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How to Use Customer Order Count in Automation Rules

The Customer orders count trigger builds Automation Rules around how many orders a customer has already placed on a connected Shopify store. Use it to treat first-time buyers, returning customers, and your most frequent shoppers differently as their orders import.

Before You Begin

This trigger works with Shopify stores only. The count comes directly from Shopify store data, so it is not available for orders from other store platforms.

For every trigger and action ShipHero offers, see Automation Rule Triggers and Actions Reference. If you are new to Automation Rules, start with How to Use Automation Rules in ShipHero.

Table of Contents

How the Customer Order Count Trigger Works

The trigger reads the total number of orders the end customer has placed on the Shopify store the order was imported from. Two details shape how you should set your thresholds:

  • The count belongs to one store. When you have several Shopify stores connected, ShipHero does not combine a customer's orders across them.
  • The count is the lifetime total Shopify reports. ShipHero does not start counting from the date you created the rule, so a long-standing customer's first order after you build a rule can still match a high threshold.

Important

Automation Rules apply only to orders that import after the rule is created. Orders already in ShipHero are not updated retroactively.

Available Customer Order Count Trigger Conditions

The Customer orders count trigger supports these conditions:

  • Equals
  • Not Equals
  • In list
  • Not in List
  • Greater than or Equal to
  • Less than or Equal to

Use In list or Not in List to match several counts with one rule instead of building one rule per number. See How to Create and Manage Automation Rule Lists in ShipHero.

How to Create a Customer Order Count Automation Rule

  1. Go to Orders > Automation Rules.
  2. Select Create New Rule.
  3. Enter a Name for the rule.
  4. Select Customer orders count as the Trigger, then choose a condition and enter the order count to match.
  5. Select the action you want from the Action dropdown.
  6. Select Create.
Automation rule using the Customer orders count trigger

Common Customer Order Count Automation Rule Examples

Use Case Trigger Action
Reward a first-time buyer Customer orders count equals 1 Add a SKU for your free gift item
Flag a returning customer at the pack station Customer orders count is greater than or equal to 5 Add Warehouse Note, or Set box to use for premium packaging
Celebrate a milestone order Customer orders count equals 10 Add Gift Note
Tell Marketing about a frequent shopper Customer orders count is greater than or equal to 20 Send email to your Marketing team

More Resources

  • ShipHero Public API

    Connect your tools and AI agents directly to ShipHero with the Public API. Build powerful integrations, automate workflows, and tap into real-time data using the AI tools you prefer, with the option for secure, read-only access for AI-driven insights without added risk.

  • ShipHero Academy

    Explore ShipHero Academy for certifications, deep-dive training, and expert-led courses on WMS and fulfillment. Build your expertise and help your team operate at a higher level.

  • Change Log

    Stay up to date with the latest improvements across ShipHero. The Change Log gives you a clear view of new features, enhancements, and fixes as they roll out—so you always know what’s new and what’s better.