How do you implement workflow automation for e-commerce order fulfillment?

E-commerce order fulfillment automation orchestrates the entire process from order placement to delivery confirmation. Workflow trigger: order placed event from the e-commerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, custom). Automated steps: (1) Order validation: verify payment confirmation, check inventory availability, validate shipping address (address verification API), and apply fraud screening (risk score based on IP, device, order history). (2) Inventory allocation: reserve stock for the order, handle multi-warehouse scenarios (allocate from nearest warehouse with stock), implement backorder handling for out-of-stock items, and update inventory counts across all sales channels. (3) Fulfillment routing: determine optimal fulfillment center based on proximity to customer, carrier selection based on shipping method and cost optimization, and generate picking lists grouped by warehouse zone. (4) Shipping: generate shipping labels via carrier API (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL), calculate actual shipping costs, send tracking information to customer, and update order status in the platform. (5) Post-shipment: monitor tracking events via carrier webhooks, send delivery confirmation to customer, trigger review request after delivery, and handle delivery exceptions (returned to sender, failed delivery). Exception handling: fraud hold workflow (human review for high-risk orders), backorder notification workflow (notify customer, offer alternatives), address correction workflow (prompt customer to verify address), and return/exchange workflow (RMA creation, return label generation, refund processing). Integration: connect e-commerce platform, warehouse management system (WMS), carrier APIs, payment processor, and customer communication (email, SMS). Metrics: order-to-ship time, shipping accuracy rate, on-time delivery rate, and fulfillment cost per order.