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Managing Pre-orders
on DHL Supply Chain

DHL Supply Chain

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DHL Supply Chain is a global logistics provider with ecommerce fulfillment services that integrate with Shopify through the DHL Fulfillment Network. Merchants can sync product data, import orders automatically, and manage partial or on-hold orders. DHL also provides robust workflows for pre-orders and end-to-end supply chain visibility.

This guide will break down how DHL Supply Chain handles key pre-order functions like negative stock, Shopify’s “On Hold” status, and fulfilment workflows—so you’ll know what to expect, where it excels, and any workarounds you may need.

How 3PLs and pre-orders work together in the modern ecommerce stack

Third-Party Logistics (3PL) providers specialize in managing your fulfillment from start to finish. They:

Receive and store products in their warehouses
Pick and pack orders
Ship to customers using their own software that syncs with your ecommerce platform

Below is a typical flow. Click through to see how Shopify, the 3PL and pre-order application interact.

1

Inventory Sync

The 3PL continuously syncs inventory from either your ERP or Ecommerce platform

Key Considerations for Managing Pre-orders on DHL Supply Chain

In the diagram above you may have noticed the word “should” being used a couple of times… That’s because not all 3PLs fully support Shopify’s pre-order features out of the box. Some may lack support for negative inventory counts or fail to respect Shopify’s “On Hold” order status, requiring workarounds or additional configuration.

If your store uses an ERP, it often instructs the 3PL on which orders to fulfill—meaning you might not need all of the 3PL’s features we’re about to go through.

Read on to see how DHL Supply Chain interacts with Shopify pre-orders and what you might need to adjust.

Syncing Shopify Products and Inventory

DHL Supply Chain integrates with Shopify to sync product data—titles, SKUs, inventory levels—enabling seamless order processing and real-time updates.

Resources:

• Fulfillment for Shopify

Syncing Shopify Orders

Yes. DHL Supply Chain automatically imports Shopify orders (status, customer details, line items) for fulfillment and pushes status/tracking updates back to Shopify.

Resources:

• Fulfillment for Shopify

Custom Workflows with Shopify Tags and Metafields

DHL Supply Chain’s order management solutions allow for detailed line-item tracking, supplier management, and flexible reporting. You can also leverage tags from Shopify to trigger unique workflows like on-hold orders or partial shipments.

Resources:

• Creating rules

Respecting Shopify’s “On Hold” Status

DHL doesn’t recognize Shopify’s “on hold” order status but does have order flows available based on order tags which can be used.

Resources:

• DHL Express pre-order doc

Pre-Order-Specific Features

DHL Fulfillment Network doesn’t have specific Shopify pre-order functionality

Partial Order fulfillment

DHL Supply Chain supports workflows for both full and partial order fulfillment, offering flexibility to meet diverse business needs.

Re-syncs orders from platform

DHL’s integration ensures orders placed on Shopify flow automatically into DHL’s system. Any changes in Shopify—like order status—update accordingly, keeping both platforms in sync throughout the fulfillment lifecycle.

Summary

DHL Supply Chain support for
Shopify Pre-orders

Pre-order touchpoint	DHL Supply Chain support
Products sync with Shopify	✅ Syncs product data (titles, SKUs, inventory) with Shopify
Orders sync with Shopify	✅ Automatic order import/export, statuses, line items, etc.
Negative custom workflows or automations	✅ Offers tag based rules
Shopify “On Hold” status recognition	⚠️ Does not respect “on hold” Shopify order status
Specific pre-order support	⚠️ Does not have specific pre-order support
partial order fulfilment	✅ Supports partial shipments, shipping in-stock items first
Re-syncs orders	✅ Automatic synchronization for orders and statuses

Strengths & Limitations

✅ Strengths
• End-to-end supply chain visibility with real-time updates • Flexible partial fulfillment and on-hold statuses for pre-orders • Detailed PO and line-item management reduces errors

⚠️ Limitations
• Negative inventory support not specified
• No pre-order specific support
• DHL offers multiple different solutions and software packages for interacting with Shopify which can make support confusing

Next steps