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Thesius Code

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Order Fulfillment Pipeline

#ecommerce #python #analytics #business

Order Fulfillment Pipeline

End-to-end order processing automation covering validation, shipping label generation, carrier tracking, customer notifications, and returns management. Move orders from placed to delivered with minimal manual intervention.

Key Features

  • Order Validation — Address verification, fraud scoring, inventory hold
  • Shipping Label Generation — Multi-carrier label creation with rate shopping
  • Tracking Integration — Automatic tracking number assignment and status polling
  • Customer Notifications — Email/SMS at each fulfillment stage
  • Returns Processing — RMA generation, return label creation, refund triggers
  • Priority Routing — Route orders to nearest warehouse based on destination

Quick Start 

# 1. Extract and configure
unzip order-fulfillment-pipeline.zip
cd order-fulfillment-pipeline
cp config.example.yaml config.yaml

# 2. Process pending orders
python -m order_fulfillment.core --process-pending --config config.yaml

# 3. Check fulfillment status
python -m order_fulfillment.core --status --order-id ORD-20260323-001
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Architecture 

src/order_fulfillment/
├── core.py              # Pipeline orchestrator: validate → route → ship → notify
├── validation.py        # Address verification, fraud checks, stock holds
├── shipping.py          # Carrier APIs, label generation, rate comparison
├── tracking.py          # Tracking status polling and event processing
├── notifications.py     # Email/SMS templates and dispatch
└── returns.py           # RMA workflow, return labels, refund processing
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Pipeline Stages: Order Placed → Validated → Routed → Label Created → Shipped → Delivered

Usage Examples

Process a New Order 

from order_fulfillment.core import FulfillmentPipeline

pipeline = FulfillmentPipeline(config_path="config.yaml")

order = {
    "order_id": "ORD-20260323-001",
    "customer_email": "customer@example.com",
    "items": [
        {"sku": "WIDGET-BLU-LG", "quantity": 2, "price": 29.99},
        {"sku": "GADGET-RED-SM", "quantity": 1, "price": 49.99},
    ],
    "shipping_address": {
        "name": "Jane Smith",
        "street": "123 Main St",
        "city": "Portland",
        "state": "OR",
        "zip": "97201",
        "country": "US"
    }
}

result = pipeline.process(order)
print(f"Status: {result['status']}")            # Status: label_created
print(f"Carrier: {result['carrier']}")           # Carrier: ups
print(f"Tracking: {result['tracking_number']}")  # Tracking: 1Z999AA10123456784
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Rate Shopping 

from order_fulfillment.shipping import RateShopper

shopper = RateShopper(config_path="config.yaml")
rates = shopper.get_rates(
    weight_oz=32,
    dimensions={"length": 12, "width": 8, "height": 6},
    destination_zip="97201"
)

for rate in rates:
    print(f"{rate['carrier']} {rate['service']}: ${rate['price']:.2f} "
          f"({rate['estimated_days']} days)")
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Order Status Query 

-- Fulfillment pipeline status report
SELECT
    o.order_id,
    o.order_date,
    o.current_stage,
    s.carrier,
    s.tracking_number,
    s.label_created_at,
    s.shipped_at,
    s.delivered_at,
    DATEDIFF(DAY, o.order_date, COALESCE(s.delivered_at, CURRENT_DATE)) AS days_in_pipeline
FROM orders o
LEFT JOIN shipments s ON o.order_id = s.order_id
WHERE o.order_date >= CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL '7 days'
ORDER BY o.current_stage, o.order_date;
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Process a Return 

from order_fulfillment.returns import ReturnManager

returns_mgr = ReturnManager(config_path="config.yaml")
rma = returns_mgr.create_rma(
    order_id="ORD-20260323-001",
    items=[{"sku": "WIDGET-BLU-LG", "quantity": 1, "reason": "defective"}],
    refund_method="original_payment"
)
print(f"RMA #{rma['rma_id']} — return label: {rma['return_tracking']}")
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Configuration 

carriers:
  ups:
    enabled: true
    api_key: "YOUR_UPS_API_KEY"
    account_number: "YOUR_UPS_ACCOUNT"
    default_service: "ground"
  usps:
    enabled: true
    api_key: "YOUR_USPS_API_KEY"

fulfillment:
  auto_process: true              # Auto-process orders as they arrive
  rate_shop: true                 # Compare carrier rates before label creation
  preferred_carrier: "cheapest"   # cheapest | fastest | <carrier_name>
  hold_for_fraud_score: 0.7       # Hold orders above this fraud score

notifications:
  enabled: true
  stages: ["shipped", "delivered", "return_received"]
  email_from: "orders@example.com"

returns:
  rma_expiry_days: 30
  auto_refund: false              # Require manual approval for refunds
  return_shipping: "prepaid"      # prepaid | customer_pays
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Best Practices

  1. Validate addresses before labeling — Bad addresses cause carrier rejections and fees
  2. Rate shop for non-urgent orders — Savings of 15-30% on average
  3. Set fraud thresholds conservatively — Start at 0.8, lower gradually
  4. Automate tracking updates — Poll carrier APIs every 2 hours
  5. Keep return windows clear — Communicate RMA expiry dates in emails

Troubleshooting

Issue Cause Fix
Label creation fails Invalid address Run address validation before shipping step
Orders stuck in "validated" No carrier API key configured Check carrier credentials in config
Tracking not updating Carrier API rate limit hit Increase polling interval
Return label not generating RMA expired Check rma_expiry_days setting

This is 1 of 11 resources in the Retail Automation Pro toolkit. Get the complete [Order Fulfillment Pipeline] with all files, templates, and documentation for $39.

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