We currently have two physical locations selling with their own inventory. In order to use store pickup, each location has to be enabled as a fulfillment location. When we receive online orders, sometimes an order gets two fulfillment locations based on which of our physical locations has the actual stock. However, we only physically fulfill from one location, so we have to move stock to the fulfilling location (always the same). Now, we have to move the fulfillment location of one part of the order and then transfer the products using a transfer. Is there a way to automate this or make this smoother? We played with having Flow move the fulfillment location after receiving the order, but couldn’t figure it out.
Example. Order comes in for widgets 1 and 2. Widget 1 is in stock at A (the physical fulfillment location) and Widget 2 is in stock at location B. Currently, we move the fulfillment from location B to location A. Then we transfer Widget 2 from location B to location A to cover the inventory needed to fulfill the order.
Unfortunately, Flow doesn’t have built-in automation for changing fulfillment locations.
So, here are some ways you can consider:
Use Shopify’s Location Priority Settings – Go to Settings > Shipping and Delivery > Manage Fulfillment Locations, and ensure your primary fulfillment location (A) is set as the top priority. This can help reduce split orders.
Inventory Sync Apps – Consider an app like Stock Sync or Order Merger that can help automate inventory transfers or consolidate multi-location orders into a single fulfillment point.
Use a 3-rd party order management system (OMS) – Tools like ShipStation, SKULabs, or Brightpearl can consolidate multi-location fulfillment and automate inventory transfers.
If none of these fully solve the issue, a Shopify Plus-level script or API integration might be needed for complete automation
It sounds like you need a way to automate fulfillment location changes and inventory transfers. Would you be open to trying an inventory and order management system like Qoblex? It can auto-assign fulfillment to a single location, trigger stock transfers as needed, and keep inventory in sync—eliminating manual work. Worth checking out!
