To create a better partner experience, Shopify has created a better fulfillment experience for its merchants. If you have a Shopify site, the Shopify Fulfillment Orders API has been carefully designed to partner with your business and help you take control of your fulfillment process, whether you use a 3PL or handle the fulfillment yourself. The following explains why you should move to the new Shopify API and if you work with a 3PL partner, why it’s critical to ensure they’ve also updated to the new API.
Why Should You Switch?
You might be thinking “Why should I change? All updates are the same.” Not quite. Shopify took its time with the Fulfillment Orders API and made improvements in several areas for a better overall experience.
It’s an Improved API Architecture
One of Shopify’s goals was to provide a better API architecture for merchants to build on. It breaks the entire fulfillment process down into its individual pieces, allowing workflows to be visible, and information to flow more accurately between Shopify and your app or your 3PL.
Another benefit is that it makes communication easier between the merchant via Shopify and your fulfillment system. Since each process is clearly stated, everyone knows what their job is and who is accountable.
It Considers Merchant’s Needs
Not all merchants are the same and they all have different needs in regard to their business. For example, someone with an online business has different goals and requirements than someone with a brick-and-mortar store.
So the API update has a local pickup/curb-side pickup option built in as a new option for merchants to reach their customers. This allows merchants to easily manage and fulfill orders without sacrificing the customer experience.
Shopify also added a subscription option. The subscription commerce industry is a quickly growing market—it is projected to reach $904.2 billion in 2026. Shopify partnered with certain subscription apps to give merchants the best possible experience selling and fulfilling pre-paid subscription orders. With the Shopify Fulfillment Orders API, these apps are able to integrate with Shopify, so merchants can clearly see and fill subscription orders.
It Streamlines Fulfillment Responsibilities
When your 3PL is filling orders, you’re placing a lot of trust in them that the orders are being executed by your standards.
In the Fulfillment Orders API, orders can be assigned to a merchant location or a fulfillment location, so that fulfillment services aren’t confused about who is fulfilling which order.
It Enhances the Overall Merchant Experience
The Fulfillment Orders API gives merchants a clear and accurate understanding of their orders and fulfillment work across all of their locations within Shopify and your app/fulfillment service.
It better handles a merchant’s fulfillment needs by providing opportunities to customize the fulfillment experience and have control over their inventory.
Merchants will also be able to effectively, and efficiently, grow their business as the API creates a better overall experience. A better fulfillment experience will be noticed by the customer and entice them to become repeat buyers so the order volume will increase.
The Fulfillment Order API tracks the lifecycle of fulfillment work, including open, in-progress, closed, canceled, or incomplete orders. This gives merchants a more detailed and complete view of their order data in Shopify.
How Can I Transition to Shopify’s Fulfillment Orders API?
To start, depending on which app you’re using (Order Management or Fulfillment), you need to determine and request updated permissions.
Another step you’ll need to do is to test your app. When you migrate your app to a new API, it’s imperative that your software still functions as it did before.
By testing out Fulfillment Orders in a dev store, you can catch any potential issues before you launch. You can test functionality in your dev store by creating test orders with the “Bogus” gateway, so you can see how everything will operate from a customer and fulfillment perspective. This will save you the hassle of fixing mistakes on the spot and your fulfillment program continues operating smoothly.
For a more detailed explanation of how to make Shopify’s API integration easier for you and your 3PL, Shopify created a guide on how to migrate to the Fulfillment Orders API and a helpful guide from a dev perspective.
How Can Jay Group Work With You?
Jay Group believes that to be the best fulfillment partner, you need to invest in your technology. That’s why our technology integrates seamlessly with your business platform to make sure you have a smooth flow of operations, from start to finish.
Jay Group works with a number of online eCommerce platforms including Shopify, Amazon, OpenCart, and WooCommerce. Plus, our team stays up to date with major software changes, like Shopify’s new API, to ensure there are no critical delays caused by an avoidable issue.
When you work with Jay Group, your product can reach more than 99% of the United States in 3 days, using ground shipping, from our Lancaster, PA, and Reno, NV, facilities. We also provide on-time shipping and inventory accuracy rates of 99.9%. That’s what happens when you work with a partner that values hard work and also invests in technology to create an easy and efficient fulfillment program.
Bottom line—you need to make sure the 3PL you work with is staying up to date with any technology changes. Or it can disrupt service and lead to a bad customer experience.
Looking for a supportive partner to handle your company’s fulfillment needs? Contact our team and learn how you can gain an ally in Jay Group.
