Recipes · Updated Oct 15, 2026
Shopify Late Shipment Alert: Catch Late Orders Before Customers Ask
"Where is my order?" is one of the biggest sources of support email for small stores. Reaching out before the customer asks turns a complaint into trust.
Warning signs
- Paid orders still unfulfilled 2+ days after purchase.
- Orders shipped a week ago that the carrier still hasn't marked delivered.
- Fulfilled orders with no tracking number, so you can't tell where they are.
How to fix it manually (free)
- Each morning, open Orders and filter to Unfulfilled, oldest first.
- For shipped orders, check delivery status and tracking on anything older than about a week.
- Email those customers a short update with the new estimate before they write in.
- Fix the root cause: a supplier delay, a 3PL backlog, or missing tracking numbers.
How to automate it with Shopify Flow
Late Order Radar runs every morning in Shopify Flow and sends one email with two lists: paid orders not shipped after 2 days (tagged late-unshipped) and shipments not delivered after 7 days. No email on days when nothing is late. It replaces our older Stuck Orders Digest.
Shopify Flow is a free Shopify app on Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus. Install takes about 5 minutes:
- Open the Shopify Flow app and click Import, then choose the downloaded .flow file.
- Click Edit, open the Send internal email step, and replace you@yourstore.com with your email. Click Save.
- Click Turn on workflow.
Late Order Radar
Every morning: orders not shipped after 2 days and shipments not delivered after 7, before customers ask. Tested in a live Shopify store. $29 one-time.
FAQ
Does it email my customers?
No. It emails you, so you control what each customer hears.
How does it know an order wasn't delivered?
From the carrier tracking updates Shopify receives. Orders with no tracking show as no tracking so you can check them.
Is there a limit?
Each list covers the 100 oldest matching orders, which is plenty for most small stores.