An order is stuck or won't fulfil

An order that seems “stuck” is usually waiting on a step in its lifecycle, or is behaving exactly as designed (for example, reserving stock). Work through the checks below before assuming something has failed.

Things to check

• Where is the order in its lifecycle? An order moves through a series of statuses. Open the order and check its current stage — it may simply be waiting on a step rather than being stuck. See Process an order.
• Is stock reserved against the order? When an order is placed, its stock is reserved. Those units are committed to the unfulfilled order, so if you’re looking at inventory and the numbers surprise you, the reservation is likely the reason — see Track inventory.
• For a digital product, was a download grant issued? Digital items deliver via download grants, not physical fulfilment. If a customer didn’t receive a digital product, check the order to confirm the grant exists and that their email is correct.

Tip

Use your orders list to spot patterns — if several orders are sitting at the same stage, the issue is more likely a step in your process than a single broken order.

Caution

Reserved stock is committed to unfulfilled orders. If you cancel or change an order, expect the reserved units to update accordingly rather than staying held.