New orders appear under WooCommerce → Orders. Each order has a status that tells you what to do next.
Order statuses
| Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Pending payment | The order was placed but payment hasn’t been received | Nothing yet. If it stays here, the customer probably abandoned the payment. |
| Processing | Paid, waiting to be sent | Pack and send it, then mark it Completed. |
| On hold | Waiting for something, usually a bank transfer | Check the payment has arrived, then change it to Processing. |
| Completed | Sent or fulfilled | Nothing. The customer has had their confirmation email. |
| Cancelled | Cancelled by you or the customer | Nothing. Stock is put back automatically. |
| Refunded | The full amount has been refunded | Nothing. |
| Failed | The payment didn’t go through | Nothing, unless the customer asks for help paying. |
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Open the order
Go to WooCommerce → Orders and click the order number. You’ll see what was ordered, the billing and delivery addresses, and how it was paid.
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Send it
Pick, pack and post the items as usual. If you add a tracking number, put it in a note (next step).
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Add a note if needed
In the Order notes box, type a note and choose:
- Private note: only your team sees it, for example “Sent second class, parcel 2 of 2”.
- Note to customer: emailed to the customer straight away, for example a tracking link.
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Mark it completed
Change Status to Completed and click Update. The customer is emailed to say their order is on its way.