Key Concepts
Open orders represent the dynamic core of your business operations. These are orders that have been initiated but not yet completed, existing in a state of flux that requires careful attention and management. Open orders may be at various stages of the fulfillment process, from newly received to actively processed.
UpStart Commerce employs a range of order states to accurately reflect the journey of each transaction. These states include:
- New: This is the initial state of an order upon receipt, marking the beginning of the order lifecycle.
- Processing: Once an order moves beyond the new state, it enters processing, indicating that fulfillment actions are underway.
- Completed: This state signifies that an order has been successfully processed and shipped, marking the end of the primary fulfillment cycle.
- Canceled: An order may be canceled at various stages in its lifecycle by the customer or the merchant.
- Cancel Requested: This intermediate state indicates that a cancellation has been requested but not yet finalized, allowing for potential intervention or resolution.
- Fraud: In cases where suspicious activity is detected, an order may be flagged as potentially fraudulent for further investigation.
- Suspended: This state temporarily halts an order's progress and is often used when additional verification or intervention is required.
Delivery states can be tracked and updated independently for each item within an order, providing flexibility for partial shipments or multi-vendor fulfillment. Tracking numbers are crucial links between the commerce platform, logistics providers, and customer-facing interfaces.
Shipment methods can be dynamically updated for entire orders or specific items. This flexibility is particularly valuable in complex fulfillment scenarios or when adapting to unexpected changes in inventory or logistics.
The ability to offer in-store pickup as a shipment option demonstrates how UpStart Commerce can bridge the gap between digital and physical retail experiences, with store pickup hours and location information seamlessly integrated into the order management process.
Payment management is a critical component that often spans multiple systems. The current status of a payment and its transaction history need to be readily accessible across all relevant platforms. The 'Sync Payments' feature ensures that payment information remains consistent across decoupled frontend and backend systems, as well as any third-party payment processors or financial systems.
Authorized
The Authorized state represents an intermediate step in the payment process. When a payment is authorized, it means that the customer's payment method (such as a credit card) has been verified, and the required funds have been reserved or "held" by the issuing bank. However, the money has not yet been transferred to the merchant's account.
Key points about the Authorized state:
- It confirms the customer has sufficient funds or credit available.
- It reserves the payment amount, preventing the customer from spending it elsewhere.
- It allows merchants to verify order details before finalizing the transaction.
- Authorizations typically expire after a set period (often 5-7 days), so it's important to capture funds promptly.
Capture
The Capture state represents the moment when the authorized funds are transferred from the customer's account to the retailer's account. This occurs after the payment has been authorized and typically happens once the retailer has verified the order details and is ready to complete the transaction.
Key points about the Capture state:
- It signifies the successful completion of the payment process.
- Capture is often initiated after the retailer has confirmed that the goods or services are ready for delivery or have already been provided.
- The capture process converts the authorization into a settled payment, meaning the retailer can now access the funds.
- Some payment systems allow for partial captures, where only a portion of the authorized amount is captured, depending on the transaction details.
Capture Failed
The Capture Failed state occurs when an attempt to capture an authorized payment is unsuccessful. This can happen for various reasons and requires prompt attention to resolve.
Key points about the Capture Failed state:
- It indicates that while the initial authorization was successful, the actual fund transfer failed.
- Common reasons for capture failure include expired authorizations, insufficient funds at the time of capture, or technical issues with payment gateways.
- This state often requires manual intervention, such as contacting the customer for an alternative payment method or re-attempting the capture.
Reverse
The Reversed state occurs when a payment authorization is canceled before the funds are captured. This typically happens when an order is canceled after the payment has been authorized but before the money is transferred from the customer’s account to the retailer.
Key points about the Reversed state:
- It signifies that the payment authorization has been voided, meaning the reserved funds are released back to the customer's account.
- The reversal prevents the retailer from capturing the funds, as the transaction is effectively canceled.
- Reversals are often used in cases where the customer cancels their order shortly after it was placed, or when there is an error in the order that requires cancellation before the payment is finalized.
- The customer typically sees the reversal reflected on their account statement as the release of the held funds.
Refunded
The Refunded state occurs when a payment is returned to the customer after it has been captured. This generally happens when an order is canceled after the payment has been processed or when a customer returns a purchased item.
Key points about the Refunded state:
- It indicates that the funds have been successfully returned to the customer's account after being initially captured by the retailer.
- Refunds are processed after the money has been transferred from the customer to the retailer, unlike reversals, which occur before the transfer.
- The refunded amount is usually credited back to the customer's original payment method.
- Refunds can take several days to process, depending on the payment method and the financial institutions involved.
- This state is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction, especially in cases of order disputes, returns, or cancellations.