Many different messages can appear when you check the order status of your package. A common message that many see is “awaiting fulfillment”? What does awaiting fulfillment mean on the order status?
When your order status says “awaiting fulfillment,” it means that the staff received your order. And they are preparing your order for shipment. Soon, you will receive a confirmation email informing you that your order is already in transit.
Read on to learn more about the “awaiting fulfillment” meaning and other topics related to it.
What Does “Awaiting Fulfillment” Mean on the Order Status?
If you see “awaiting fulfillment” as your order status, it means that the staff received your order. And they are currently getting your shipment ready. Thus, soon you’ll receive a confirmation email from them informing you of the shipment of your item.
Don’t panic when you see this as your order status: awaiting fulfillment. It does not mean that there is an issue with your order. In fact, it means that they are already preparing your package, and shipment is the next step.
After placing and paying for your order online, you can check your Order Status to keep yourself updated. In most cases, your Order Status will indicate “Completed.”
The next Order Status that you will see is “Awaiting fulfillment.” This means that your item has not reached the logistics team yet. But the merchant is already preparing your item. Once the merchant has packed the item, they will forward it to the logistics team.
Is There a Difference Between Awaiting Fulfillment and Pending Fulfillment?
You have also probably encountered the Order Status “Pending Fulfillment.” But is it the same as “Awaiting Fulfillment”? The answer is yes.
Merchants use the phrases “Awaiting Fulfillment” and “Pending Fulfillment” interchangeably. This is because the terms “awaiting” and “pending” have precisely the same meaning.
So, in case your Order Status indicates “Pending Fulfillment,” this means that the merchant is already preparing your orders. And shipping is the next step.
Different Stages of “Order Status”
The most common stages of “Order Status” include the following:
- Pending
- Awaiting Payment
- Awaiting Fulfillment
- Shipped
However, to give you a clearer idea, let’s discuss all stages of Order Status that you might encounter with different merchants and logistics companies. They are as follows:
- Pending
- Awaiting Payment
- Awaiting Fulfillment
- Awaiting Shipment
- Awaiting Pickup
- Partially Shipped
- Shipped
- Completed or Delivered
- Canceled
- Declined
- Refunded
- Partially Refunded
Let’s discuss each one of them:
1. Pending
When your Order Status says “Pending,” it means that you have started the process of checking out the items. However, you have not finished the process yet. In other apps, you can see an “Incomplete” label instead of “Pending.”
If this is the case, there’s no way that you will receive the items. You will have to complete the checkout process to be able to proceed to the next stage.
2. Awaiting Payment
When you see “Awaiting Payment” as your Order Status, it means that you have completed the checkout process. However, the merchant is still waiting for your payment.
Typically, once you have checked out the items, the app or site will automatically redirect you to the Payment page. This is where you will pay your bill via your e-wallet or bank transfer.
In most cases, you don’t even notice this Order Status. This is because, most of the time, we only check the Order Status after we paid for our order.
3. Awaiting Fulfillment
After paying, most of us automatically check the Order Status. When we do, the most common phrase that we see is “Awaiting Fulfillment.” This phrase is actually vague for buyers and, sometimes, it even makes us worried.
So, what does awaiting fulfillment mean?
This means that you have already completed the checkout process, and you have even paid the bill. The merchant is now starting to prepare the item, which they will also pack well.
Once the merchant has packed your item, the merchant will coordinate with the logistics team to pick up the item. Other times, it is the merchant that brings the item to the logistics office. Whatever the arrangement is, the bottom line is that the item has to reach the logistics team.
All this process is under the “Awaiting Fulfillment” stage.
4. Awaiting Shipment
Once the merchant coordinates with the logistics team, your Order Status will then change to “Awaiting Shipment.” This means that the merchant is now waiting for the logistics team to have your item picked up.
It can also mean that your item is already with the logistics team. Probably your item is still at the logistics warehouse and awaiting shipment.
5. Awaiting Pickup
If your Order Status says “Awaiting Pickup,” this means that you can now claim your item at a seller-specified location.
“Awaiting Pickup” is not a common Order Status. Merchants who don’t have a door-to-door delivery service are the ones who use this notification. Instead, they ship to a location where all their customers living nearby can pick up their ordered items.
6. Partially Shipped
“Partially Shipped” is another Order Status that is not very common. This is because it does not apply to all online shopping apps or websites. In fact, it is only the online shopping apps or websites that feature numerous merchants who use this.
So, let’s say you ordered several items from different merchants using one app all at the same time. When this happens, don’t expect the items to be delivered all at the same time too. This is because each item will come from different locations.
So, for instance, if you have only received 2 items out of the 7 items you ordered online, your Order Status will indicate “Partially Shipped.” This will continue to appear and will remain unchanged until you have received all 7 items.
7. Shipped
When your Order Status indicates “Shipped,” this means that the merchant has already shipped your items. It means that your items are on their way to you.
This does not mean that the items have already reached the buyer. It only means that the items are in transit.
