The D2C Operations Playbook: SOPs for a 200 Orders/Day Brand

Why SOPs Matter at 200 Orders/Day

At 50 orders/day, the founder can manage everything. At 200 orders/day:

• You need 3-5 people in operations
• Without SOPs, each person does things slightly differently
• Mistakes compound: wrong product shipped, late dispatch, missed return, inventory mismatch
• Customer complaints increase → reviews drop → conversion drops → you spend more on ads to maintain revenue

SOPs aren’t bureaucracy. They’re the difference between a brand that scales and one that implodes.

SOP 1: Daily Order Processing (8:00 AM – 12:00 PM)

1. 8:00 AM — Download orders from all channels (Shopify, Amazon, Flipkart) into your OMS
2. 8:30 AM — Flag exceptions — COD orders above ₹2,000 (verify via WhatsApp), out-of-stock items, incomplete addresses
3. 9:00 AM — Pick orders — Generate pick lists by zone (to optimize packing). One person picks, another verifies.
4. 10:00 AM — Pack orders — QC check (right product, right size, no defects) → pack → add invoice → add thank you card → seal box
5. 11:00 AM — Label and manifest — Print shipping labels, create manifest in courier partner system
6. 12:00 PM — Handover to courier — Courier pickup. Verify all packages are scanned and manifest matches.

SOP 2: Customer Support (9:00 AM – 7:00 PM)

1. Response time target: WhatsApp within 15 minutes, email within 2 hours
2. Priority matrix: Payment issues > delivery problems > product queries > general inquiries
3. ‘Where is my order?’ — Check tracking, provide update. If delayed beyond EDD, proactively reach out with updated timeline.
4. Return/exchange requests — Verify order, confirm return eligibility, initiate reverse pickup, communicate refund timeline.
5. Complaints — Acknowledge, apologize, offer solution (replacement/refund + discount on next order). Escalate to founder if unresolved after 2 attempts.
6. End of day: Log all unresolved tickets. Zero inbox policy — every query gets at least a first response.

SOP 3: Inventory Management (Daily + Weekly)

Daily

• Update stock counts after order processing
• Flag any SKU below reorder point (typically 14-day supply)
• Reconcile physical stock vs system stock for top 10 SKUs

Weekly

• Full physical stock count (rotate categories — all SKUs counted at least once per month)
• Review slow-moving inventory (no sales in 30 days) — consider discounting or bundling
• Place reorders for fast-moving SKUs
• Update procurement forecasts based on last 4 weeks’ trends

SOP 4: Returns Processing (Daily)

1. Receive return package — Open, photograph contents, check against return request
2. Quality check — Is the product resellable? Categories: A (resellable as-is), B (needs repackaging), C (damaged/defective — write off)
3. Restock A/B items — Update inventory count immediately
4. Process refund — Within 3 business days of receiving the return
5. Log return reason — Track in spreadsheet: wrong size, didn’t like, defective, wrong product sent. Monthly analysis to reduce future returns.

SOP 5: End-of-Day Reconciliation (6:00 PM)

• Orders processed vs orders received — All orders should be shipped same day (for orders received before 2 PM)
• Payment reconciliation — Match orders in Shopify with payment gateway settlements
• Courier handover verification — Confirm all packages were picked up. Flag any missed pickups for priority next day.
• Support ticket summary — Log open tickets, escalations, and patterns (same complaint from multiple customers = systemic issue)

Need Help Building Operations?

At Growww Tech, we help D2C brands build scalable operations — from SOPs to tool selection to team structure. Let’s build your operations backbone.

Related reading:

• 3PL vs Own Warehouse Guide
• ERP/OMS Comparison Guide
• First Ecommerce Hire Guide