Drop-Shipping

The customer submits their order through your website or sales channel. Verify the shipping address is complete and the payment is processed. Flag anything unusual before moving forward.

Enter the order in your system and check inventory availability with your supplier. Set expected delivery dates based on supplier lead times. Send the customer an order confirmation with realistic timing.

Generate a PO for your supplier with the customer ship-to address. Double-check product codes and quantities match the customer order. Include any special handling or packaging instructions.

Confirm the supplier received and accepted your PO. Get their commitment on ship date. If they flag any issues like stock problems, deal with it now rather than after the customer is waiting.

The supplier ships directly to your customer and sends you the tracking number and their invoice. Forward the tracking to your customer immediately. Check the supplier invoice matches what you ordered.

Verify the customer received their order in good condition. Watch for delivery exceptions or returns. If something went wrong, handle it fast - drop ship problems feel like your problems to the customer.

Mark the sales order as shipped in your system. Update inventory records and supplier performance tracking. Close the loop so your reports are accurate.

Generate and send the customer invoice with your pricing, not the supplier cost. Confirm the invoice matches the original order including any discounts or promotions. Set appropriate payment terms.