When someone places an order, WooCommerce automatically assigns it a status based on where it is in the purchase process.
Knowing what each order status means isn’t just helpful, it’s essential for keeping your store running smoothly and your customers happy.
Statistics shows that a whopping 91% of consumers actively track their packages.
This means understanding and managing order statuses effectively isn’t just good practice, it’s what your customers expect.
In this guide, you’ll get a clear breakdown of every WooCommerce order status, what it means, and the actions you can take to stay on top of your orders.
So let’s get started,
What is a WooCommerce Order Status?
Every time you receive an order on your WooCommerce store, it’s automatically assigned a specific status.
This status shows you exactly where the order is in the process and what action you need to take next.
For example, when you’ve received an order and are preparing it for shipping, it’s marked as Processing.
Once the order is delivered, you can update it to Completed to show it’s been fulfilled successfully.
Each status in the WooCommerce order management process has a clear purpose, making it easy for you to track progress and keep your customers informed.
How to Check an Order Status in WooCommerce?
You can easily check your orders and their statuses. Simply go to WooCommerce > Orders.
It will give you a view like this:
![Understanding Every WooCommerce Order Status – Basic Guide & Action Items [2025] 10 WooCommerce Order Status](https://getwpfunnels.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/How-to-Check-WooCommerce-Order-Status.webp)
Here, each row is an order and their statuses are defined under the “Status” column.
Common WooCommerce Order Statuses
There are 8 statuses by default. This WooCommerce order status list makes it easy to track and manage your orders:
- Pending Payment
- Processing
- On hold
- Completed
- Cancelled
- Refunded
- Failed
- Draft
Let us look at what each of them means.
1. Pending Payment
When an order is in the “Pending Payment” status, it means the customer has started the purchase, but the payment is still waiting to be confirmed.
This happens right after the customer places the order, and you’ll need to keep an eye on it. You can follow up or send reminders to ensure the payment gets completed.
For example, a customer can choose a WooCommerce payment method like bank transfer, which takes time to process.
Actions to Take for Pending Orders
To handle pending orders, reach out to your customer to confirm their payment method and provide clear instructions if needed.
You can check the WooCommerce order status page to track updates and manage the process smoothly.
2. Processing
When an order is marked as “Processing”, it means the payment has been successfully received, and the order is now in the fulfillment stage. This comes right after the pending phase, showing progress.
For example, once a customer pays using a credit card or PayPal, the order will move to WooCommerce order status processing, and you can start preparing it for shipping.
Actions to Take for Orders on Processing
As orders move to the Processing phase, it’s time for you to start fulfilling the order and get it ready for delivery. Stay in touch with your customer, keeping them updated on their order’s progress.
This stage is all about being efficient and ensuring smooth movement from payment confirmation to shipment process.
3. On Hold
Orders may be placed “On Hold” for reasons like waiting for more instructions from the customer, unusual payment patterns, or stock availability issues.
For example, if a customer chooses a payment method that requires manual verification, you can put the order on hold until the payment is confirmed.
In this case, reach out to the customer and clarify any details to move the order forward.
Actions to Take for Orders on Hold
When you notice an order is on hold, immediately reach out to the customer, requesting confirmation or offering alternative payment options.
This ensures smooth order progression and helps maintain customer satisfaction.
For a more streamlined process, consider using powerful automated notifications to keep your customers updated automatically.
4. Completed
![Understanding Every WooCommerce Order Status – Basic Guide & Action Items [2025] 11 woocommerce order status](https://getwpfunnels.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/WooCommerce-Order-Status-Complete.webp)
The “Completed” status means the order has been successfully processed, shipped, and delivered to the customer. It means that the sale is complete.
For example, if a customer orders a product, you process the payment, ship it, and once it’s delivered, you mark the order as “Completed” in your system.
This indicates that the entire transaction is finished, and you can review the order in your online store for any final checks.
