diff --git a/rattail/batch/custorder.py b/rattail/batch/custorder.py
index 3b921b4b39dbdb659744a8b8294aec0c9454e6e9..b5f404c42167f02484c3024cd55a2695c53f3c8f 100644
--- a/rattail/batch/custorder.py
+++ b/rattail/batch/custorder.py
@@ -381,11 +381,16 @@ class CustomerOrderBatchHandler(BatchHandler):
         def convert(row, i):
             item = model.CustomerOrderItem()
             item.sequence = i
-            item.status_code = self.enum.CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_ORDERED
+            item.status_code = self.enum.CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_INITIATED
             for field in row_fields:
                 setattr(item, field, getattr(row, field))
             order.items.append(item)
 
+            # attach event
+            item.events.append(model.CustomerOrderItemEvent(
+                type_code=self.enum.CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_INITIATED,
+                user=user))
+
         self.progress_loop(convert, batch.active_rows(), progress,
                            message="Converting batch rows to order items")
 
diff --git a/rattail/enum.py b/rattail/enum.py
index 1e53ec82e2cd2b6a263f7b28a389a236cfd0a496..c61df73118d2e630c21922d410c792aec4263d7c 100644
--- a/rattail/enum.py
+++ b/rattail/enum.py
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ The following enumerations are provided:
 
 from __future__ import unicode_literals, absolute_import
 
+from rattail.util import OrderedDict
+
 
 BATCH_ACTION_ADD                = 'ADD'
 BATCH_ACTION_ADD_REPLACE        = 'ADDRPL'
@@ -90,13 +92,70 @@ CUSTORDER_STATUS = {
 }
 
 
-CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_ORDERED           = 10
-# CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_PAID              = 20
-
-CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS = {
-    CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_ORDERED       : "ordered",
-    # CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_PAID          : "paid",
-}
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_INITIATED         = 10
+# TODO: deprecate / remove this one
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_ORDERED           = CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_INITIATED
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_PAID              = 20
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_PLACED            = 30
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_RECEIVED          = 40
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_CONTACTED         = 50
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_CONTACT_FAILED    = 60
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_DELIVERED         = 70
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_CANCELED          = 900
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_REFUND_PENDING    = 910
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_REFUNDED          = 920
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_RESTOCKED         = 930
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_EXPIRED           = 940
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_INACTIVE          = 950
+
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS = OrderedDict([
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_INITIATED,           "customer order initiated"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_PAID,                "payment received"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_PLACED,              "order placed with vendor"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_RECEIVED,            "received from vendor"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_CONTACTED,           "customer contacted"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_CONTACT_FAILED,      "unable to contact customer"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_DELIVERED,           "delivered to customer"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_CANCELED,            "canceled"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_REFUND_PENDING,      "refund pending"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_REFUNDED,            "refunded"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_RESTOCKED,           "restocked"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_EXPIRED,             "expired"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_STATUS_INACTIVE,            "inactive"),
+])
+
+
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_INITIATED          = 10
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_PAID               = 20
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_PLACED             = 30
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_RECEIVED           = 40
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_CONTACTED          = 50
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_CONTACT_FAILED     = 60
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_DELIVERED          = 70
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_STATUS_CHANGE      = 500 # nb. this is not in STATUS enum
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_CANCELED           = 900
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_REFUND_PENDING     = 910
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_REFUNDED           = 920
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_RESTOCKED          = 930
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_EXPIRED            = 940
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_INACTIVE           = 950
+
+CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT = OrderedDict([
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_INITIATED,            "customer order initiated"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_PAID,                 "payment received"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_PLACED,               "order placed with vendor"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_RECEIVED,             "received from vendor"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_CONTACTED,            "customer contacted"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_CONTACT_FAILED,       "unable to contact customer"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_DELIVERED,            "delivered to customer"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_STATUS_CHANGE,        "manual status change"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_CANCELED,             "canceled"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_REFUND_PENDING,       "refund pending"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_REFUNDED,             "refunded"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_RESTOCKED,            "restocked"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_EXPIRED,              "expired"),
+    (CUSTORDER_ITEM_EVENT_INACTIVE,             "inactive"),
+])
 
 
 EMAIL_ATTEMPT_CREATED           = 0