--- title: "How the AI places Shipping & Pickup orders" description: "Learn how the AI handles the combined Shipping & Pickup workflow in Interlinked — where the customer chooses between home delivery and in-store pickup at checkout, and the AI follows the corresponding order flow." section: "Orders" url: https://interlinked-ai.com/en/resources/docs/how-ai-places-shipping-and-pickup-orders lang: en lastUpdated: 2026-04-20 --- # How the AI places Shipping & Pickup orders ## Overview The **Shipping & Pickup** workflow combines both delivery methods into a single AI experience. The customer browses products, builds a cart, and shops exactly the same way as in either individual workflow. The difference appears at checkout — the AI asks the customer whether they want **home delivery** or **in-store pickup**, and then follows the corresponding path. This article explains where the flow splits and how each path works. For the detailed step-by-step breakdown of each path, see the dedicated articles: - [How the AI places Shipping orders](/en/resources/docs/how-ai-places-shipping-orders) - [How the AI places Pickup orders](/en/resources/docs/how-ai-places-pickup-orders) ## The shared shopping experience The product discovery and cart management phases are identical across all three Retail workflows. Before checkout begins, the AI: 1. **Greets the customer** using your configured greeting message. 2. **Helps the customer find products** by searching your catalog and answering questions. 3. **Manages the cart** — adds items, removes items, changes quantities, and shows the cart summary. This shared phase works the same whether the order will end up as a Shipping or Pickup order. The customer can browse, ask questions, and build their cart without knowing which delivery method they will choose yet.

Note

The AI supports flexible cart editing throughout the entire conversation. Even after the customer has chosen their delivery method, they can still say "I forgot something" — the AI will go back, add the product, and resume the checkout flow.

## Where the flow splits When the customer is ready to check out, the AI asks: > "Would you like your order delivered to your home, or would you prefer to pick it up at one of our stores?" The customer's answer determines which checkout path the AI follows: ### If the customer chooses Shipping The AI follows the **Shipping order flow**: 1. Collects the shipping address — email, postal code, city, neighborhood, street, and external number. 2. Calculates the shipping cost based on the flat rate and free shipping threshold. 3. Shares the bank account details (CLABE) for payment. 4. Asks for the transfer receipt. 5. Processes the receipt and confirms the order. 6. Sends confirmation emails to both the business owner and the customer. During the shopping phase, the AI may mention how much more the customer needs to spend to qualify for free shipping. For the complete step-by-step breakdown, see [How the AI places Shipping orders](/en/resources/docs/how-ai-places-shipping-orders). ### If the customer chooses Pickup The AI follows the **Pickup order flow**: 1. Presents the available store locations (if more than one). 2. Handles advance payment if configured (sends CLABE, asks for receipt). 3. Communicates the preparation time. 4. Confirms the order. 5. Sends an email to the business owner. Because the customer chose pickup, the AI does **not** mention free shipping thresholds or collect a delivery address. For the complete step-by-step breakdown, see [How the AI places Pickup orders](/en/resources/docs/how-ai-places-pickup-orders). ## How the AI decides which path to follow The AI uses internal checkpoints to track the entire conversation flow. Once the customer answers the "shipping or pickup" question, the AI locks into the corresponding path and applies the correct checkout logic — different required fields, different payment rules, and different email notifications. If the customer changes their mind before providing checkout data, the AI can switch paths. For example, if a customer initially says "shipping" but then says "actually, I'll pick it up," the AI can adjust and follow the Pickup path instead. ## Configuration requirements Because this workflow supports both delivery methods, it requires configuration for both paths: | Configuration area | What to set up | |-------------------|---------------| | **Delivery rules** | Flat shipping rate, free shipping threshold | | **Pickup rules** | Advance payment toggle and percentage, preparation time | | **Store locations** | Name, address, phone, business hours for each location | | **Bank accounts** | Bank name, account holder, 18-digit CLABE | | **Currency** | Your store's operating currency | All of these are configured in the wizard. See [Configure Orders behavior](/en/resources/docs/configure-orders-behavior) for details. ## Side-by-side comparison | Aspect | Shipping path | Pickup path | |--------|--------------|-------------| | **Shipping cost messaging** | AI mentions free shipping threshold | Not applicable | | **Checkout data collected** | Email, postal code, city, neighborhood, street, external number | Store location selection | | **Payment requirement** | Full payment via bank transfer | Advance payment (optional) or pay at store | | **Email at order placement** | Business owner + customer | Business owner only | | **Preparation time** | Not applicable | AI communicates when order is ready | ## What to do next - **Read the detailed Shipping flow** — [How the AI places Shipping orders](/en/resources/docs/how-ai-places-shipping-orders) - **Read the detailed Pickup flow** — [How the AI places Pickup orders](/en/resources/docs/how-ai-places-pickup-orders) - **Configure your settings** — [Configure Orders behavior](/en/resources/docs/configure-orders-behavior) - **Learn about the Shipping & Pickup workflow setup** — [Shipping & Pickup workflow](/en/resources/docs/shipping-and-pickup)