Skip to content
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Understanding Order on Hold Rules

A guide to understanding order on hold logic and settings

The Order on Hold Rules page, located sites > Your site > Order on Hold Rules, is designed to give you control over your order processing automation. By default, Spark Shipping tries to send orders to vendors as quickly as possible. These rules act as a "filter" to stop specific orders for manual review.

The logic of this page changes depending on how many boxes you check. Use this guide to ensure your orders are being held exactly how you intended.

The first option, Default Orders to On Hold, dictates how the rest of the page behaves. It is the foundation for all other settings on this screen.

1. The "Hold All" Approach (Check ONLY the top box)

If you check Default Orders to On Hold and leave every other checkbox blank:

  • What happens: Every single new order will be placed "On Hold."

  • The Logic: This is a "safety-first" mode. No automation will occur, and you must manually process every order to send to a vendor.

2. The "Conditional Hold" Approach (Check the top box + others)

As soon as you check any additional options below the master switch, the logic shifts:

  • What happens: Spark Shipping will ONLY hold orders that meet those specific conditions. All other orders will bypass the hold and process automatically.

  • The Logic: This creates an "Exception-Only" workflow. You trust the system to handle standard orders but want it to flag specific issues (like a PO Box or high-value order).

Breakdown of Hold Conditions

When you enable specific rules, Spark Shipping looks for these "Flags":

  • By Order Value: Holds orders that exceed a specific dollar amount.

  • Order has a PO Box

  • Order has multiple line items: Useful if you want to manually verify with the vendor if items can be consolidated into one shipment to save on shipping costs.

  • Order has product(s) out of stock: Prevents "Dead Orders" from being sent to vendors who cannot fulfill them.

  • Non-Contiguous US (Lower 48): Automatically catches orders from Alaska, Hawaii, or US Territories.

  • Price Discrepancy: If your selling price accidentally drops below your "Suggested Price," the system stops the order.

Quick Reference Table

If you want to... Do this:
Manually review every order Check ONLY "Default Orders to On Hold."
Only review "Risky" orders Check "Default Orders to On Hold" AND your specific filters.
Disable all holds (Fully Auto) Uncheck everything on the page.

Final Step: After making your selections, you must click the Update Order on Hold Rules button at the bottom of the page to apply your changes.