A split shipment is a single customer order that is delivered in two or more separate packages. It happens when the items on an order ship from different locations, at different times, or in different boxes because of size or handling needs. Split shipments can speed up delivery of in-stock items, but each extra package adds carrier charges, packing labor and materials, which is why brands try to keep splits to the orders that truly need them.
That is the short answer. Below is how split shipments happen, what they cost, and how they are managed in a modern order operation.
How a split shipment happens
An order becomes a split shipment at one of two points. The first is routing: when the order management or order operations system decides which locations will fill it. If no single warehouse, 3PL or store holds every item, or if routing rules pick a different location for each line, the order is split across locations and each location ships its part separately.
The second is packing: even when every item ships from one building, some items cannot go in the same box. Oversize, hazardous or fragile items often require their own packaging. Items that are available now may ship ahead of a backordered item on the same order.
Split shipments are also sometimes called partial shipments, especially when the first package goes out before the rest of the order is available.
Common causes of split shipments
The most frequent causes are inventory spread across several fulfillment locations, a stockout at the preferred location for one line, items that ship directly from a supplier or vendor, oversize products that need separate packaging, and customers sending parts of one order to different addresses.
Split shipments became more common as fulfillment networks spread out. Narvar’s research found the share of orders shipped in more than one package rose from 16.7% in 2019 to about 22% in 2020 and stayed near that level in 2021, as brands added fulfillment locations, ship-from-store and dropship.
What split shipments cost
Carriers price by the package, so every extra box on an order carries its own base rate and surcharges. During peak season this adds up quickly. UPS’s published 2026 demand surcharges, for example, add $0.75 to each Ground Residential package from November 22 to December 26, so an order that ships in two boxes pays that charge twice.
The costs beyond postage include additional picking and packing labor, more boxes and packing materials, and extra customer service contacts when one package arrives before the other.
When a split shipment makes sense
A split is sometimes the better choice. If consolidating an order would mean shipping everything from a distant warehouse and missing the delivery date the customer was promised, two faster boxes can be worth the extra cost. Consolidating many items into one large box can also trigger dimensional weight pricing or additional handling charges that exceed the cost of a second, smaller package. The goal is to split on purpose, based on rules the business has chosen.
Split shipments and the customer experience
For customers, a split shipment can be good news or bad news depending on what they were told. Receiving an in-stock item days earlier is welcome when the confirmation email says the order will arrive in two packages. The same split feels like a mistake when a customer opens one box and finds half an order. Clear order status, with separate tracking for each package and an expected date for the rest, turns a split from a support ticket into a non-event. That requires the system that routes the order to also feed the status the customer sees.
Where split shipment decisions are made
In a typical commerce stack, the storefront or marketplace captures the order, an order management or order operations layer decides which locations fill it, and a warehouse management system or 3PL picks, packs and ships. Shipping software then chooses a carrier and service. Most split shipments are decided in the second step, when the order is routed, which is why routing rules have more effect on split rates than carrier choice does.
How brands reduce split shipments
Brands reduce split shipments by routing each order as a whole, preferring a single location that can fill every line within the delivery promise; setting explicit rules for when a split is allowed; stocking items that are often bought together in the same locations; and keeping per-location inventory accurate so orders are not routed to locations that cannot fill them. Order operations platforms such as Pipe17 apply these routing rules across warehouses, 3PLs and stores before the order reaches fulfillment.
Frequently Asked Questions
A split shipment is a single customer order that arrives in two or more separate packages, usually because the items ship from different locations, at different times, or require different packaging. Split shipments can deliver in-stock items faster, but each additional package adds shipping charges, labor and materials.
Split shipments are caused most often by inventory spread across multiple fulfillment locations, a stockout at the preferred location for one item, items shipped directly from a supplier, oversize or hazardous products that need their own box, and orders going to more than one address. Routing logic that picks a location for each line separately is another common cause.
How much a split shipment costs depends on the carrier, zone and package size, but every extra package adds its own base rate and per-package surcharges, plus picking, packing and materials. During the 2026 peak season, for example, UPS adds a $0.75 demand surcharge to each Ground Residential package between November 22 and December 26, so a two-box order pays it twice.
A split shipment and a partial shipment are closely related terms. A split shipment is any order delivered in more than one package. A partial shipment usually describes the case where some items ship first and the remaining items follow later, often because one item is backordered.
Ecommerce brands can reduce split shipments by routing each order as a whole to a single location that can fill every line within the delivery promise, allowing splits only under defined rules, stocking frequently co-purchased items in the same locations, and keeping per-location inventory accurate in real time. These controls usually live in the order management or order operations layer.
