Shipping and Fulfillment Checklist

Export the unfulfilled order queue from Shopify, NetSuite, or your OMS. Filter by ship-from-store assignment and SLA window — same-day cutoff orders pick first, standard ground last. Confirm the batch count matches the dashboard before printing pick tickets.

Reject orders flagged by the fraud screen (Signifyd, Kount, or Shopify's risk score). PO Box addresses fail FedEx and most LTL — flip to USPS or contact the customer. AVS mismatch with high-value orders should be held for CSR review.

Stockroom on-hand should match the OMS available-to-sell within shrink tolerance. If a SKU shows in-system but is physically missing, mark a cycle-count flag — do not auto-cancel the line yet. Common cause: receiving not yet putaway or sweethearting.

Decide between split-ship (charge no additional freight to customer; absorb the cost), reroute to another store/DC with stock, or backorder. Email the customer the ETA before processing — silent backorders are the top driver of chargebacks.

Scan each UPC into the pack station — eyeballing the SKU is the top driver of mis-ships. For apparel, confirm size and color at pick; for fragile, route to the bubble-wrap station. EAS-tagged items get the hard tag removed before bagging.

Polymailer for soft goods under 2 lb; corrugated box with void fill for fragile, glass, ceramic, or anything over $200 retail. Right-size the box — dimensional weight on FedEx/UPS will eat margin on oversized cartons.

Packing slip first (no pricing on gift orders — check the gift flag). Add the prepaid return label, current promo card, and any loyalty insert per the weekly merchandising memo. Skipping the return label drives a measurable spike in CSR calls.

Place on the pack-station scale; capture L×W×H for dim-weight rating. Carriers audit and bill back for under-declared dimensions — a 12×12×12 declared as 10×10×10 will get reweighed and surcharged 30+ days later.

Pull live rates from ShipStation, Shippo, or EasyPost. USPS Ground Advantage wins under 2 lb in most zones; UPS Ground and FedEx Home Delivery compete above. Match the customer's promised service level — do not downgrade an Express order to Ground to save freight.

Affix on the largest flat face, clear of seams and tape. Hazmat, lithium-ion, and aerosol items require carrier-specific markings — check the product flag on the pick ticket before labeling.

FedEx Express cutoff is typically 4:30 PM local; UPS Next Day Air around 5:00 PM; USPS Priority Express varies by post office. Missing the cutoff on an overnight order = customer refund of freight + likely full refund. Walk expedited packages directly to the driver, do not stage with ground.

Separate USPS, UPS, FedEx zones at the dock. Mixed piles cause carrier drivers to refuse pickup or scan the wrong load. Air vs. ground in separate gaylords.

SCAN form for USPS, end-of-day close in WorldShip/FedEx Ship Manager. Untransmitted manifests mean tracking shows "label created, not yet in system" overnight — top inbound CSR question the next morning.

Signed BOL with piece count is the only proof of handoff if a package goes missing between dock and first scan. File by date; without it, the carrier denies the claim.

Klaviyo or the OMS native flow fires once the tracking number is assigned. Verify the email actually went out — silent label-only orders generate "where is my order" tickets within 24 hours.

Pull the exception report from AfterShip, Route, or Shippo daily: stalled scans over 48 hours, address corrections pending, refused deliveries. Proactive outreach on a delay beats a chargeback dispute later.

POD with signature or photo is your shield against chargebacks for "item not received." For high-value orders, signature required is worth the $5 surcharge.

UPS allows 60 days to file; FedEx 60 days for ground, 21 for air; USPS varies by service. Attach the invoice, original label, and photo of damage. Reship to the customer immediately on your dime — chasing the carrier claim is a back-office task, not the customer's problem.

Scan the RMA barcode; verify it matches an open authorization. Returns without RMA go to a hold shelf, not the restock pile — driving a measurable shrink line item if mixed in unverified.

Tags attached, original packaging, no wear or odor for apparel; factory seal intact for electronics. Final sale and clearance items are not eligible per the posted policy. Document any wear with photos before the refund decision.

Refund to original tender per state law (CA, NY require posted policy compliance). Refunds over $50 require manager approval at the register prompt — solo cashier overrides are the top internal-fraud signal in the LP audit.

Resaleable goes back on the floor with the original tag; damaged routes to the RTV pallet for vendor credit or to markdown per the disposition matrix. Update on-hand in the OMS — unrestocked returns sit as phantom inventory and drive next-cycle variance.