One thing can make or break a customer’s experience: communication. Today’s online shoppers expect detailed order updates, smooth fulfillment, and complete transparency throughout their purchase journey. While Shopify is a powerful ecommerce platform, its default order statuses—Unfulfilled, Fulfilled, and Canceled—can feel limited for stores with complex workflows.
That’s where Shopify Custom Order Status comes in.
If your store handles custom products, B2B orders, or multi-stage fulfillment processes, custom order statuses can significantly improve how you manage orders and communicate with customers. They can also make your operations more efficient and professional.
In this guide, we’ll explain what Shopify Custom Order Status is, explore its benefits, and share best practices to help you get the most out of this powerful feature.
What Is Shopify Custom Order Status?
Shopify Custom Order Status allows merchants to create detailed, step-by-step order statuses that accurately reflect their unique fulfillment process. Unlike Shopify’s standard statuses, which only indicate if an order is unfulfilled, fulfilled, or canceled, custom order statuses let you add personalized stages that guide your customers through the entire order journey.
For example, instead of just showing “Unfulfilled,” you could display:
- Order Received
- Design Approved
- In Production
- Quality Check Completed
- Packaging
- Ready for Shipping
- Shipped
- Delivered
These detailed updates can help customers feel confident and well-informed as their order progresses.
To set up Shopify Custom Order Status, you’ll typically need to install a third-party app like the Addify Custom Order Status App, which makes it easy to create, manage, and automate custom statuses.
Benefits of Shopify Custom Order Status
1. Enhanced Customer Communication
Clear, real-time updates are essential to building trust. When customers know exactly where their order stands, they are less likely to feel anxious or contact support.
Instead of leaving customers in the dark with a generic “Unfulfilled” status, custom statuses allow you to communicate each step of the process. Whether it’s design approval, production start, or packaging, customers appreciate detailed updates that show their order is moving forward.
2. Reduced Customer Support Inquiries
The most common question ecommerce businesses hear is: “Where is my order?”
When you provide detailed tracking through custom order statuses, customers are far less likely to contact you for updates. This can significantly reduce the number of support tickets, emails, and phone calls, freeing up your team’s time for more complex issues.
3. Perfect for Custom, B2B, and Complex Orders
Custom order statuses are a game-changer for businesses that:
- Sell made-to-order or personalized products
- Handle bulk or wholesale orders
- Manage B2B transactions with approval or payment terms
- Offer multi-step services or unique fulfillment workflows
These businesses often need to track orders through several custom phases that don’t exist in Shopify’s default system. Custom statuses ensure that customers and internal teams stay aligned throughout these more detailed processes.
4. Improved Workflow and Team Coordination
Custom order statuses aren’t just for your customers—they’re also a valuable internal tool.
When your fulfillment, production, and support teams can easily see exactly which stage each order is in, it improves coordination, speeds up processes, and reduces the risk of errors.
For example:
- Your production team knows which orders are approved and ready to start.
- Your shipping team knows when an order is waiting for packaging.
- Your support team can quickly check an order’s progress if a customer calls.
5. Branded Order Tracking Experience
Many Shopify Custom Order Status apps allow you to create a branded, customized order tracking page.
This keeps your customers engaged on your store’s website and provides a seamless, professional experience.
You can also customize email and SMS notifications to match your brand’s voice, making your communication feel more personal and polished.
Best Practices for Shopify Custom Order Status
1. Keep Statuses Clear and Simple
Your customers may not understand your internal jargon. Make sure your custom statuses are written in plain, customer-friendly language that clearly communicates each step. For example, use “Design in Progress” instead of “Stage 2 Processing.”
2. Map Your Fulfillment Workflow First
Before creating custom statuses, outline your entire fulfillment process.
Identify the key stages from order confirmation to delivery. This will help you build an order tracking system that accurately reflects your operations.
3. Automate Customer Notifications
Use automation to send email or SMS updates whenever an order moves to a new status. Proactive notifications reduce customer anxiety and minimize support requests.
Tip: Many apps allow you to customize the timing and content of these messages to match your brand’s style.
4. Use Branded Tracking Pages
Take advantage of apps that offer branded tracking pages to keep the customer experience consistent and professional. Avoid sending customers to generic third-party tracking sites whenever possible.
5. Test the Process
Place test orders to make sure your custom statuses and notifications work as expected. Walk through each stage as a customer to ensure the messaging is clear, the timing makes sense, and the order flow is smooth.
6. Review and Improve Over Time
As your business grows, your fulfillment process may change. Regularly review your custom order statuses and update them if needed to ensure they still match your workflows and deliver the best customer experience.
Final Thoughts
Shopify Custom Order Status is more than just a tracking upgrade—it’s a way to enhance communication, build trust, and streamline your fulfillment process. Whether you sell custom-made products, wholesale items, or manage complex B2B workflows, custom statuses allow you to provide the detailed, real-time updates your customers expect.
By following best practices and using the right Shopify app, you can transform your store’s order tracking into a powerful, customer-focused experience that sets you apart from the competition.
In the world of modern ecommerce, proactive, transparent order tracking isn’t optional—it’s essential. Shopify Custom Order Status gives you the tools to do it right.