Actions to Take for Completed Orders
After you mark an order as Completed, it’s time to focus on building a relationship with your customer.
You could send a thank-you email, ask for feedback, or offer discounts for future purchases right on your WooCommerce thank-you page.
This kind of post-completion engagement not only strengthens customer loyalty but also boosts your brand image and increases the chances of customer retention in the future.
5. Cancelled
“Cancelled” means the order has been stopped, either by you or the customer. This can happen if a product is out of stock or the customer changes their mind.
For example, if a customer orders an item but decides not to proceed with payment, you can update the WooCommerce order status page to “Cancelled” for better tracking.
This helps you stay organized and maintain efficiency in your WooCommerce order management.
Actions to Take for Cancelled Orders
For canceled orders, it’s important to act quickly. If the customer cancels, make the refund process as smooth as possible.
If it’s due to a stock issue, let them know right away and offer help finding an alternative product.
Being transparent and helpful strengthens your relationship with your customers and keeps them coming back.
You can also utilize WooCommerce cart abandonment plugins to get your order back easily.
6. Refunded
The “Refunded” status means you’ve processed the customer’s refund successfully.
This usually happens when they’re unhappy with the product, there’s been a shipping mistake, or another valid reason arises.
For example, if a customer receives a shirt in the wrong size and requests a refund, you can review their request, approve it, and mark the order as “Refunded” in WooCommerce.
It’s a simple way to keep things organized and show your customers you care about their satisfaction.
Actions to Take for Refunded Orders
When you process a refund, take a moment to understand why it was requested. Address the issue whether it’s a product defect, shipping error, or other concern, and ask for feedback to improve.
Keeping communication open during the refund process builds trust and shows you care.
By reviewing the following order statuses regularly, you can stay on top of things and prevent similar issues in the future.
7. Failed
![Understanding Every WooCommerce Order Status – Basic Guide & Action Items [2025] 12 woocommerce order status - Failed](https://getwpfunnels.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/WooCommerce-order-status-Failed.webp)
The “Failed” status means the order couldn’t be completed because of payment issues, like a declined card or insufficient funds.
For example, if a customer tries to pay with a credit card but the transaction is declined, WooCommerce will mark the order as “Failed.”
You can review the issue on the WooCommerce order status page and decide whether to reach out to the customer for an alternative payment method.
Actions to Take for Failed Orders
When you see a failed order, don’t worry, just reach out to the customer. Let them know what went wrong and guide them through completing the customer-buying journey.
You can suggest alternative payment options or help troubleshoot issues so they feel supported and confident to try again.
8. Draft
The “Draft” status is perfect for when you’re manually creating an order but need to pause due to missing details.
For instance, if a customer places a custom order for a product that requires confirmation of size or color, you can save the order as a draft while waiting for their response.
This ensures you can easily pick up where you left off without losing track of the order.
Actions to Take for Draft Orders
When you have a draft order, follow up promptly to gather the missing details from the customer.
Whether it’s confirming product preferences, payment methods, or shipping details, staying proactive ensures the order moves forward smoothly.
Once everything is sorted, finalize the order to keep your automation workflow organized.
How to Update WooCommerce Order Statuses
Whenever an order is placed, you usually have to manually update the status settings as the order process moves forward.
For example, if someone placed an order and has made the payment via Paypal, then that order will be assigned “Processing” by default.
After you deliver the product(s), you have to edit this order and change its WooCommerce order status to “Completed” manually.
To do so, simply go to WooCommerce > Orders.
There, click on (or edit) an order you want to update. It will open up the WooCommerce order details page.
![Understanding Every WooCommerce Order Status – Basic Guide & Action Items [2025] 13 Edit WooCommerce Order Status](https://getwpfunnels.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Edit-WooCommerce-Order-Status.webp)
Here, you can click on the dropdown menu under Status and you will see all the WooCommerce order statuses listed there.
Choose the one you want to change it to and click on Update. That’s it. The order status will be updated.
