Running an online store is exciting… until it’s 2 AM and you’re manually fulfilling orders with one eye open. Good news? Shopify has a built-in system to handle order fulfillment automatically—saving you time, effort, and sanity. Also, we have come up with the best method of automatic order fulfillment: integrating with an order fulfillment software.
Just have some patience. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to set it up, when it’s the right move, and how to avoid common hiccups, etc. Let’s dive in.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that lets you build and run your online store without needing to code. From product listings and payments to shipping and customer support, you’ve got a lot to do to run your business.
Whether you’re selling handmade candles, digital downloads, or drop-shipped sneakers, Shopify makes the process simple and scalable.
Why Shopify is a Popular eCommerce Platform?
Well, there are many reasons to become a popular one. Shopify is offering a lot of opportunities to users from the beginning. Let’s find out how:
- Beginner-Friendly: No tech skills? No problem. Shopify’s drag-and-drop builder is designed for everyone.
- Built-in Tools: SEO, marketing, shipping, and inventory management—all included.
- App Integrations: Over 8,000 apps available to supercharge your store.
- Mobile-Optimized: Every theme looks great on mobile devices.
- Reliable Support: 24/7 customer support via chat, email, or phone.
What is Order Fulfillment in Shopify?
Order fulfillment is the process of getting the purchased product to your customer’s doorstep. It includes:
- Receiving the order
- Collect it from the inventory or the warehouse
- Picking and packing the item
- Shipping it to the customer
- Marking the order as fulfilled
- Return Handling
You can do this manually, or let Shopify (and apps like FullStro) handle it for you on autopilot.
Why Automate Your Shopify Order Fulfillment Process?
Do you want your Shopify store to work automatically without any manual efforts? Isn’t it better? Well, yes, automating your fulfillment process saves time, reduces human errors, and ensures faster, more accurate deliveries.
It streamlines order management, improves customer satisfaction, and helps your business scale efficiently, especially when you’re handling high volumes or selling on multiple channels.
When Should You Use Automatic Order Fulfillment?
- You sell digital products (no shipping required).
- You want to remove all manual fulfillment steps from your workflow.
- You want to save time and focus on marketing or customer experience.
- You use third-party logistics (3PL) or dropshipping partners who ship products for you.
- You have reliable fulfillment partners who handle packaging and delivery consistently.
- You rely on print-on-demand services like Printful or Printify.
Methods to Automate Order Fulfillment on Shopify
You can find multiple automatic order fulfillment processes and here we share all of them. But in this blog, we will describe the most useful and handy one that is: using an inventory management tool. I guarantee it will be more convenient for you if you are a Shopify user or other eCommerce store owner. So, stay tuned!
1. Shopify’s Built-in Settings
It is beneficial that Shopify provides built-in tools to automate both types of fulfillment:
- Step 1: Log in to Shopify Admin
- Step 2: Go to Settings → Checkout [for digital products] and Settings > Shipping and Delivery [for physical products]
- Step 3: Scroll to the “Order processing” section
- Step 4: Choose “Automatically fulfill the order’s line items”
- Step 5: Optionally enable automatic fulfillment of gift cards and notifications
- Step 6: Save changes
2. Inventory Management Tools
Although Shopify now supports a built-in feature to fulfill orders automatically, it more of better to integrate with an order fulfillment software. Just connect tools like FullStro, TradeGecko, etc, to automate inventory syncing, order routing, and tracking. For insights on accurate inventory tracking, check Accurate Inventory Forecasting for Business Growth.
Below, we will talk about how you can use software for your Shopify. Wait a bit!
3. Third-Party Fulfillment Services
Use services like ShipBob, Printful, or Amazon FBA to auto-process and ship orders.
4. Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN)
Let Shopify handle storage, packing, and shipping (U.S. only).
5. Shopify Flow (Plus Only)
Create custom automation workflows for tagging, routing, or notifications. Learn more from A Closer Look at Shopify Fulfillment Network.
6. Automation Apps
Install apps like Order Automator or Auto Fulfill for quick, rule-based automations.
7. Custom Fulfillment Services
Set up suppliers in Settings > Shipping, and Shopify will send orders directly to them.
