A Practical Guide to Delivery Date Estimates
Showing shoppers when an order is likely to arrive, based on processing time, carrier transit times and cut-off times.
Marcus Adeyemi
At a glance
- Components handling time plus carrier transit time
- Cut-off times orders after a set time ship the next business day
- Holidays carrier schedules change around holidays
- FTC rule shipping claims need a reasonable basis
Why it matters
Why it matters: Delivery dates help shoppers decide, especially for gifts, but inaccurate estimates damage trust and lead to disputes.
Best practice
- Show estimated delivery dates on product and checkout pages
- Base estimates on real fulfillment data
- Display order cut-off times
- Adjust for holidays and peak seasons
- Update customers when delays occur
Common pitfalls
Watch out for:
- Optimistic estimates that ignore handling time
- One estimate for every region
- Ignoring holiday closures
- Silent delays
When to call in a specialist
Bottom line Bring in help when delivery estimates are frequently wrong.
Where this comes from
- Federal Trade Commission — Business Guide to the Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule
- Google Merchant Center Help — Set up shipping settings
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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