What does “your order is being prepared” mean?

The store has the order and is picking and packing it. No carrier has scanned it yet, which is why there is no tracking number.

How long does an order stay in “being prepared”?

As long as the store's processing time, which most stores state on their shipping policy. Sales, holidays and made-to-order items can stretch it.

Is “being prepared” the same as “label created”?

No. “Label created” means a shipping label exists but the carrier has not scanned the package. “Being prepared” comes before that, while the order is still being packed.

Can the customer still change or cancel the order?

Usually, because it has not shipped. Aide can change the address or cancel for a verified shopper if you have turned those actions on, and any refund waits for your team.

Your order is being prepared meaning

What to say before the order ships.

The order is confirmed and being packed, so there is no tracking yet. Say so, and say when it ships.Updated November 3, 2026 · By Ziyad Basheer

Use this template free See the template

Short answer

“Your order is being prepared” means the store has confirmed the order and is packing it, but no carrier has it yet, so there is no tracking number. Tell the customer when it usually ships and that the tracking link follows by email.

The templates

Fills in from Shopify, with a fallbackYours to fill in

EmailNot shipped yet

Subject: An update on order.name

Hi customer.first_name, Thanks for checking on order.name. It is confirmed and being prepared in our warehouse, so it has not been handed to a carrier yet and there is no tracking number to share. Orders usually ship within 2 business days. As soon as yours does, you will get a shipping email with the tracking link. You can reply here any time for an update. Thanks for your patience,

ChatShort reply

Good news, order.name is confirmed and being packed. It has not shipped yet, so there is no tracking number. You will get a tracking link by email as soon as it leaves us, usually within 2 business days.

Internal noteBefore you reply

No tracking on order.name yet. Fulfillment status: order.fulfillment_status. Payment: order.financial_status. If it is past our processing time, check with the warehouse before replying.

When to use

The customer asks about an order that is confirmed but has not shipped yet, so there is no tracking number. Not when the order has waited longer than your usual processing time.Aide picks a procedure from its When to use. Paste this into your procedure, then edit it for your store.

Only if

They ask where it isYour order status topic is detected.

The order is in ShopifyOrder exists is true for this customer.

Nothing has shippedTracking exists is not true. Past 48 hours, use a copy that apologises for the wait.

Example conversation

Customer

Hi, I ordered on Monday and haven't had a shipping email. What's happening with my order?

Aide

Good news, #1042 is confirmed and being packed. It has not shipped yet, so there is no tracking number. You will get a tracking link by email as soon as it leaves us, usually within 2 business days.

Customer

Great, thanks for checking.

✓Fulfillment status read from Shopify · Order #1042

Frequently asked questions

: The store has the order and is picking and packing it. No carrier has scanned it yet, which is why there is no tracking number.
: As long as the store's processing time, which most stores state on their shipping policy. Sales, holidays and made-to-order items can stretch it.
: No. “Label created” means a shipping label exists but the carrier has not scanned the package. “Being prepared” comes before that, while the order is still being packed.
: Usually, because it has not shipped. Aide can change the address or cancel for a verified shopper if you have turned those actions on, and any refund waits for your team.

Order delayedLate before shipping, or late in transit.Email · Chat · Internal note Tracking not updatingLabel created but no scans, or no tracking at all.Email · Chat · Internal note Update shipping addressConfirm a new address, or explain it already shipped.Email · Chat · Internal note

Send this with the order filled in

Aide fills in the Shopify order and tracking, then drafts or sends the reply, as you choose.

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