Order Merging Apps vs. Addora: What's the Difference?

Three orders, three boxes

Picture one of your best customers. On Monday, they buy a record from your store. On Wednesday, a new release drops, so they buy that too. On Friday, they find one more.

That is three orders. For you, it means three boxes to pack, three labels to print, and three trips to the post office. For your customer, it means paying for shipping three times.

Many customers don't like that. Some wait and buy less. Some leave things in their cart. Some go to a marketplace where they can combine items instead.

There are two ways to fix this on Shopify. Let's look at both.

Way 1: Order merging apps

Order merging apps are back office tools. They work in your Shopify admin, where only you and your team can see them.

Here is how they work:

1. Your customer places a few orders, one at a time.
2. The app spots that they are from the same person, going to the same address.
3. The app joins them into one order, either by itself or when you click a button.
4. You pack one box instead of three.

Apps like MergeIt ‑ Combine Merge Orders and Order Merging ‑ Combine Orders do this job. They can merge orders automatically using rules you set, and they keep your sales and tax numbers tidy. That is a real help for busy stores.

There are also order editing apps. These let your customers change an order after they place it, like fixing an address or adding one more item. They usually give a short window before the order ships.

Both are useful tools. But they mostly fix things after the sale. Your customers often don't know merging is happening, so it doesn't change how often they buy or how much they spend.

Way 2: Addora and Buy Now Ship Later

Addora is different. It is not a back office fix. It is a feature your customers see and use right at checkout.

We call it Buy Now Ship Later. Here is how it works:

1. Your customer buys an item and picks "Ship Later" at checkout.
2. You hold the item for them.
3. They keep shopping in your store. Each new order joins their box.
4. When they are ready, they ask to ship everything together. You pack one box.

Think of it like a box with their name on it, kept at your shop. They can keep filling it up and choose when it ships.

You set the rules. Your customers choose the timing. Because they are in control, they come back to your store again and again to add to their box.

The big difference

Order merging apps save you money on orders you already have. Addora helps you get more orders.

A merging app cleans up after orders come in. Addora changes how your customers shop in the first place, so they buy more often from you.

What it means for your store

When your customers are in control, they shop with you more often and spend more each time.

What you get:

• Customers who use Addora come back 5.6 times more to buy again.
• They spend 2.7 times more on average.
• They put 3 to 7 orders into one box. That means fewer boxes, less tape, and less time packing.
• Fewer parcels also means less packaging waste. That helps with new rules like the EU's packaging law (PPWR).

Why your customers love it:

• They pay for shipping once, not every time they buy.
• They can grab each new release the day it drops, without waiting to bundle an order.
• They get one big box instead of lots of small ones.

One independent record store saw this happen fast. In the first month, Addora made up 24% of their revenue. It went as high as 79%, then settled at 51% by month three. Their customers clearly liked having the choice.

Which one is right for your store?

It depends on what you want to fix.

If you just want to tidy up orders that come in close together, an order merging app can do a great job.

If you want customers to come back more, spend more, and choose your store over a marketplace, try Addora. It turns "three orders, three boxes" into "three orders, one box, shipped when the customer is ready."

Addora has a free plan and a 30-day free trial. Add Addora to your Shopify store and see how your customers respond.