"Before LineNow, we were spending a huge amount of time and focus simply managing the fulfillment of our products. We searched far and wide for good solutions but couldn't find anything that had the feature set we were looking for. LineNow's unique approach to automating dropshipping purchase orders has saved us countless hours and stress. My suppliers are happy, my team is happy and I'm happy. Their customer support has been incredible, helping me every step of the way to make sure I was comfortable and set up properly."
— Jay, Living Fit
Living Fit sells fitness equipment online. Its published LineNow account focuses on a specific Shopify purchasing problem: routing customer orders to suppliers with the custom information needed for fulfillment.
Before the founder of Living Fit discovered LineNow, he had tried several apps in the Shopify App Store in an effort to automate purchase orders to his dropshipping suppliers.
They were frustrated by the lack of customization and inability to route orders to specific suppliers.
In the end, they settled on a process that combined Zapier automation with manual editing. This still required time and attention to prepare supplier orders.
Knowing there had to be a better way, he decided to look one more time.
Finding the Right Tool
After finding LineNow, he signed up to take a quick look around, but admittedly didn't fall in love immediately. Because LineNow operates in its own dashboard outside of Shopify, it wasn't immediately clear how it could handle everything he needed.
However, LineNow's support team assured him that (a) he was in the right place and (b) we would make sure everything worked the way he needed it to. He then agreed to jump on a quick call so we could learn more about his setup.
A Demanding Store
Their store is somewhat demanding, with multiple suppliers for the same items and custom forms containing information that must be passed on to those suppliers.
We moved quickly to accelerate a few items on our roadmap to ensure he had everything necessary for the system to work as intended.
In the implementation described in this customer account, Shopify fulfillment locations routed orders to suppliers in LineNow, carrying customer order details and custom form selections with the purchase orders.
What Changed Operationally
The workflow connected supplier mapping and customer-specific details to purchase-order preparation and follow-up:
| Before LineNow | After LineNow |
|---|---|
| Shopify order arrives | Shopify order arrives |
| Zapier plus manual preparation | Supplier mapping is handled inside LineNow |
| Team edits order details | Customer details and form selections travel with the PO |
| Supplier context is split | PO status and supplier communication stay together |
| Supplier invoices need checking | Supplier invoice can be checked against the PO |
That matters for dropshipping because the customer's experience depends on a supplier the customer never sees. Incorrect custom form details or supplier mappings can result in a fulfillment error. If the invoice cannot be checked against the PO, margin can drift quietly.
The Results
Their team can now use one centralized dashboard to:
- Check on purchase orders (POs)
- Respond to supplier emails
- Upload extra documents (such as shipping labels)
The account describes a workflow the team can use for ongoing supplier-order review.
They've also incorporated LineNow into their financial review process, allowing them to quickly cross-check supplier invoices against purchase orders.
Why This Is a Procurement Problem
Dropshipping looks like fulfillment from the outside, but the operator problem is procurement:
- Which supplier should receive this order?
- What customer-specific details must go with it?
- Did the supplier confirm?
- Did they ship?
- Did they invoice the expected amount?
- Is the customer-facing promise still accurate?
Shopify is excellent at the storefront and customer order. The missing layer is the supplier-side purchase order workflow. Living Fit needed that layer to be specific enough for custom order details and simple enough that the team could keep using it without rebuilding the process every week.
Supplier Adoption Was Smooth
We were especially glad to see his suppliers using the dynamic PO links we provide to update order statuses. A common misconception we encounter is the belief that this feature adds work for suppliers. In this rollout, suppliers could continue doing exactly what they already did — or use dynamic PO links when that made the process easier.
The Takeaway for Shopify Operators
For Shopify teams evaluating a similar setup, inspect the supplier handoff and the work after the PO is sent. The same tool choice will not fit every store.
The test is simple: can one customer order become the right supplier PO, with the right order details, the right supplier communication, the right status, and the right invoice check? Test those steps with representative orders, including an edited order, a supplier price change and a partial shipment. Confirm how duplicate events, cancellations and missing custom fields are handled in your implementation.
Evaluate the same handoff in your store
Bring a customer order, its supplier mapping and the custom fields required for fulfillment to a demonstration of LineNow’s dropshipping workflow. Inspect the resulting PO and supplier follow-up before expanding the setup.
Want to automate your dropshipping fulfillment like Living Fit? Book a demo to see how LineNow can work for your store.