Once an order is packed and ready, the next step is to get it to the customer.

The correct process depends on the fulfilment method the customer selected at checkout. Your job is to follow that method, update the order as real steps happen, and make sure the customer actually receives what they bought.

Check the fulfilment method

Open the order in your Tambala seller dashboard and check how the customer chose to receive it.

Depending on the options available for your business, this may be:

Pickup from you.
Delivery by you or your driver.
A courier service.
A Tambala Pickup Point.
Tambala Market Delivery.

Follow the method shown on the order.

Do not change the arrangement simply because another option is more convenient for you. If something needs to change, communicate with the customer and use the appropriate Tambala process so the order record remains clear.

If the customer is collecting from you

For a pickup order, keep the package somewhere clean and secure until the customer arrives.

When the order is genuinely ready, update it to Ready for Pickup where that option is available. This tells/notifies the customer that they can come and collect it. Do not mark an order ready while you are still preparing it.
When the customer arrives, confirm that you are giving the package to the right person. Use the customer name, order number or other information shown on the order. For higher-value orders, you may also want to confirm identity before handing over the package.
Once the customer has actually received it, update the order as Picked Up.

Do not mark it picked up simply because the customer said they were on the way.

If you are delivering the order yourself

If you or your driver are taking the package to the customer, check the delivery details before leaving.

Make sure the driver has the correct address, customer contact information and order.
When the package genuinely leaves for delivery, update the order to Out for Delivery where available. If something delays the delivery, let the customer know.
When the package reaches the customer, confirm the handover before marking it Delivered. Do not mark an order delivered while it is still with the driver.

Where Tambala provides a way to record proof of delivery, use it when it is useful, especially for valuable orders or situations where the package is left at an agreed location. You will. normally be requested to take a picture when updating the status.

If you are using a courier

If the customer selected a courier, prepare the package for the longer journey and follow the courier instructions connected to the order.

Hand the parcel to the correct courier and keep any useful receipt or tracking information where available. Update the order when the package has actually been handed over. You will be requested to take a picture.
From there, follow the courier and Tambala status until the customer receives or collects it.
Giving a package to the courier does not mean the customer has received it. Do not mark the order completed at the point of handover.

If the courier has trouble reaching the customer, they will normally call you, please work through the normal courier or check with the Tambala team and keep the customer informed where necessary.

If the order uses a Tambala Pickup Point

A Tambala Pickup Point lets the customer collect their order from a designated location rather than directly from you.

Prepare and label the package carefully, then take or send it to the pickup point shown on the order. Make sure the package is connected to the correct customer and order before handing it over.
Only update the order once the pickup point has genuinely received the parcel.
The customer can then collect it from there. Do not mark the order. Mark as delivered at Pick up point. This notifies the customer that their order is ready for pickup. Tambala market team will complete the order from there.

If the order uses Tambala Market Delivery

When the customer selects Tambala Market Delivery, prepare the package and follow the handover instructions shown for that order.

Tambala will then handle the delivery process according to the service available. Your responsibility is to make sure the correct package is ready and handed over properly.
Once Tambala has the parcel, follow the order status in your seller dashboard.
Do not create a separate delivery arrangement with the customer unless the Tambala process specifically requires it.

If something goes wrong after handover, use the delivery or support process connected to the order rather than guessing what happened.

Keep the order status accurate

Every status should describe something that has actually happened.

Ready for Pickup means the package is ready.

Out for Delivery means it has left for the customer.

Delivered means it has reached the customer.

Picked Up means the customer has collected it.

These updates help customers understand what is happening and create a useful record if a problem comes up later.

Do not move an order forward simply because you expect the next step to happen soon.

Keep useful proof of handover

Depending on the fulfilment method, Tambala may allow you to record things such as delivery photos, courier details or other handover information. Use these tools where they help confirm what happened.

For example, if a customer asked you to leave a parcel with reception, a clear delivery record may be useful later. Do not collect unnecessary personal information or take photographs that expose more than is needed.

The purpose is simply to keep a reasonable record of fulfilment.

If the customer cannot be reached

Sometimes a driver or courier reaches the destination but cannot contact the customer.

Do not mark the order delivered.

Try the contact information shown on the order and follow the normal process for that fulfilment method.

You may need to arrange another attempt, hold the parcel for collection or return it.

Do not leave a valuable order somewhere unsafe just to finish the delivery.

If the problem continues, use Solve Product Order Problems.

If the customer does not collect

For pickup orders, keep the package safe and contact the customer where appropriate.

Do not mark it as collected until the handover actually happens.

If the order remains uncollected, follow Tambala's current process rather than creating your own rule about cancellation, refunds or how long the parcel should be kept.

The same applies to courier and pickup-point orders that are never collected.

If the customer asks to change the delivery arrangement

A customer may sometimes ask for a different option after ordering.

For example, they may have chosen pickup but later ask for home delivery.

Before agreeing, make sure the change can be handled properly and that any additional cost is clear.

Do not collect an extra delivery payment informally or make an arrangement that leaves the Tambala order showing something different from what actually happened.

The order record should reflect the real fulfilment journey.

If a teammate handles fulfilment

A teammate can help dispatch, deliver or hand over customer orders if they have the right access.

They should follow the same rules as the owner.

Everyone working on fulfilment should understand that order statuses record real actions.

One teammate should not use Delivered to mean “sent with the driver” while another uses it to mean “customer received it.”

A shared process keeps the customer information and order history reliable.

See Team & Access for how to give teammates the right permissions.

When the customer receives the order

Once the customer has received or collected the package, update the order accordingly.

Tambala will then move the order through the remaining completion process based on the current marketplace rules.

If the customer reports a problem after receiving the order, such as damage, a missing item or the wrong product, use the appropriate returns, refunds or dispute process.

Do not try to solve a post-delivery problem by changing the fulfilment history.

The important thing to remember

An order is not fulfilled simply because it has left your hands.

It is fulfilled when the correct customer receives the correct package through the agreed method.

Keep the process simple:

Follow the method the customer chose.

Update the status when something actually happens.

Keep useful proof where necessary.

Do not mark the order received before the customer has it.

That gives both you and the customer a clear record from dispatch to handover.

If the order still needs to be prepared, see Prepare and Pack an Order.

If something goes wrong during delivery or collection, use Solve Product Order Problems.

For a quick explanation of each stage, see Order Statuses Explained.