8. Completed or Delivered
When your Order Status indicates “Completed” or “Delivered,” it means that you have already received the items you ordered online.
Some merchants or logistics teams indicate “Completed” instead of “Delivered.” This could mean that the buyer from a seller-specified location has already picked up the items.
In most cases, “Delivered” is used as an Order Status to indicate that the items have already been delivered right at the buyer’s doorstep. In other words, “Delivered” is more often used for door-to-door deliveries.
9. Cancelled
There are many reasons why orders get “Cancelled.” An example of this is if you use a debit card with insufficient funds. In some cases, the Order Status will first be “Awaiting Payment.” After a certain number of hours or days, it will then change to “Cancelled” if it remains unpaid.
In case the item you ordered is out of stock, the transaction will also be considered canceled. Therefore, the Order Status will indicate “Cancelled.”
It is also possible that you, as the buyer, are the one to cancel the transaction. If you decide not to proceed with your order, there’s always a “Cancel” button you can click or tap to terminate the transaction. In which case, your Order Status will indicate “Cancelled.”
In most cases, no refund happens in a canceled transaction. This is because no payment has reached the merchant, to begin with. If your payment went through despite having a canceled transaction, you must coordinate with the merchant to settle it.
10. Declined
The Order Status saying that your order is “Declined” most likely means that your payment did not go through. Your e-wallet or debit card may have insufficient funds. But it’s also possible that your issuing bank is offline.
A “Declined” Order Status may also mean that the app or site did not accept your credit card payment. It is also possible that the credit card company’s system is offline. But it can also mean that the merchant is not an accredited partner of the credit card company. In which case, you may try using another credit card if you have any.
For such transactions, “Declined” usually appears right before the status changes to “Cancelled.” But some merchants don’t make use of the “Declined” Order Status anymore. Instead, they only use “Cancelled.”
11. Refunded
The Order Status “Refunded” indicates that the merchant has successfully sent back to you your payment. You would get a refund if you did not receive the items you ordered or received a damaged item, among other reasons.
12. Partially Refunded
Some merchants use the “Partially Refunded” Order Status to indicate that they have partially sent back the buyer’s payment. This, however, is not a common Order Status used by merchants. In most cases, merchants prefer to do a one-time refund.
Again, what is the meaning of “awaiting fulfillment”? Awaiting fulfillment means that your order has been received. It is already being prepared for shipment. Soon, you will receive a confirmation email informing you that your order is already in transit.
Advantages of Online Order Tracking
E-commerce is continuously driving the retail shopping landscape, and this scenario will most likely stay forever. In line with this is the importance of online order tracking to the success of every online merchant.
Here are several advantages to having an online order tracking system:
- Establishes the Reliability of Merchants
- Offers Upgraded Customer Service Delivery
- Provides Transparency to Buyers
- Establishes the Dependability of the Logistics Companies
Let’s briefly discuss these advantages:
1. Establishes the Reliability of Merchants
Online order tracking does not only allow buyers to monitor their orders. But it also allows merchants to serve their buyers better. It provides buyers with accurate shipping details and tracking updates. This is one way of letting the buyers know how reliable and trustworthy the merchants are.
2. Offers Upgraded Customer Service Delivery
An online order tracking system offers convenience to merchants. If not for this system, they would most likely spend a whole lot of time picking up the phone to answer customer inquiries and complaints.
At the same time, it provides convenience to customers. Buyers don’t have to call the merchant anymore to check the status of their orders.
3. Provides Transparency to Buyers
This online system provides transparency. It prevents buyers from worrying about the status of their orders.
Merchants can’t prevent buyers from worrying because they use their hard-earned money to buy things. The best way to address this is to be transparent to them through the online order tracking system.
4. Establishes the Dependability of the Logistics Companies
Another advantage of the online order tracking system is that it helps merchants determine the dependability of logistics companies. With the system, it’s easy to detect the efficiency of a logistics team. If a merchant is not happy with the services, they can always try getting the services of other logistics companies until they find the perfect one.
Conclusion – Awaiting Fulfillment
The order status “awaiting fulfillment” means that your order has been received. It is already being prepared for shipment. Then, you will soon receive a confirmation email saying that your order has already been shipped.
So, if you see this order status: awaiting fulfillment, there’s no need to panic. It does not mean that there is an issue with your order. In fact, it means that they are already preparing your package and will soon be shipped to you.
This Order Status basically informs you that the merchant has acknowledged your orders as well as your payment. “Awaiting Fulfillment” entails a slightly long process. It starts from pulling the items from the stockroom and having them packed in an organized manner. Then, the process goes on by having the logistics team pick up and be queued for shipping.
“Awaiting Fulfillment” is sometimes indicated as “Pending Fulfillment” when you check your Order Status. These 2 phrases basically mean the same thing.
So, next time your Order Status says “Awaiting Fulfillment,” sit back and relax. You will soon receive a notification that your items are on their way to you.
