From Checkout to Doorstep
When a customer orders a physical product from your store, the platform handles payment authorization, delivery tracking, and payment capture automatically based on your actions. This page explains exactly what happens at each stage.
How Orders Work
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Customer checks out The customer selects a product, chooses a quantity, and proceeds to Stripe checkout. Their payment method is authorized — the funds are held on their card but not yet charged.
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You receive the order The order appears in your provider dashboard with a delivery status of None and an order status of Payment Authorized. The customer’s card has been verified and funds are reserved.
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You process and ship When you’re ready to fulfill, update the delivery status to Shipped and add a tracking number. At this point the platform captures the payment — the customer is charged and funds begin processing to your account.
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Customer receives the order Once the customer has their item, update the status to Delivered. This is the final state for a successful order.
Authorize-Then-Capture Payments
Unlike traditional e-commerce where customers are charged immediately, Distancer.ai uses an authorize-then-capture model for physical goods:
- At checkout: The customer’s payment method is verified and the full amount is held (authorized). No money moves yet.
- At shipment: When you mark the order as shipped, the held amount is captured — the customer is charged and you get paid.
- On cancellation: If you cancel before shipping, the authorization hold is released. The customer is never charged.
This approach protects both you and your customers. Customers know they won’t be charged for items that never ship. You avoid refund fees on orders you can’t fulfill.
Delivery Status Timeline
Every order moves through these delivery statuses:
| Status | What It Means | Payment Effect |
|---|---|---|
| None | Order received, not yet acted on | Card authorized (hold) |
| Processing | You’re preparing the order for shipment | No change — card remains authorized |
| Shipped | Handed off to carrier with tracking number | Payment captured — customer is charged |
| Delivered | Customer has received the item | No change — already captured |
| Cancelled | Order will not be fulfilled | Authorization released — customer not charged |
| Partially Shipped | Some items shipped, remaining cancelled | Partial capture — only shipped portion charged |
Tracking Numbers
When you ship an order, you can include a tracking number. The customer sees this on their order details so they can follow the shipment.
- Add a tracking number when setting the status to Shipped
- Update the tracking number later if it changes (e.g., carrier reassignment)
- Tracking numbers are optional but recommended for customer confidence
Partial Shipments
If you can only fulfill part of an order, you can capture a partial amount:
- Specify the amount to capture (must be less than or equal to the authorized amount)
- The platform captures only that amount and sets the delivery status to Partially Shipped
- The remaining authorized amount is released back to the customer’s card
- Specify the shipped quantity so inventory is deducted correctly
Cancellations
You can cancel an order at any time before shipment:
- Set the delivery status to Cancelled
- The payment authorization hold is released automatically
- The customer is never charged
- No refund fees apply since no payment was captured
What Customers See
Customers can view their order status at any time through their Distancer.ai account:
- Order status — Whether payment is authorized, captured, or released
- Delivery status — Current stage (Processing, Shipped, Delivered, etc.)
- Tracking number — Carrier tracking information when available
Both you and the customer receive notifications when order status changes.