Routing Orders: How Spark Shipping makes the decision to route orders

When an order is received, Spark Shipping automatically routes it to a vendor based on your Product SKU Mapping. However, if a product is mapped to multiple vendors, the system needs a logic "tie-breaker" to decide which source is best.

You can configure these rules in Spark Shipping under Sites > Your Site > Order Routing. Below is a breakdown of every available routing method.

1. Lowest Cost

This is the default logic for maximizing profit margins through a three-step waterfall process:

1. Primary: Route to the vendor with enough stock and the lowest total cost.

2. Fallback 1: If no cost data exists, route to the vendor with the most stock.

3. Fallback 2: If neither cost nor stock data exists, route to the first vendor on your mapping list.

2. Lowest Cost with Backorders

This logic prioritizes price even when stock is unavailable:

1. Primary: Route to the vendor with stock and the lowest unit cost.

2. Backorder Logic: If all vendors are out of stock, route to the vendor who accepts backorders with the lowest unit cost.

3. Fallback: If no cost/stock data exists, it defaults to the most stock, then the first vendor on the mapping list.

3. Lowest Warehouse Distance

This method prioritizes shipping speed and reducing "Last Mile" costs.

• Requirement: You must set up Vendor Warehouse Addresses for this to function.

• Route by Country First: When enabled, the system always selects warehouses within the same country as the customer.

• Split Order Items (Beta): A single order line item can be split between multiple vendors if one vendor doesn't have enough stock to fulfill the total quantity.

4. Vendor Priority

This allows for manual control over your supplier relationships.

• Ranking: You set a preferred priority list of vendors. You can select just one vendor or create a list of priority.

• Stock Check: You can toggle whether the system should verify stock before sending the order to your top priority.

• Consolidation: Spark Shipping prioritizes sending as few shipments as possible. When enabled, grouping items into one shipment takes precedence over your manual priority ranking to save on shipping fees.

5. Location-Based Routing (Country or State/Province)

These methods allow for strict geographic fulfillment boundaries:

• Country: Routes orders to specific vendors based on the destination country.

• State/Province: Routes orders to specific vendors based on the destination state or province.

• Example: All orders shipping to California are sent to your West Coast 3PL, while all others go to your central warehouse.

6. Shipping Method

This logic relies on the customer's choice at checkout.

• How it works: Orders are routed based on the Shipping Method Code (e.g., "Standard," "Overnight," or "Ground") imported from your storefront.

Logic Summary Comparison

Pro-Tip: Data Accuracy

Most of these routing methods—especially Lowest Cost and Lowest Distance—rely on accurate Vendor data. Ensure your vendor connections and warehouse addresses are fully updated to prevent routing errors.