XXXXXXX]"
- Update order log: Order ID | Supplier Ref | Date Placed | Expected Dispatch
6
Confirm supplier acceptance
- Await supplier confirmation — usually within 1–4 hours
- No confirmation within 24 hours — escalate using Section 04 process
- Update order log with confirmation status
Stage 3 — Customer Communication
7
Send order confirmation to customer
- Verify automated confirmation is active in Shopify Settings > Notifications
- If not active, manually send Order Confirmation template (Section 05)
- Confirmation must be sent within 1 hour of order placement
8
Send dispatch notification with tracking
- When supplier confirms dispatch: Orders > Fulfil Items > enter tracking number > select courier > Fulfil
- Shopify will send the shipping confirmation automatically
- No tracking received within 48 hours — escalate immediately
9
Proactive delay communication
- If any delay becomes known — contact the customer BEFORE they contact you
- Use the Delay Notification template (Section 05)
- Offer two options: wait with revised ETA, or full refund
- Log delay in order notes and report to manager
Stage 4 — Delivery Tracking & Closure
10
Monitor in-transit orders daily
- Each morning check order log for all orders with status "Dispatched"
- Check tracking for any order dispatched more than 3 days ago
- Flag: "delivery attempted", "returned to sender", or no movement for 5+ days
11
Confirm delivery and close the order
- When tracking shows "Delivered", update Shopify order status to Fulfilled
- Update order log: add delivery date, mark status CLOSED
- Orders delivered without complaint for 7 days can be archived
12
Request customer review
- 3 days after confirmed delivery, send Review Request template (Section 05)
- Do not send review requests to customers who raised a complaint
- Log whether review request was sent in the order log
03
Exception Handling
| Situation | Immediate Action | Escalate? |
|---|---|---|
| Payment shows Pending | Tag HOLD. Do not process. Await payment confirmation. | If unresolved > 24hrs |
| Incomplete delivery address | Email customer. Do not place supplier order until resolved. | If no reply > 48hrs |
| Item out of stock | Get ETA from supplier. Notify customer within 2 hrs. Offer wait or refund. | Always notify manager |
| Supplier no confirmation > 24hrs | Chase supplier by phone and email. Log all contact attempts. | Yes — after 2 attempts |
| Tracking: no movement > 5 days | Contact courier. Notify customer proactively. | Yes — raise investigation |
| Customer reports non-delivery | Check tracking. If delivered show proof. If not, raise with supplier same day. | Yes — same day |
| Wrong item delivered | Apologise. Raise replacement same day. Do not wait for return. | Yes — log error |
| Customer cancellation request | If not dispatched — cancel and refund. If dispatched — follow Returns SOP. | If dispatched: yes |
04
Email Templates
Copy and paste these templates directly. Customise fields shown in [brackets].
Dispatch Notification
Subject: Your order is on its way!
Hi [First Name],
Great news — your order has been dispatched and is on its way to you!
Order: #[Order Number] | Tracking: [Number] | Courier: [Name]
Estimated Delivery: [Date Range]
Track your order: [Tracking Link]
Any questions? Reply to this email — we respond within 24 hours.
Thanks for your order,
[Your Brand Name] Team
Delay Notification
Subject: Important update about your order #[Order Number]
Hi [First Name],
We want to be upfront — there has been a short delay with your order.
Original estimated delivery: [Original Date]
New estimate: [New Date]
Reason: [Brief explanation]
Your options:
1. Wait for your order — we will ensure delivery by [New Date]
2. Full refund — just reply and we will process within 24 hours
Please reply to let us know what you prefer.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
[Your Brand Name] Team
Review Request
Subject: How did we do? [Order #Order Number]
Hi [First Name],
We hope your [Product Name] has arrived safely!
It would mean a lot if you could take 60 seconds to leave a quick review:
[Review Link]
Your feedback helps us improve and helps other shoppers too.
Thank you,
[Your Brand Name] Team
05
Daily Checklist
Morning
Logged into Shopify — checked for new overnight orders
All new orders verified (payment confirmed, address complete, SKU correct)
Supplier orders placed for all VERIFIED orders
Order log updated with supplier references and expected dispatch dates
Supplier portal checked for dispatch confirmations
Tracking numbers entered into Shopify for all dispatched orders
Midday
Checked Shopify for new orders since morning
Reviewed in-transit orders — flagged any with no tracking movement > 5 days
Responded to all customer order queries within 24-hour SLA
End of Day
All orders placed today confirmed by supplier (or escalation raised)
Order log fully up to date
All exceptions and escalations logged and reported to manager
Review requests sent for orders confirmed delivered 3+ days ago
Shopify unfulfilled queue = zero (or all on HOLD with documented reason)