If you’ve ever felt the drag of handling dozens of individual orders, Shopify’s latest feature – batch fulfillment – is a game‑changer. You can now group up to 250 fulfillments by product type, shipping destination, or any custom criteria, then process them together with a single workflow. In this post we’ll break down exactly what’s new, who needs to pay attention, and the steps you should take to start batching today.
What’s New: Fulfill Orders in Batches
Shopify’s “Fulfill orders in batches” update adds a bulk‑action layer to the Orders page. Merchants can select up to 250 orders, click Create batch, and then run them through a three‑step workflow that can be customized. The default steps are:
1️⃣ Pick – Gather the items from inventory. 2️⃣ Buy labels – Purchase shipping labels for the entire batch at once. 3️⃣ Print documents – Generate packing slips, customs forms, and any other required paperwork in a single print job.
Who’s Affected?
🔧 Developers – The feature lives entirely in the Shopify admin UI, so there are no new API endpoints or webhook payload changes. However, apps that automate fulfillment (e.g., third‑party shipping apps) should be aware that merchants may now rely on batch workflows, so they might need to adjust UI integrations or provide batch‑aware bulk actions.
🛍️ Merchants – Store owners and fulfillment teams are the primary users. The batch tool speeds up high‑volume shipping days, reduces label‑purchase errors, and gives a single place to manage packing documentation.
How to Set Up and Use Batches
1️⃣ Navigate to Orders – Open the Orders page in Shopify admin. 2️⃣ Select orders – Use the checkboxes or filter view (e.g., “unfulfilled” or “by shipping country”) to pick the orders you want. 3️⃣ Create batch – Click the Create batch button that now appears above the list. 4️⃣ Configure criteria – Choose a grouping rule such as product type, shipping destination, or a custom tag. 5️⃣ Run the workflow – Follow the three steps, or edit the workflow by clicking Edit workflow to add, remove, or reorder steps.
Customization Options & Workflow Steps
Shopify lets you tailor the batch workflow to match your fulfillment process. Within the Edit workflow screen you can:
Actionable Takeaways for Merchants
• Start with a pilot – Choose a low‑risk product line and batch 50‑100 orders to test the workflow. • Leverage auto‑batching – Enable the “batch most recent unfulfilled orders automatically” option for days with spikes (e.g., Black Friday). • Update SOPs – Document the new three‑step process for your fulfillment team and train them on the UI controls. • Check app compatibility – If you use a shipping app, confirm it supports batch label purchases; most major carriers do, but some niche integrations may need a quick update.
Developer Checklist
1️⃣ No API changes – No new endpoints, so existing fulfillment scripts continue to work. 2️⃣ Batch‑aware UI – If you expose order‑selection tools in an app, consider adding a “Create batch” button that mirrors the admin UI. 3️⃣ Webhook monitoring – Keep an eye on order‑fulfillment webhooks; a single batch will fire multiple fulfillment_created events, one per order, as usual.
Conclusion & Next Steps
Batch fulfillment removes a lot of repetitive clicks and reduces the chance of label‑purchase errors. By grouping orders, you gain speed, consistency, and better reporting on shipping costs. Jump into your Orders page today, create your first batch, and share your results with the Shopify community. Need help customizing the workflow? Reach out to a Shopify Expert or drop a comment below—we’re here to help you ship smarter.
