What is location management?
Charlie’s location management system builds on top of Shopify’s locations, adding metadata, capabilities, and advanced grouping options that aren’t available natively. This allows you to create sophisticated fulfillment logic based on your business needs.Key features
Location types
Categorize your locations beyond Shopify’s basic classification:- Warehouses and distribution centers
- Retail stores
- Third-party logistics (3PL) providers
- Drop-ship vendors
- Specialty fulfillment centers
Location tags
Add custom tags to locations for flexible grouping:- Geographic regions (east-coast, west-coast)
- Capabilities (heavy-items, fragile-handling)
- Service levels (express, standard, economy)
- Business segments (b2b, b2c, wholesale)
Extended metadata
Store additional information about each location:- Operating hours and blackout dates
- Handling capabilities and equipment
- Shipping carrier integrations
- Cost structures and priorities
Why use Charlie’s location management?
Dynamic grouping
Group locations automatically based on shared characteristics instead of managing them individually
Capability tracking
Track what each location can handle - from engraving equipment to hazmat certifications
Smart routing
Use location metadata in order routing rules for intelligent fulfillment decisions
Scalable operations
Add new locations without reconfiguring every rule - they automatically inherit group behaviors
How it works with Shopify
Charlie’s location management is fully integrated with Shopify:- Sync with Shopify locations - All your Shopify locations appear in Charlie automatically
- Add metadata - Enhance locations with types, tags, and custom attributes
- Use in rules - Reference location properties in fulfillment constraints and order routing
- Maintain compatibility - Charlie never breaks Shopify’s native functionality
Charlie extends but never replaces Shopify’s location system. You can always fall back to native Shopify behavior if needed.
Common use cases
Multi-channel fulfillment
Separate locations by sales channel - retail stores handle in-store pickup while warehouses handle online orders.Regional distribution
Tag locations by region to keep fulfillment local and reduce shipping costs.Capability-based routing
Route orders requiring special handling to locations with the right equipment and training.3PL integration
Mark third-party logistics providers and use them as overflow when your own locations can’t fulfill.Getting started
1
Review your locations
Check your existing Shopify locations and plan how you want to categorize them
2
Define your tags
Create a tagging strategy that reflects your business operations
3
Configure locations
Add types and tags to your locations in Charlie
4
Create rules
Use location properties in fulfillment constraints and order routing rules