A partial shipment occurs when an order is fulfilled in multiple stages, with available items shipping first and remaining items shipping later. This allows customers to receive in-stock items quickly while backordered items follow when available.
Why Partial Shipments Occur
Common Reasons
| Reason |
Scenario |
| Stock availability |
Some items out of stock |
| Multi-warehouse |
Items in different locations |
| Supplier delays |
Vendor shipment delayed |
| Production timing |
Made-to-order items |
Example
Order: 3 items
- Widget A: In stock ✓
- Widget B: In stock ✓
- Widget C: Backordered (arrives Feb 15)
Partial shipment:
- Feb 10: Widgets A, B shipped
- Feb 15: Widget C shipped
Partial Shipment Process
Workflow
Order received
↓
Inventory check
↓
Partial availability detected
↓
Ship available items
↓
Remainder placed on backorder
↓
When available, ship remainder
↓
Order complete
System Handling
Original order: ORD-001
- Line 1: Widget A × 2 → SHIPPED
- Line 2: Widget B × 1 → SHIPPED
- Line 3: Widget C × 3 → BACKORDER
Shipment 1: SHP-001A (Lines 1, 2)
Shipment 2: SHP-001B (Line 3) - pending
Partial Shipment Policies
Business Decisions
| Policy |
Consideration |
| Auto-partial |
Ship available immediately |
| Customer choice |
Let customer decide |
| Threshold |
Partial only if >50% available |
| Never |
Always ship complete |
Customer Options
Checkout option:
○ Ship my order complete (wait for all items)
● Ship items as they become available
Impact of Partial Shipments
Customer Experience
| Impact |
Mitigation |
| Multiple packages |
Clear communication |
| Multiple tracking |
Unified order view |
| Confusion |
Status updates |
| Inconvenience |
Easy returns if needed |
Business Impact
| Impact |
Consideration |
| Higher shipping cost |
2+ shipments |
| More packaging |
Additional materials |
| Complexity |
More to track/manage |
| Customer satisfaction |
Speed vs. simplicity |
Communication Best Practices
Initial Order Confirmation
Subject: Order #12345 Confirmed - Shipping in 2 parts
Part 1 (Ships today):
- Widget A × 2
- Widget B × 1
Part 2 (Ships ~Feb 15):
- Widget C × 3 (on backorder)
You'll receive tracking for each shipment.
First Shipment Notice
Subject: Part of Your Order Has Shipped!
Shipped today:
- Widget A × 2
- Widget B × 1
Track: 1Z999AA10123456789
Still coming:
- Widget C × 3 (expected Feb 15)
Second Shipment Notice
Subject: Rest of Your Order Has Shipped!
Your remaining items have shipped:
- Widget C × 3
Track: 1Z999AA10123456790
Order #12345 is now complete!
Partial Shipment Economics
Cost Analysis
Single order, partial availability:
Option A: Partial shipment
- Ship 1: $8.50
- Ship 2: $6.00 (5 days later)
- Total shipping: $14.50
- Customer happy: Gets items faster
Option B: Wait and ship complete
- Ship all: $10.00 (in 5 days)
- Total shipping: $10.00
- Customer waits longer
Decision Framework
- High-value items → Partial often worth it
- Low-margin → Consider waiting
- Customer preference → Ask or offer choice
- Long backorder → Partial better
Managing Partial Shipments
Tracking
Order #12345 - Status
Shipment 1 of 2: DELIVERED
- Items: A, B
- Delivered: Feb 10
Shipment 2 of 2: IN TRANSIT
- Items: C
- Tracking: 1Z999...
- Est. delivery: Feb 17
Customer Service View
- See all shipments for an order
- Track backorder ETAs
- Access all tracking numbers
- View payment/refund status
System Configuration
OMS Settings
Partial shipment rules:
Default behavior: Allow partial
Minimum ship %: 25%
Backorder notification: Automatic
Consolidation window: 3 days
Maximum partial shipments: 3
Exceptions
- Gift orders: Ship complete
- B2B orders: Per customer preference
- Kits/bundles: Ship complete
- Special items: Per product setting
Partial Shipment Metrics
Key Indicators
| Metric |
Target |
| Partial ship rate |
Track % of orders |
| Avg shipments per order |
Monitor |
| Backorder fill time |
Days to complete |
| Customer satisfaction |
NPS by fulfillment type |
Analysis
Last month:
- Total orders: 10,000
- Shipped complete: 8,500 (85%)
- Partial shipped: 1,500 (15%)
- Avg shipments for partial: 2.3
- Backorder fill time: 6 days avg
Best Practices
- Communicate proactively
- Offer customer choice when possible
- Monitor backorder ETAs
- Expedite long-delayed items
- Track partial shipment costs
- Review policy regularly