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If you are a businessperson who keeps a regular track of the raw material shipment you ordered, you will have noticed the term awaiting fulfilment in the ‘Order status’ page. This is a shipping term widely used by e-Commerce and logistics companies that use software for real time updates of their goods in transit.
What is awaiting fulfilment?
When the order status is indicating awaiting fulfilment, it means that the seller has processed your order, but your package hasn’t been shipped yet. This implies that the order is reflected in the businesses order fulfilment system and is going to be packed.
If your raw material procurement is from a large company, then chances are that they will have a fulfilment team who takes care of packaging of the ordered items. If you have ordered something that is to be customised for you then this status means that the company is still working on your order.
This is one of the earliest stages in the order fulfilment process and therefore it will be some time before you get the final product delivered to you. The fulfillment process is time-consuming so the order fulfilment status will only change after some time.
Also Read: Fulfillment centres in India
Why is the order status awaiting fulfilment?
Awaiting fulfilment could mean that the company hasn’t processed the order just yet, but it is reflected in their system. Once the warehouse team or the 3PL service provider gets the order they will pick and pack the item to be delivered to the customer.
If you have ordered from a company that has outsourced logistics services, the chances are that your shipment will be coming from a large order fulfilment center. If this fulfilment center has poor warehouse management, it will take a considerable amount of time to locate the item you ordered. This will result in the logistics system reflecting awaiting shipment fulfilment.
How is awaiting fulfilment different from order fulfilment?
Order fulfilment, also sometimes referred to as shipping fulfilment, is a term encompassing all processes that happen after a product is ordered from order processing to the delivery of the final product to the consumer. This involves:
- Receiving: Once you have paid for the order the company receives the order and the details will be indicated in the logistics software they are using. You will get an email saying that the company has received your order and it will be processed soon.
- Picking: The company picks the product according to the details in the system. The correct item is picked from the warehouse storage and send for packing
- Packing: The items are packed safely according to instructions of the packaging for the specific product ordered. For instance, if you have ordered a plain glass item, it will be covered with sponge sheets and other safety packaging for safe transit.
- Shipping: The items once packed are sent to a carrier location or piacked up by the carrier to be shipped to the destination.
Other order status terms you must know
There are multiple other order status terms that will be reflected on the app you are using to track your goods. Knowing these terms will give you a better idea of the location of your goods along with the tracking ID.
- Pending fulfilment
Awaiting shipment fulfilment and pending fulfilment have the same meaning. It simply means that the order has been processed but the warehouse team is yet to pick, pack and send the product.
- Submitted for fulfillment
This is the step before awaiting fulfilment. The company is letting you know that your order and payment are reflected in their system and the items will be packed and shipped soon.
- Awaiting shipment
Awaiting shipment means that the order is packed and ready to ship but the delivery carrier hasn’t picked up the order yet. If the company uses a logistics service provider, it means that it has not been dropped off at the carrier location.
- Partially shipped
If you have ordered more than one item, the company could ship it one by one. Sometimes one of the items may be out of stock, then the seller will ship the items in stock first and then ship the other item once it is in stock.
For example, let’s say you ordered 100 pieces of nuts and bolts and 50 pieces of linear ball bearings. While the company has nuts and bolts in stock the linear ball bearings were partially sold out and while still in production. This means that the company will ship the nuts and bolts first and you will have to wait a while to receive your other product.
Awaiting fulfillment is an important shipping term to know especially if your company has ordered a large shipment. If you are a company with regular raw material shipments it is important to know the common shipping terms that will be indicated in the app.
FAQs
How long does it take for the order to be delivered after awaiting fulfillment status?
What is the difference between awaiting fulfillment and order processing?
Priyanka is a seasoned content marketing professional with more than 6 years of experience crafting various forms of business and technology sector content. Her insightful writing tackles critical issues faced by small-scale manufacturing businesses. Priyanka’s clear and concise communication empowers businesses to make informed decisions and thrive in today’s dynamic business environment.
