Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What Is A Draft Order?
- Enhancing Customer Experience with Draft Orders
- Tools for Managing Complex Draft Orders
- Shopify's Evolution: The Draft Orders API
- Conclusion
- FAQ Section
Introduction
Have you ever encountered a situation where you needed to create a special order for a client on Shopify? Perhaps they reached out over the phone or required a personalized invoice? In such instances, the process you're looking for is known as creating a draft order. Understanding the ins and out of this can revolutionize your business dealings, especially if you sell wholesale or handle voluminous special requests. In this blog post, we'll dive deep into the world of draft orders on Shopify, illustrating how you can utilize this feature to streamline your sales and enhance customer satisfaction.
What Is A Draft Order?
A draft order on Shopify is essentially an order that you can create and customize on behalf of your customer. It's a powerful feature that allows for greater flexibility in how orders are processed and managed. Whether your customer prefers to pay offline or requires a specific discount, draft orders are the go-to tool for handling such bespoke requests.
When to Use Draft Orders
Imagine you run a store that also takes orders over the phone or you manage a B2B business where standard checkout processes don't apply. Here, draft orders come to your rescue. Here are scenarios where they become relevant: - Processing orders taken via phone or chat. - Creating wholesale orders with specific payment terms. - Handling pre-orders for products yet to be launched. - Selling products at negotiated wholesale rates. - Reserving items specifically for a customer. - Adding custom items or fees not listed in your online inventory. - Solving cart abandonment by persuading customers with an invoice showing reserved items.
The Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Draft Orders
Creating a draft order is a seamless process that unfolds through these stages:
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Initiating the Order: Navigate to the 'Drafts' section within your Shopify admin and click on 'Create Order'.
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Adding Products: You can add one or multiple items to the draft order. If you have products reserved for this draft, you can ensure they are not sold to other customers by adjusting inventory appropriately.
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Setting Prices and Discounts: Flexibility is a key aspect here: you can apply discounts to individual items or the entire order. But remember, the discount method you select, whether percentage off or a flat amount, shouldn't conflict with other active discounts.
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Adding Shipping Details: You need to have the customer's details to utilize location-based shipping rates. Alternatively, you can create a custom rate.
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Assigning Payment Terms: For orders where payment will be made later, you can establish payment due dates, which when passed, toggle the order status as overdue.
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Finalization: Share a secure checkout link or send an invoice that the customer can use to complete their purchase.
Inventory Considerations with Draft Orders
An insightful point to note is how draft orders interact with your inventory, especially when items are reserved. Reserving items in a draft order puts those in an 'Unavailable' inventory state, safeguarding them from being purchased by others. This can be particularly beneficial for high-demand items or when selling last-in-stock products.
Enhancing Customer Experience with Draft Orders
Draft orders are not just about internal process optimization; they are also about improving the customer's purchasing journey. By customizing orders based on individual customer needs or agreements, you elevate the customer service experience. Whether it's offering special discounts, handling international sales with local currency invoicing, or tailoring shipping options, draft orders place customer satisfaction at the forefront.
Tools for Managing Complex Draft Orders
Sometimes your draft order requirements might extend beyond the in-built capabilities of Shopify. Here's where apps like Cleverific Order Editor complement your operations. These apps open up a whole world of in-depth customizations — from changing product weights to adding bulk products quickly.
Shopify's Evolution: The Draft Orders API
The Draft Orders API has significantly expanded potential for developers within Shopify's ecosystem. Now, there's the flexibility to create and manage orders programmatically, effectively changing how merchants and customers interact. Apps leveraging this API can automatically manage draft orders, send customized invoices, and process secure payments.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of creating and managing draft orders can be a game-changer for your Shopify store. It offers the adaptability required to cater to diverse customer needs and manages to simplify operations that might otherwise require cumbersome manual intervention. By utilizing draft orders effectively, you ensure that your business remains responsive and customer-centric, whatever the sales scenario.
FAQ Section
Q: What happens if I don't reserve items in a draft order? A: If you don't reserve items in a draft order, those items remain available for others to purchase, which could lead to stock conflicts, especially if the draft order items are sold before the draft is finalized.
Q: Can I create draft orders in bulk? A: While the standard Shopify admin interface doesn't support bulk draft order creation, third-party apps or custom scripts utilizing the Draft Orders API may offer such functionality.
Q: How does a draft order affect my inventory records? A: Reserving items in a draft order classifies those items as 'Unavailable' from your active inventory, effectively keeping them aside for the draft order. This ensures an accurate reflection of your available stock.
Do draft orders automatically convert to actual orders once paid? A: Yes, once a customer pays using the secure link or another method, the draft order transitions into an actual order in your Shopify admin.
Can customers pay for draft orders in their local currency? A: If you're selling internationally and using Shopify Payments, invoicing and payment for draft orders can be processed in the customer's local currency based on their shipping address.
Remember, the key is not just creating the draft order, but making sure it is leveraged to augment both your sales process and the customer experience. Embrace this feature, and watch how it transforms your business transactions, one customized order at a time.
