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Shipment Tags in Shopify — What They Mean & When They're Added
As a shipment moves through the fulfillment process, tags are automatically added to the corresponding Shopify order. These tags provide a quick visual snapshot of where an order is in its lifecycle — directly in Shopify, without logging into another system.
Important: Tags are only added, never removed. Once a tag appears on an order, it stays there permanently as a record of what happened.
The 7 Tags and When They Appear
1. released
What it means: The warehouse has reserved inventory for this order. The items are in the warehouse and have been set aside for the shipment.
When it's added: As soon as the order is allocated in byrd. This is typically one of the first steps after an order comes in and is confirmed for fulfillment.
2. picking
What it means: A warehouse worker has started picking the items for this order from the shelves.
When it's added: The moment a picker in the warehouse begins collecting the items. At this point, the order is actively being prepared for shipment and it can’t be cancelled.
3. packaged
What it means: The warehouse has finished packing the order. The items are boxed, the label is ready, and the package is waiting for carrier pickup.
When it's added: When the warehouse completes the packing step. This is the last warehouse milestone before the package leaves the facility.
4. return announced by customer
What it means: The customer has initiated a return for this order.
When it's added: When the customer registers their intent to return (e.g., through a returns portal or by contacting support). The items haven't arrived back at the warehouse yet — this is only the announcement stage.
5. return announced by carrier
What it means: The carrier (shipping company) has flagged this shipment as being returned to sender.
When it's added: When the carrier reports that the package is on its way back. This can happen when a delivery fails (e.g., address not found, recipient not available) and the carrier initiates the return automatically.
6. return delivered by carrier
What it means: The carrier has delivered the returned package back to the warehouse.
When it's added: When the carrier confirms that the package has been returned and received at the warehouse. At this point, the items are back at the facility but haven't been processed yet.
7. return processed by warehouse
What it means: The warehouse has inspected and processed the returned items. The return is considered complete from the warehouse's perspective.
When it's added: After warehouse staff have gone through the return — checking item condition, restocking, or handling as appropriate. This applies whether the return was initiated by the customer or by the carrier.