How to Automate Order Fulfillment on Shopify: A Complete Guide for Store Owners

Running a Shopify store can be exciting — sales, marketing, customer service — all keeping you on your toes. But when it comes to order fulfillment, things can quickly become time-consuming. As your business scales, manually processing orders becomes inefficient and error-prone. That’s where automating order fulfillment on Shopify can save time, reduce mistakes, and improve customer satisfaction.

In this guide, we’ll break down:

• What order fulfillment automation means

• Tools & apps that can help

• How to set up automation on Shopify

• Tips for improving efficiency and boosting store performance

Let’s dive in.

What is Order Fulfillment Automation on Shopify?

Order fulfillment automation refers to using software, apps, or third-party logistics (3PL) providers to handle the process of:

• Receiving orders

• Picking and packing products

• Shipping them out

• Updating tracking info for the customer

Instead of handling these steps manually, automation tools sync your inventory, process orders, and update shipping statuses in real time.

Why Automate Order Fulfillment? [With Data]

Here’s why Shopify store owners are embracing automation:

• 34% of eCommerce businesses cite shipping and logistics as the most significant pain point (Statista).

• Businesses using automated fulfillment report up to 40% faster order processing and 20% fewer returns (Shopify data).

• Consumers expect same-day or next-day shipping — automation helps meet this demand cost-effectively.

Tools & Apps to Automate Order Fulfillment on Shopify

Here are some of the most popular solutions:

1. Shopify’s Native Fulfillment Settings

You can enable automatic order fulfillment in your Shopify settings. This works well if you're:

• Selling digital products

• Using a fulfillment service or dropshipping model

Steps:

• Go to Settings > Checkout

• Scroll to Order Processing

• Choose “Automatically fulfill the order’s line items”

2. Shopify Flow (for Shopify Plus users)

A powerful automation tool that lets you create custom workflows like:

• “When order is paid → send to fulfillment center”

• “When inventory is low → notify supplier”

3. Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Providers

Use fulfillment partners like:

• ShipBob

• Deliverr

• ShipHero

• Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

These integrate directly with Shopify to manage the entire fulfillment process.

4. Dropshipping Automation Tools

For dropshipping businesses, tools like:

• DSers (AliExpress automation)

• Spocket

• Oberlo (legacy) help you automate order placement and tracking updates.

5. Print-on-Demand Fulfillment

Selling custom merchandise? Apps like:

• Printful

• Printify automatically fulfill orders as soon as they come in.

How to Set Up Automated Order Fulfillment on Shopify

Let’s walk through a step-by-step process:

Step 1: Decide Your Fulfillment Model

Are you using:

• In-house fulfillment?

• 3PL?

• Dropshipping?

• Print-on-demand?

Your model determines the best tools for automation.

Step 2: Choose a Fulfillment App or Service

Integrate your Shopify store with:

• A 3PL provider

• A dropshipping automation app

• Print-on-demand solution

Check for real-time tracking updates and inventory syncing.

Step 3: Configure Shopify Settings

• Enable automatic fulfillment in Settings > Checkout

• Set fulfillment locations and assign them to products

• Set up notifications for fulfillment status changes

Step 4: Create Custom Workflows with Shopify Flow (if applicable)

Example:

• Trigger: Order created

• Condition: Shipping country = USA

• Action: Send order to ShipBob

Step 5: Test Your Workflow

Place a test order to confirm:

• Automatic routing to the fulfillment service

• Email confirmation and tracking sent to customer

• Inventory updated correctly

Benefits of Automating Order Fulfillment

• Time Savings: Free up time for marketing, strategy, and growth

• Fewer Errors: Reduce human errors in address entry or product selection

• Faster Shipping: Meet or exceed customer expectations

• Inventory Syncing: Real-time inventory tracking reduces overselling

• Scalability: Easily handle spikes in order volume

Tips to Improve Shopify Store Performance Alongside Automation

1. Optimize Product Pages

• Use high-quality images (JPEG, WebP)

• Add trust badges

• Implement product reviews

2. Improve Mobile Experience

• Over 60% of eCommerce traffic comes from mobile (Statista)

• Ensure fast loading, easy checkout, and thumb-friendly buttons

3. Upsell Post-Purchase

Use automation tools like ReConvert or CartHook to:

• Recommend accessories

• Offer discounts on the next purchase

• Collect customer feedback

4. Use Abandoned Cart Flows

Implement Klaviyo or Shopify Email to send personalized abandoned cart emails.

5. Sync with Marketing Automation Tools

Connect with:

• Meta Ads for retargeting

• Google Shopping Feed

• TikTok Ads integration

Real-World Example: How a Shopify Brand Scaled with Fulfillment Automation

Brand: Minimalist Gear
Challenge: Handling 200+ orders/day manually
Solution: Integrated with ShipBob + Shopify Flow
Result:

• Order processing time dropped by 70%

• Customer satisfaction improved with faster shipping

• Team saved 20+ hours/week

FAQ: How Do I Automate Order Fulfillment on Shopify?

You can automate order fulfillment on Shopify by enabling automatic fulfillment settings, using fulfillment services like ShipBob or Printful, and integrating third-party automation tools or apps. Shopify Flow (for Plus users) allows you to create advanced custom workflows to handle fulfillment tasks automatically.

Summary