Workflow automation in e-commerce refers to using technology to streamline and automate repetitive tasks and processes. For Shopify store owners, this means cutting out the tedious work of switching between apps, manually copying information, or clicking through multiple screens just to complete simple tasks like sending team notifications or applying bulk discounts.

But what if there was a way to simplify all this? What if you could turn your Shopify admin into a powerhouse of productivity with only a few clicks from your admin.

The workload of e-commerce entrepreneurs grows as business scales. Inventory management, customer management, fraud prevention, and timely maintenance of loyalty programs require attention. Imagine you could set these systems to manage themselves with a slight input from your side?

When properly set, workflow automation can handle many of the tedious multi-step tasks required for e-commerce business.

Let's explore what workflow automation is, how it works, and how your Shopify admin can work better for you.

1. What is Workflow Automation?

Workflow automation in e-commerce refers to using technology to streamline and automate repetitive tasks and processes. It's about creating a system where routine operations happen automatically, reducing manual input and potential errors. In today's fast-paced e-commerce world, it's becoming essential for efficiency and scalability.

2. Common Uses of Workflow Automation

Workflow automation is typically used for various tasks in e-commerce, including inventory management, order processing, customer communication, marketing campaigns, and reporting. It can handle everything from updating stock levels to sending personalized emails, freeing up time for strategic decision-making.

3. Inventory Management Automation

For inventory management, automation can track stock levels in real time, automatically reorder products when they fall below a certain threshold, and update inventory across multiple sales channels simultaneously. The system can alert you or automatically reorder the product. This ensures you never run out of stock or oversell products.

The workflow can automatically tag products based on their stock level. It can automatically tag the product as “unavailable” and send messages to your team members to notify them so that they can adapt their work plan and strategy based on product availability.

4. Automating Product Categorization

Automation can streamline product categorization by automatically adding new product tags based on predefined rules. For instance, it can tag products as "new arrival" if added within the last 30 days or apply seasonal tags based on the current date.

As time passes, the system can automatically remove this tag. Similarly, you can apply seasonal tags based on the current date - think "Summer Essentials" or "Holiday Gift Ideas" - without having to manually update your entire catalog.

Automation can also categorize products based on their attributes. For example, clothing items can be automatically tagged with their color, size, material, or style. This not only helps with the organization on the backend but also improves the customer experience by making your store easier to navigate and search.

5. Return Order Automation

Returns are an inevitable part of e-commerce, but they don't have to be a headache.

Workflow automation can simplify the return process by automatically generating return labels, updating inventory when items are returned, and initiating refunds once the returned item is received and inspected.

Automation can also help with return analysis. It can track reasons for returns, identify patterns, and generate reports. This data can be invaluable for improving your products or descriptions to reduce future returns.

6. Canceling High-Risk Orders

An automated fraud prevention workflow can review orders for potential risks, flagging suspicious transactions for manual review or automatically canceling orders that meet certain high-risk criteria, protecting your business from fraud.

When an order meets certain high-risk criteria, the system can automatically flag it for manual review or even cancel it outright, depending on your preferences.

Moreover, the system can forward the suspicious order to the finance department automatically for detailed review. If the order is verified as a fraud, the workflow can add the customer’s email nad IP address to the list of “automatic cancellations”.

7. Loyalty Program Automation

Automation can kickstart loyalty programs by automatically enrolling customers after their first purchase, assigning points for purchases, and sending personalized rewards when customers reach certain milestones.

When a customer reaches a certain spending threshold the workflow can add a customer to a loyalty program that includes benefits and personalized newsletters. Based on previously defined rules, It can even send those emails, rewards or discount codes automatically.

8. Post-Purchase Engagement

The customer journey doesn't end at the point of purchase - in fact, that's where the opportunity for building long-term loyalty begins.

Automated post-purchase workflows can send targeted promotional emails, SMS, or app notifications based on customer purchase history. This is proven to encourage repeat purchase and stronger the brand loyalty.

​​If a customer buys a pair of running shoes, the system could automatically trigger a series of emails over the next few weeks. The first might offer tips for breaking in new shoes, the second could suggest complementary products like socks, and the third might offer a discount on their next purchase.

9. Same-Day Order Combining

This feature can automatically identify multiple orders placed by the same customer on the same day and combine them into a single shipment. This way You will save on shipping costs and improve the customer experience.

On the same day when the second order is received, the system will checks if there's an existing unfulfilled order from the same customer. If so, it combines the orders, updates the shipping label, and adjusts the inventory accordingly.

10. Customer Support Ticketing

Automated customer support systems can log and tag incoming support issues, forward them to the assigned team member, and even use chatbots to handle initial inquiries, speeding up response times.

When a customer reaches out via email, chat, or social media, the system can automatically create a ticket, assign it an ID, and categorize it based on keywords in the message.

Today, chatbots are often used to handle simple support issues that do not require human intervention. It can gather initial information, and in case of a complex issue, it can forward the ticket to the support agent.

11. Employee Onboarding

Workflow automation can streamline employee onboarding by automatically sending welcome emails, instruction videos, and onboarding materials with initial tasks to new hires. This will ensure a consistent onboarding experience, and will free up your HR team to focus on more personal and high value interaction with new employees.

The system can also automatically assign initial tasks, such as completing necessary paperwork or setting up accounts, and track their progress. Even series of instruction videos and onboarding materials can be delivered over their first few weeks.

12. Abandoned Cart Recovery

Nearly 70% of shopping carts never turn into orders. In the world where cart abandonment rates have been climbing steadily, you can fight with recovery emails.

31%of all cart abandonment emails included an offer ranging from free shipping to discounts to free products.

An automated abandoned cart recovery system can trigger a series of personalized reminder emails to customers who've added items to their cart but haven't completed the purchase. Here the workflow can send reminder emails automatically to the customer who has abandoned their cart for more than an hour. Or even go further and send secondary email next day or two offering special discounts and encouraging a customer to make a purchase.

The Benefits of Automating Ecommerce Workflow

The beauty of workflow automation is its ability to handle complex, multi-step processes consistently and accurately. It doesn't get tired, doesn't make mistakes due to fatigue, and can work 24/7. Also, automation provides better data for decision-making by consistently tracking and reporting on key metrics.

This level of consistency and reliability is crucial in the competitive e-commerce landscape, where customer expectations are high and margins can be thin.

Tool to Make Your Own Automation Buttons

Even Better Admin Buttons has an innovative approach that allows you to create custom buttons and forms that automate multi-step tasks on any page in your Shopify admin.

“This app is becoming a game changer. It lets you customise the admin in ways no one else can.” Cosplay Supplies Inc, Canada

The app integrates seamlessly with your existing workflows, requiring no coding skills to set up.

Add buttons and forms to orders, draft orders, abandoned checkouts, products, variants, collections, customers and enjoy the perks of automating your Shopify store management workflow.