Setting Up Ecommerce Split Orders, Partial Shipments, and Backorder Flows
As ecommerce businesses scale across multiple channels and fulfillment partners, handling split orders, partial shipments, and backorders becomes inevitable. Customers expect real-time transparency, and marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay have strict SLAs tied to fulfillment performance.
This guide covers how to effectively structure these flows—automatically and at scale—while maintaining customer satisfaction and compliance.
Why These Flows Matter for Multichannel Ecommerce
- ✅ Improves delivery times when items are in different locations
- 🚚 Prevents shipping delays on in-stock items
- 📦 Reduces support requests by updating order and tracking status in real time
- 💡 Optimizes fulfillment costs through intelligent order routing
1. What Are Split Orders and Partial Shipments?
- Split Order: When a single customer order is fulfilled by multiple warehouses or suppliers.
- Partial Shipment: When only part of an order is shipped due to stock availability, location, or fulfillment rules.
- Backorder: When a product is temporarily out of stock but the order is accepted for future fulfillment.
2. When to Enable Split and Partial Fulfillment
Split or partial shipping is beneficial when:
- Items are located in different fulfillment centers
- Some SKUs are in stock and others are backordered
- Orders exceed package weight/size thresholds
- You work with multiple suppliers (dropshipping or hybrid model)
🧠 EcomBiz.AI automates split logic based on inventory location, cost efficiency, and delivery speed.
3. Setting Up in Shopify, Magento, or Marketplaces
| Platform | Split Orders | Backorder Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | ✅ With 3PL/inventory apps | ✅ With “Continue selling when out of stock” | Use tools like ShipStation or EcomBiz.AI |
| Magento | ✅ Native support | ✅ Full backorder logic | High customization via rules & APIs |
| Amazon | ❌ (Not user-controlled) | ❌ (Can’t accept backorders) | Must meet promised ship date |
| Walmart | ❌ (Strict shipping policies) | ❌ (Avoid OOS listings) | Always sync accurate inventory |
| eBay | ✅ (Manually or via apps) | ⚠️ (Not recommended) | Use caution to maintain seller metrics |
4. Best Practices for Split and Partial Shipments
✅ Use Automation Rules
Set rules based on:
- Inventory location
- Delivery zones
- Cost efficiency
- Fulfillment partner priorities
Example:
“If Item A is out of stock at Warehouse 1, check Warehouse 2 or Supplier B and ship separately.”
✅ Show Transparency in Checkout
Let customers know items may ship separately.
Use labels like “Ships from different locations” or “May arrive in multiple packages.”
✅ Sync Tracking per Package
Each shipment must include its own:
- Tracking number
- Carrier
- Estimated delivery date
This prevents confusion and keeps marketplace SLAs in compliance.
5. Handling Backorders Effectively
Only Use Backorders When:
- You can guarantee future availability
- You can provide an estimated shipping date
- You’re not selling on platforms that prohibit backorders (Amazon, Walmart)
Communicate Proactively:
- Show “Available on [Date]”
- Offer incentives to wait (e.g. free shipping or discounts)
- Send updates if fulfillment dates shift
💡 Use EcomBiz.AI to:
- Automatically flag delayed SKUs
- Route partial orders
- Trigger backorder notifications
6. Managing Multichannel Orders with Split Logic
For multichannel retailers, each platform has its own fulfillment expectations. Use a system that:
- Consolidates orders into a single dashboard
- Breaks out shipments by warehouse or supplier
- Pushes tracking updates to each marketplace in real-time
EcomBiz.AI supports:
- Marketplace syncs for order and tracking updates
- Split order fulfillment logic
- Supplier-based routing
- Backorder notifications
7. Reporting and Metrics
Track key metrics to measure fulfillment performance:
- % of split orders
- % of backorders fulfilled on time
- Avg. time to fulfill partial vs full orders
- Top SKUs causing splits/backorders
📊 Automate these with custom dashboards in your ecommerce backend.
Final Thoughts
Split orders, partial shipments, and backorders are no longer edge cases—they’re core parts of ecommerce fulfillment. Retailers that handle them with automation, transparency, and real-time updates gain a competitive edge while reducing customer complaints and operational chaos.
👉 EcomBiz.AI helps you automate complex fulfillment flows—including split orders and backorders—across Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Shopify, and more.
Join the Waitlist to streamline your fulfillment operations today.