Shopify fulfilment and delivery status, explained for support
Shopify tracks two different things that both look like "status", and confusing them is the most common cause of a wrong support reply.
Updated 03 September 2026 · CaseKit team
Two statuses, not one
Shopify records fulfilment status and delivery status separately, and they answer different questions:
- Fulfilment status records which items the store has marked as fulfilled. It does not prove carrier handover.
- Delivery status is about the carrier. Where is the parcel now?
An order can be fulfilled with no delivery progress at all: the label is printed, the parcel is still on your bench. Telling a customer "it has shipped" on the strength of the fulfilment status alone is exactly how you end up with a second email an hour later.
Fulfilment statuses
| Status | What it means | What to tell the customer |
|---|---|---|
| Unfulfilled | No items are recorded as fulfilled. | Confirm the recorded state. Check preparation and tracking details before describing either. |
| Partially fulfilled | Some items are recorded as fulfilled; others remain outstanding. | Name the items in each fulfilment and check each shipment's delivery status. Do not describe the whole order as shipped. |
| Fulfilled | All items are recorded as fulfilled. A shipping label alone can trigger this state. | Confirm fulfilment, then check carrier evidence before saying the parcel has shipped or is moving. |
| Scheduled | Fulfilment is queued for a future date. | Give the date it is due to be prepared. |
| On hold | Fulfilment paused, often for stock or a payment check. | Say it is on hold and why, if you can. Silence here generates chargebacks. |
| Restocked / cancelled | Check cancellation and inventory records separately. | Confirm recorded cancellation. Check payment and refund records before stating whether a refund was issued or when it will arrive. |
Delivery statuses
| Status | What it means | What to tell the customer |
|---|---|---|
| Label created / confirmed | A label or fulfilment is registered; carrier handover is not confirmed by this status. | Say that tracking or fulfilment is registered. Check for a carrier scan before calling it shipped, and do not promise a delivery date. |
| In transit | Moving through the carrier network. | Share the tracking link. Only give an ETA if the carrier has given one. |
| Out for delivery | The carrier reports the parcel is out for delivery. | Share that status and any recorded estimate; delivery today is not guaranteed. |
| Attempted delivery | A delivery attempt is recorded. | Check the carrier's instructions before describing redelivery or collection arrangements. |
| Delivered | Carrier marked it delivered. | Confirm, and give the next step if it is not there. |
| Failure | A fulfilment or shipment failure is recorded. The reason needs investigation. | Check the failure details and store policy before proposing a replacement or refund. Do not assume return to sender. |
The combinations that trip people up
- Fulfilled + no delivery status. Fulfilment is recorded, but movement is unconfirmed. Check dispatch and carrier records; say what is known without calling it shipped.
- Partially fulfilled + customer asking about one item. Work out which shipment they mean before answering, or you will confirm the wrong parcel.
- Delivered + customer says no. The scan is evidence, not proof. This needs an investigation workflow, not a restatement of the tracking page.
- In transit for eight days with no movement. The last recorded status is still in transit. Check the carrier's investigation window and your store policy; silence in tracking alone does not prove loss.
The 60-day window
By default, Shopify shares roughly the last 60 days of order data with apps. Orders older than that may not be visible without extended access on your store. If a customer emails about a six-month-old order and your tooling returns nothing, that is usually the reason rather than a missing order.