Order Management Workflow

The order management workflow is what oversees the processes that go into fulfilling every order that comes in. It's used to sync data and to coordinate the responsibilities between all the various people and systems used in filling an order.

The order management workflow starts when a customer places an order, continues through the pick/pack/ship process, and ends when the order has been delivered. We'll go more into each stage of this workflow below, but here is a quick breakdown of the process:

• Receive
• Process
• Pick & Pack
• Ship & Track
• Post Delivery

Orders can come from mobile, tablet, or desktop and a variety of channels. Thankfully, BigCommerce automatically consolidates orders in one location, no matter which of our channel integrations you're using.

Once the customer has placed their order, payment will need to be captured. We integrate with some of the most trusted and reliable payment gateways in the industry. Depending on your gateway setup, their payment will either be automatically captured or will need to be captured manually.

If you're capturing payment manually, it's essential to have guidelines and processes in place to ensure everyone is aware of when it should be captured. You wouldn't want to fulfill an order before securing payment.

Another thing to note, as soon as the order is placed, if you're tracking inventory, it is also adjusted automatically in real-time.

How an order is processed will vary depending on whether you're doing it all in-house, or if you've opted to use a 3PL service like ShipBob.

If you're processing the orders in-house, orders will need to be moved manually through the fulfillment process via order actions that update the order's status as you go. We'll go over how to manage orders manually via the BigCommerce control panel in a later chapter.

If you're processing orders through a 3PL, then most of the order actions will happen automatically through their integration with BigCommerce or via our APIs. For example, when an order is received, it will be sent to the warehouse automatically and will update the order's status in your store as it goes through the fulfillment process.

This is where the bulk of the magic happens and will often be the most significant area for improvement. Many of the processes involved in the picking and packing of orders are still performed manually.

For the picking process, use a method that fits your business. If you're processing orders in-house, you might use the Single method in which every item in the order is picked and transferred to the packing station. If you're using a 3PL service, they might use other methods like Batch, Zone, or Wave and incorporate tools or software to help automate this process.

For the packing process, it's vital that you're using properly-sized boxes and packing materials for your products so that the order reaches the customer in good condition. If you sell different types of products, it's important to have a different process for each. For example, if you sell fragile and non-fragile items, each will require different types and amounts of packaging material.

Don't forget to take the opportunity to verify the order for accuracy during the packing process. As you can see, there are many moving parts in this phase. Make sure that your processes are documented, so everyone is on the same page and performing the same operations.

After you've picked and packed the order, all that's left is to ship it. For the most part, this is handled by the carrier you've chosen to integrate with, but there are other responsibilities that your team should take care of:

• Making sure the order has the appropriate shipping label.
• Marking the order as Shipped.
• Sending out tracking information to the customer.

As for the post-sale process, this is where you can set yourself apart from the rest. This is where you can make a memorable experience with your brand. For example, you can use custom packaging to make the unboxing moment eventful and shareable.

If custom packaging is not an option, focus on the way you handle follow-ups/feedback or how you manage returns/refunds. Make the interaction as effortless as possible. Having an easy to find and transparent returns policy is just one of the best practices we'll cover in the next chapter.