Fulfillment Exception Handling
Automatically identify stuck orders, trigger remediations, and route edge cases to humans.
The problem
Orders get stuck in limbo. Your 3PL cancels a shipment because the carrier rejected the package dimensions. A customer address is undeliverable. A high-value order sits unfulfilled because one SKU is backordered but no one noticed. Your ops team discovers these exceptions days later - after customers have already emailed support. You are manually checking dashboards in three systems trying to find what is broken. Each exception requires detective work to understand what happened and how to fix it.
Why it happens
Fulfillment exceptions happen when the happy path breaks but no system takes ownership of the failure. Your 3PL webhook says fulfillment_hold but does not explain why or what to do next. Shopify shows fulfillment_requested but the request never reached the warehouse due to an API timeout. Split shipments create partial fulfillment states that do not match any schema. The root issue is missing exception handling logic - systems report failures, but there is no orchestration layer to classify them, trigger remediation workflows, or escalate to humans when automation cannot help.
Your options
We believe in honest recommendations. If native Shopify or an app will work, we'll tell you. Custom builds are for when they won't.
Shopify Order Notifications
Email notifications when order status changes. Manual review required for all exceptions.
When to use
You process fewer than 100 orders per day and have dedicated ops staff who can manually triage exceptions.
Order Management Apps
Apps like ShipStation or AfterShip that provide dashboards and some automation rules for common exceptions.
When to use
Standard exception patterns (address validation, carrier errors) and moderate order volume (100-500/day).
Intelligent Exception Router
AI-powered classification of exceptions with automated remediation workflows and escalation paths. Learns from resolution patterns.
When to use
High order volume, complex fulfillment (multiple 3PLs, drop-shipping), or expensive exceptions (premium shipping, perishables).
Our recommended architecture
An event-driven exception handler that monitors fulfillment webhooks, classifies failures by type, applies remediation rules, and escalates unresolved cases. Integrates with support ticket systems for human handoff.
Monitor fulfillment webhooks and API polling for stuck orders
Classify exceptions by pattern (address issue, inventory shortage, carrier rejection, etc.)
Apply remediation rules: retry fulfillment, switch carriers, split shipments, cancel & refund
Track remediation attempts and success rates
Escalate to human workflow after N failed auto-remediation attempts
Create support ticket with full context and suggested actions
Learn from human resolutions to improve classification
Example outcomes
72% of exceptions resolved automatically without human intervention
Average exception resolution time reduced from 2.3 days to 4 hours
Zero customer complaints about stuck orders in the last quarter
$47K saved annually in expedited shipping costs by catching exceptions early
Related Services
Ready to solve this problem?
Book a call and we'll walk through your specific situation, share relevant examples, and give you a clear path forward.