How To Manager Split Orders For Your Ecommerce Business (2024)

When you check out in an online store, there might be times where the multiple items you want to buy have different shipping dates. For example, an online record store that sells rare albums, including several you’ve long coveted, has a preorder promotion for a release by your favorite artist. When you add that item to your cart, along with two other albums, you notice that your order is divided into three different shipments: two arriving from different locations on the same day, and the third—the pre-ordered album—set to ship after its release. This is an example of a split order, which aims to get efficient and fast deliveries to consumers, even when items don’t ship together.

What is a split order?

A split order—also known as a splitshipment or partial shipment—refers to a single order with multiple items divided into separateshipments. This happens when a merchant ships items from different locations or at different times. Customers get parts of their order in separate deliveries, often on different days. The available items ship when they’re ready, often resulting in faster fulfillment.

Order splitting can help you meet fast shipping deadlines amid an increasingly complex supply chain, but the method has its drawbacks. Split order can result in additional costs, extra resources to coordinate multiple shipments, and increased environmental waste.

Why are split orders used?

Split orders are used for a variety of reasons, including: 

Inventory in more than one location 

Companies often split orders when inventory is stored in different warehouses or regions. While centralizing stock can streamline shipping from a single location or fulfillment center, logistical hurdles and product unavailability can prevent this. Splitting deliveries can help you optimizeshipping and reduce delays. 

Back-ordered or pre-ordered items

When an order is partially ready and includes back-ordered or pre-ordered items, you might send available itemsfirst, with the rest sent later in a separateshipment. This keeps shoppers from needing to place a new order.

Large items or quantities

Sometimes a single order of a bulky item or a large quantity needs more than one box. For convenience, you might split the order and send it in multiple packages.

Customer requests

Sometimes customers ask for split orders. They might create a split order to ship to different addresses or for different arrival times. For example, a customer who buys multiple holiday gifts in a single order can use split shipping to send each gift directly to family members across the country.

Order customizations or special requests

A customer might purchase a personalized item, which may require extra service or shipment from a separatelocation. For instance, they might want to engrave a picture frame or get a set of towels monogrammed. These items may arrive later to allow time for the extra steps involved.

Drawbacks of split shipments

Split orders can let you shipmultiple quantities of orders out more efficiently, but they also come with drawbacks, including: 

Higher costs 

Splittingorders into several shipments often adds logistical, labor, and overhead costs to cover additional packaging, transportation, and delivery services. These extra expenses can quickly add up, particularly for large companies handling high order volumes.

More waste

More packages means more waste and a larger carbon footprint. Even if you use sustainable materials, you can’t ensure consumers will recycle packaging. Multiple shipments also means extra delivery trips, leading to increased fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Increased returns 

With products from a single order arriving at different times, consumers might initiate returns for some items before the others have even arrived. This can complicate the returns process, and it adds to your environmental impact if separate orders must be shipped back.

Tips for avoiding split orders

Sometimes a split order is unavoidable, but here are some steps you can take to avoid the hassle:

Forecast customer demand

To keep your warehouses stocked, start by forecasting customer demand and understanding which products are often purchased together. Analyze shopper data using real-time inventory tracking tools, RFID tagging technology, and specialized software platforms like Sortly, Zoho Inventory, NetSuite, and Cin7. You can then make sure that commonly paired products are shipped from the same warehouse locations.

Keep your warehouses stocked

Use demand forecasting to keep ample inventory in your warehouses. Whether you’re a small- to medium-sized company with one regional warehouse or a major ecommerce business with multiple global locations, keeping popular items stocked allows you to avoid stockouts and maintain efficient order fulfillment.

Let customers choose singular delivery

Customers can opt in to split their delivery, but they should also have the option to opt out—an attractive option for eco-conscious shoppers. During the checkout process, give shoppers the option to create rules for their delivery preferences, like waiting for their entire order to be ready for a lower shipping rate, even if it results in a longer delivery time.