Main issue: A new store owner selling photo prints can’t add a tracking number to a Shopify draft order and wonders if using local pickup/delivery avoids needing tracking.
Key clarification: Draft orders don’t support entering tracking numbers in the official tracking field; tracking is available only on actual (placed) orders. Draft orders are also limited in other ways (e.g., automatic discounts).
Suggested approach: If the seller fulfills orders personally, this aligns more with “shipping” (standard delivery) than “local pickup.” Using regular online orders with shipping enabled will surface tracking workflows when needed.
Update from OP: They intended “local delivery,” not pickup, and have now configured the Local Delivery option in Settings after reading Shopify’s article. They are using COD (cash on delivery) and created draft orders only to test the store because they lack a payment provider and can’t place test orders.
Status/outcome: No way to add tracking to draft orders; use real orders for tracking or rely on Local Delivery where tracking may not apply. Discussion remains partially open regarding a testing workflow without a payment provider.
Hello, I have set up a Shopify store. I am a photographer, and I will print and sell my photos as photographic prints as art for home walls.
So I am a beginner and alone in this, and I will fulfil and deliver the orders myself, so my question is: I tried to make a draft order and am stuck in the part that I need to add (the tracking number).I don’t know what to do here.
Can I only offer local pickup? So there was no part to add a tracking number, or what can I do?
Unless I’m mistaken, you can’t add tracking number(at least in the official tracking position,) to draft orders. It must be an actual order.
Hi Yusuf,
Congratulations on opening a Shopify store.
I have two questions for you:
Is there a specific reason you are creating draft orders? Is it so that you can place an order on behalf of your customers? While draft orders can be useful, they are also very limited, and do not support many features of regular orders, like automatic discounts and tracking numbers, as mentioned in another comment.
Is there a specific reason you are using local pick up, when you are fulfilling, orders yourself? I could be wrong, but in my head, this sounds more like “shipping” than “local pick up.”
Using these options (online orders, shipping) might make what you are doing easier.
Thank you for responding. I meant local delivery because I am a starter and don’t get a lot of orders, so it’s gonna be handy for me to deliver the orders myself, but after looking at the article under local delivery, I set up my local delivery option in settings.
And I was doing draft orders to test the shop because I don’t have test orders as an option because I don’t have a payment provider and am working with COD only.