Whenever possible, Zenfolio tries to keep all items that are ordered at the same time combined in one order so that the lab processes and ships all of the items together.
But in some cases, it is necessary to split the order into two or more separate orders.
These situations include:
- Orders that contain products from different labs
- Miller's orders that have a mix of images that are to be color corrected and not color corrected
- MpixPro powered by Miller's Lab/Miller's orders that contain a mix of Press printed products and photo products
- Miller's orders that contain a mix of Deep Matte Prints and other products
- Order contains a mix of Partner Vendor Fulfilled products, Digital Download products and Self Fulfilled products
Orders that contain products from different labs
Orders that contain products from different labs will need to be split into multiple orders as the products are to be fulfilled separately in separate facilities.
The order is then split based on the lab and sent separately to each lab.
Miller's Lab orders that have a mix of images that are to be color corrected and not color corrected
If the Miller's lab order contains some images that are to be color corrected and some that are not color corrected, the order will be split along those lines. Color corrected and non-color corrected images are processed separately as color corrected images require a technician to color correct the images before printing.
This applies to Miller's lab orders. Mpix orders that contain a mix of color correct and not color corrected images are not split into multiple orders- they are shipped together.
MpixPro powered by Miller's Lab/Miller's Lab orders that contain a mix of Press printed products and photo products
Two of our US labs (MpixPro powered by Miller's Lab and Miller's) process Press Printed products and photo products in separate locations so orders that contain a mix of such products require splitting along those lines.
Some example Press Printed Products include:
- Photo Books
- Greeting Cards
- Accordion
Example Photo Products include:
- Prints
- Canvas Wraps
- Standouts
- Buttons
- Memory Mates
- Collages
- Wall Clings
- Ornaments
- Small Magnets
This applies to MpixPro powered by Miller's Lab and Miller's lab orders. Mpix orders that contain a mix of Press Printed and Photo Products are not split into multiple orders- they are shipped together.
Miller's Orders that contain a mix of Deep Matte Prints and other products
Deep Matte Prints are processed in a separate facility from all other print products and will require separate shipping.
Order contains a mix of Partner Vendor Fulfilled products, Digital Download products and Self Fulfilled products
Partner Vendor Fulfilled products, Digital Download products and Self Fulfilled products are processed separately and require that the order be split along those lines. Also the payment collection method for Self Fulfilled products vary from the other two product types. With Self Fulfilled products, the photographer is the one that collects the payment for the order directly.
Split Order Shipping
Since orders are split because the orders are processed at different locations, separate shipping fees may be charged for each portion of the order.
So for example, if the order contains a mix of products from Mpix and MpixPro powered by Miller's Lab, the order is split into two based on those labs. Since each lab is processing the order separately and is shipping them separately, separate shipping fees are charged for each portion of the order.
Split order messaging in the cart
When the checking out through the cart and the cart contains items that require splitting the order, a message is displayed in the cart to signify that the order requires splitting.
The message is also displayed in the Shipping address page.
And the details from each split order is displayed in the Shipping Method page. On this page, the client is required to select a separate shipping method for each portion of the order. The shipping charges for each portion of the order is displayed here.
Then to complete the order, the client is going to be required to pay for each split portion of the order separately.
Combining Split Orders
Unfortunately, it is not possible to combine split orders or any orders that have been ordered separately. As mentioned above, orders are only split out of necessity. It is not possible to edit the orders after they are placed to avoid the reason (or reasons) for why the order was split in the first place.
The best thing to do is to make sure to review the details of the order in the cart and avoid splitting the order before completing the order.
As mentioned above, multiple notices are displayed in the cart to make it clear that the order requires splitting.
How to avoid Splitting an order
As the photographer, you can help minimize the chance of an order being split for your clients by making sure that your price list mostly contains products from just one lab. You can also choose to disable the ability for your clients to choose to color correct or not color correct the images in the order.