Inventory Management, Stock Rules & Order Fulfillment
Operational guide to tracking stock counts, enforcing purchase limits, managing backorders, and dispatching orders
Accurate inventory control prevents stockouts, protects customer satisfaction, and ensures smooth dispatch. Insight Commerce features automatic inventory deductions upon order completion, flexible backorder controls, minimum/maximum customer purchase limits, and comprehensive order fulfillment tracking.
Automated Deductions
Stock balances automatically decrement when orders are finalized, preventing duplicate sales.
Flexible Backorders
Enable continued purchasing when inventory reaches zero with custom restock expectation notices.
Order Dispatch
Transition verified orders to Shipped, provide courier tracking numbers, and confirm deliveries.
Customer User Manual: Stock Badges & Delivery Tracking
What customers see on product pages and how to track deliveries:
Stock Availability Badges
Product cards and detail pages display live inventory status:
• In Stock: Available for immediate delivery.
• Backorder: Can be ordered now; dispatches upon restock.
• Out of Stock: Temporarily unavailable for purchase.
Order Quantity Limits
Some specialty items enforce purchase boundaries:
• Minimum Limit (MOQ): Sets a bulk threshold (e.g. min 2 units).
• Maximum Limit: Prevents bulk scalping (e.g. max 3 per customer).
The cart stepper automatically respects these boundaries.
Track Delivery Progress
In /my-orders, check your shipment status. When the merchant ships your package, the status changes to Shipped and includes the carrier's parcel tracking code for real-time progress.
Merchant Management Guide: Stock Control & Order Dispatch
Managing inventory counts and order fulfillment operations:
Inventory Settings (Per Product)
Configured via Commerce → Inventory or product editor:
- Quantity: Enter available physical stock count in your warehouse.
- Minimum Order Quantity: Enforce smallest bundle allowed per purchase (default:
1). - Maximum Order Quantity: Cap maximum allowed units per buyer (leave
0for unlimited). - Allows Back Order: Allow customers to continue checking out after stock drops to zero.
- Ignore Inventory: Bypass stock tracking entirely (ideal for digital goods or services).
- Out of Stock Message: Custom notice shown to shoppers (e.g., "New shipment arrives Monday").
Fulfillment & Dispatch Workflow
Operating fulfillment in Commerce → Orders:
- Filter orders by Payment Received status.
- Open the order, review customer delivery notes, and print the packing slip.
- Box items, schedule courier pickup, and obtain the postal tracking code.
- Update status to Shipped and enter tracking code into the notes field.
- When delivery is confirmed, transition status to Delivered and Completed.
Fulfilling an Order from Payment to Delivery in 4 Steps
Pick & Pack
Pull items from stock shelves and pack securely with protective materials.
Courier Handover
Attach shipping label with customer address and hand parcel to courier.
Update Tracking
Set status to Shipped in admin order console and input tracking number.
Delivery Complete
Customer receives parcel; mark order Completed in merchant records.