Ship complete is a fulfillment requirement that an entire order must ship together in one shipment. If any item is unavailable, the whole order waits until everything is in stock—no partial shipments allowed.
When Ship Complete Is Used
Customer Requests
- “I only want one package”
- Gift orders
- Items that go together
- Cost savings (one shipment)
Business Requirements
- Kitted products
- Sets and bundles
- Assembly required items
- Wholesale orders
- B2B with minimum orders
Operational Reasons
- Simplify receiving (one shipment)
- Reduce packaging
- Lower shipping costs
- Easier tracking
Ship Complete vs. Partial Ship
| Aspect |
Ship Complete |
Partial Ship |
| Shipments |
One |
Multiple |
| Wait for backorders |
Yes |
No |
| Customer receives |
All at once |
Items as available |
| Shipping cost |
Lower per order |
Higher total |
Example Comparison
Order: Widget A (in stock) + Widget B (backorder 5 days)
Ship Complete:
- Wait 5 days
- Ship all together
- Customer receives once
Partial Ship:
- Day 1: Ship Widget A
- Day 5: Ship Widget B
- Customer receives twice
Implementing Ship Complete
Order-Level Setting
Order #12345
[ ] Allow partial shipments
[✓] Ship complete required
Note: Order will hold until all items available
Customer-Level Setting
Customer: ABC Corp
Default: Ship Complete
All orders from this customer wait
until fully available
SKU-Level Rules
Product: Assembly Kit XYZ
Ship complete: Required
Reason: All pieces needed together
Ship Complete Challenges
Extended Wait Times
Problem: One item delays entire order
Solution:
- Communicate clearly
- Offer option to cancel item
- Source alternatives
Inventory Management
Challenge: Holding inventory for ship complete
Risk: Items allocated but not shipping
Balance: Review held orders regularly
Customer Satisfaction
- Some want fastest delivery
- Others want single shipment
- Offer choice when possible
Ship Complete in WMS/OMS
System Configuration
Ship Complete Rules:
1. Default: Allow partial
2. Override: Customer preference
3. Override: Order type (B2B = complete)
4. Override: Manual flag
Order Processing
Order with ship complete flag:
1. Check all items in stock
2. If yes → proceed to fulfillment
3. If no → hold order
4. Monitor for availability
5. Release when complete
Communication for Ship Complete
Order Confirmation
"Your order is set to ship complete.
Items ordered:
- Widget A (In Stock)
- Widget B (Available Feb 15)
Estimated ship date: February 15
All items will ship together."
Status Updates
"Update on Order #12345:
Waiting for: Widget B
Current status: Receiving tomorrow
Expected ship date: February 16
Want to ship Widget A now instead?
[Ship Available Items] [Keep Waiting]"
When to Require Ship Complete
Best Use Cases
| Scenario |
Why Ship Complete |
| Product kits |
Need all pieces |
| Gifts |
Single presentation |
| B2B orders |
One receipt, one payment |
| High-value orders |
Security, single signature |
| Installation items |
Installer needs all parts |
When to Avoid
| Scenario |
Why Allow Partial |
| Mixed urgency |
Some items needed immediately |
| Long backorders |
Extended wait unacceptable |
| Low-value items |
Not worth holding |
| Customer preference |
They want items ASAP |
Ship Complete Metrics
| Metric |
Description |
| Hold time |
Days waiting for completeness |
| Completion rate |
% shipped complete vs. converted |
| Cancellation rate |
Orders cancelled while waiting |
| Customer satisfaction |
Ship complete order feedback |
Monitoring
Ship complete orders report:
- Total orders waiting: 45
- Oldest: 12 days
- Average wait: 4 days
- At risk of cancellation: 8
Best Practices
For Operations
- Monitor held orders daily
- Expedite missing items
- Set maximum hold time
- Offer alternatives proactively
- Review ship complete rules regularly
For Customer Service
- Explain ship complete benefits
- Offer choice when appropriate
- Provide regular updates
- Have conversion options ready
- Handle escalations quickly