Admin Operations & Fulfillment

Lifecycle transition rules, logistics, and returns control.

1. Order Fulfillment Pipeline

Orders progress through strict lifecycle transitions. Unauthorized overrides are prevented by backend guard checks:

PLACEDCONFIRMEDPACKEDSHIPPEDDELIVERED

2. Logistics & Delivery Assignment

When marking an order as SHIPPED, the administrator configures the logistics type:

Self Delivery (Rider): Assigns a delivery staff member registered in the database (e.g. self-riders). The system fetches and links their mobile number for customer alerts.
Third-Party Courier: Selects courier networks (Delhivery, Shiprocket, Blue Dart) and requires an AWB Tracking ID. The public UI uses this to generate tracking link templates (e.g., `https://shiprocket.co/tracking/{{AWB}}`).

3. Cash on Delivery (COD) Payment Verification

Critical Payment Guard Check

For Cash on Delivery (COD) orders, when transitioning the status to DELIVERED, the admin interface displays a mandatory checkbox: "I confirm that the cash payment of [amount] has been collected." Without checking this, the status update remains locked to ensure strict cash audit logs.

4. Returns & Refunds Lifecycle

If a customer requests a return (allowed within a return window defined in settings), the admin moderates it:

Return Approvals

Transition to `RETURN_APPROVED` (awaiting pickup). When the product is returned, status becomes `RETURNED` (Marking stock returned to inventory).

Refund Processing

Transition to `REFUNDED` requires assigning the refund method (`ONLINE` via Razorpay or `CASH`/Offline) and registering a refund transaction ID.

5. Invoice PDF Generation & Download

The platform automatically generates professional digital invoices for orders:

Itemized Details: Breaks down product descriptions, variants (size, color), individual pricing, and item quantities.
Taxation and Deductions: Clearly details CGST/SGST/IGST calculations and displays adjustments for coupons and Loyalty Points.
Operator and Customer Access: Invoices can be downloaded as PDF documents directly from the user order history page or the admin orders desk.

6. Bulk Inventory Import (CSV)

To scale catalog updates, administrators can perform bulk product imports:

CSV Templates: Upload files matching standard headers (Name, Slug, Description, Price, SKU, Color, Size, Stock, Brand, Category, Images).
Automatic Mapping: Creates new product documents and registers complex color/size variants in the DB from flat CSV rows.
Error Validation: Validates slugs, SKUs, and required fields before making database inserts to guarantee ledger integrity.

7. WhatsApp Order Notification & Help Desk

Direct instant messaging capabilities are integrated:

WhatsApp Support Button: Storefront contains a floating green WhatsApp button pre-filling text to connect shoppers with customer agents immediately.
Logistics Triggers: In order dashboards, admins can click quick links to trigger manual status message templates to customer contact numbers for shipping updates.