Automation and Plugins for Order Status
You can consider automating your entire order status management system more efficiently by using some powerful WooCommerce order management plugins.
- Autocomplete WooCommerce Orders by QuadLayers: This plugin automates the order completion process, particularly useful for virtual product transactions. It ensures orders move seamlessly from processing to completion.
- Custom Order Status Manager for WooCommerce: With this plugin, you gain the ability to create, edit, and manage custom order statuses customized for your business needs. It enhances flexibility and organization in order processing.
- WooCommerce Order Status Control: This tool provides advanced control over order statuses. It allows store owners to customize the default order statuses and create new ones to align with their unique business processes.
These tools have their own unique benefits that you can leverage for your business.
WooCommerce Custom Order Status
WooCommerce allows the creation of custom order statuses for unique business needs. Different plugins can adopt unique custom statuses and even you can create one if you have programming expertise.
For instance, consider WPFunnels. It’s a sales funnel builder that allows you to create one-click upsell offers for your WooCommerce store.
With this plugin, a WooCommerce custom order status is created called “Funnel Order Accepted” to handle the offer retention.
In such cases, you can read the documentation of the plugin or directly reach out to their support to understand the significance of their custom order statuses.
If you want to add a custom order status to your WooCommerce store, you can follow this guide.
Best Practices for WooCommerce Order Status
Managing your WooCommerce order statuses effectively ensures smoother operations and happier customers. Here are some best practices:
- Understand Default Statuses: Take time to learn statuses like Pending Payment and Processing so you know exactly what to do next. It keeps things simple and avoids confusion.
- Add Custom Order Statuses: Create custom statuses like “Awaiting Pickup” with plugins or code snippets to fit your store’s unique needs and make your workflow smoother.
- Automate Notifications: Set up automatic emails like new order notifications to keep your customers updated without any extra work on your end.
- Organize Your Orders List: Use filters and searches to sort your orders list so you can quickly focus on what matters most and stay on track.
- Use the View Order Page: The view order page is where you can check payments, update statuses, and keep an eye on order progress easily.
- Save Draft Orders: Save incomplete orders as draft orders for custom requests or B2B deals to keep things flexible and organized.
- Automate Payment Statuses: Automatically mark orders as “Processing” when payments are completed to speed up your workflow and save time.
By following these steps, you’ll simplify order management and boost customer satisfaction. Tools like WPFunnels can help you take it even further.
Conclusion
Now you know how each WooCommerce order status works and what actions to take, whether it’s handling a Pending Payment status or managing an Order Status Processing.
With WooCommerce’s user-friendly interface, like status icons and the Edit Order page, you can easily stay on top of your orders.
Need to update payment details or make a custom order status change. It’s all straightforward and helps you run your store smoothly.
By managing your orders effectively, you’ll create a better experience for your customers and grow your business the right way.
For an even better workflow, try using tools like WPFunnels to automate and optimize your sales process effortlessly.
** FAQs **
Does WooCommerce send order confirmation emails?
- Yes, WooCommerce sends order confirmation emails automatically. Once a customer places an order, they’ll receive an email with details about their purchase, keeping them informed and boosting customer satisfaction.
What is the default order status in WooCommerce?
- The default order status depends on the checkout process. For unpaid orders, it’s Pending Payment, while paid orders move to Processing so you can take the next steps, like shipping.
Can I add custom order statuses in WooCommerce?
- Yes, With the core WooCommerce plugin or a specific plugin, you can create new custom order statuses to fit your workflow. This gives you granular control over your order management.
Does WooCommerce support order tracking?
- Yes, WooCommerce includes status tracking so your customers can follow their orders. For advanced tracking, use a supplementary plugin to enhance the experience and save staff time.
How can you manage orders more efficiently in WooCommerce?
- Use tools like WPFunnels to simplify your orders overview screen and create a seamless fulfillment workflow. It helps you stay organized, saving time and improving your store admin process.