How to Automatically Fulfill Orders on Shopify with FullStro
Automating your Shopify order fulfillment is easier and smarter with FullStro. Whether you sell through a single online store or across multiple channels, FullStro centralizes your operations and eliminates manual tasks. Here’s a step-by-step guide to streamline your fulfillment process using FullStro:
1. Evaluate Your Current Fulfillment Workflow
Start by reviewing how your current process works. Where do delays happen? Are you manually updating inventory or tracking shipments? Measure key metrics like shipping speed and order accuracy—this helps identify where automation will have the biggest impact. Identify your store inefficiency using insights and try to fix them with better software like FullStro.
2. Connect FullStro to Your Shopify Store
FullStro integrates seamlessly with Shopify. Once connected, you will FullStro powers your store so that it automatically syncs your orders, products, and inventory in real-time—no more switching between systems or manual data entry. You get complete visibility from checkout to delivery.
For WooCommerce users, check How to Fulfill Orders in WooCommerce.
3. Automate Inventory & Stock Management
FullStro’s intelligent inventory tools track stock levels across all your channels. Set up auto-restock alerts, low stock notifications, and even reorder automation. This keeps your warehouse lean and reduces costly stockouts or overstocks.
4. Smart Order Routing & Fulfillment
FullStro automates the entire fulfillment workflow:
- Automatically assigns orders to the right warehouse or
- Prioritizes express orders
- Prints packing slips and shipping labels in bulk
Updates fulfillment status and tracking info in Shopify instantly
With integrations like FullStro FedEx Integration, select carriers based on cost and speed
5. Optimize Shipping with Carrier Selection
Integrated shipping tools allow FullStro to auto-select the best carrier for each order based on cost, destination, and speed. Combine this with label printing and batch processing, and you drastically cut down manual steps.
6. Enable Easy, Automated Returns
FullStro also automates the returns process—generating RMAs, refund triggers, and real-time inventory updates when returns are received. This not only improves the customer experience but also speeds up stock re-availability.
7. Monitor & Improve with Real-Time Data
Track fulfillment KPIs like shipping time, accuracy, and cost efficiency from one dashboard. Use these insights to fine-tune your automation rules and reduce bottlenecks over time.
8. Communicate with Customers: Set clear expectations for shipping times in your store’s policies. Also, set up notifications so that Shopify can email you or customers when fulfillment happens.
Learn how this benefits platforms like Lazada in Managing Lazada Inventory with FullStro.
Common Issues & How to Fix Them
Benefits of Automatic Order Fulfillment
Here are the top benefits of automatic order fulfillment on Shopify, especially when using a smart tool like FullStro:
1. Saves Time: No more manual order updates or inventory checks. Automation handles everything from order syncing to shipping label generation, giving you more time to grow your business.
2. Reduces Human Error: Fewer manual steps mean fewer mistakes in shipping, inventory tracking, or order tagging, resulting in happier customers and fewer returns.
3. Faster Delivery: Automated fulfillment systems instantly process orders and assign them to the best carrier or warehouse, ensuring faster shipping and real-time tracking updates.
4. Real-Time Inventory Syncing: With tools like FullStro, your stock levels update automatically across all sales channels, reducing stockouts, overselling, and fulfillment delays.
5. Seamless Multi-Channel Management: Selling on Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, or Lazada? FullStro automates orders across all platforms from one dashboard—no more juggling between systems.
6. Scales with Your Business: As your order volume grows, automation ensures you don’t get overwhelmed. It helps you scale efficiently without hiring more staff.
7. Enhances Customer Experience: Automation ensures timely delivery, accurate orders, and live tracking, boosting customer satisfaction and trust in your brand.
8. Cost-Efficient Operations: Less time, fewer errors, faster deliveries—automated fulfillment reduces fulfillment costs while increasing operational efficiency.
Conclusion
If you’re still fulfilling every Shopify order manually— now it’s time for an upgrade. Automatic order fulfillment can save you countless hours, improve customer satisfaction, and allow you to scale without stress.
Set it once, and let Shopify (or FullStro) take care of the rest. Want more tools? Explore FullStro February 2025 New Features to stay updated.
