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Did you know that nearly ifÌýthey can’t find aÌýsatisfactory shipping option? Often, this happens because ofÌýhigh shipping costs orÌýuncertainty around delivery dates.

While ºÚÁÏÃÅ can’t reduce aÌýcarrier’s shipping fees, weÌýcan erase aÌýsecond barrier byÌýhelping you give your customers aÌýclear understanding ofÌýwhen they can expect their purchases.

AÌýrecently released ºÚÁÏÃÅ feature displays anÌýEstimated Delivery Date atÌýcheckout before theÌýpurchase leaving one less reason forÌýtheÌýshoppers toÌýdoubt.

Now ºÚÁÏÃÅ can instantly calculate theÌýtransit time from your company’s address toÌýyour customer’s location, theÌýtime you spend packaging theÌýorder, andÌýfulfillment speed. AsÌýaÌýresult, your buyers will see estimated delivery dates forÌýdifferent shipping options, andÌýbeÌýable toÌýchoose theÌýone that works best forÌýthem. Goodbye abandoned carts. Hello successfully completed purchases.

IfÌýyou ship orders via mail carriers/the postal service, displaying delivery dates will build customer trust, improve conversion, andÌýhelp shoppers choose theÌýright shipping option.

IfÌýyou only offer Pickup orÌýLocal Delivery options, theÌýEstimated Delivery Date feature won’t influence your checkout experience, asÌýPickup andÌýLocal Delivery lets customers choose their specific delivery date. Learn more about local delivery options.

Now let’s take aÌýcloser look.

How Estimated Delivery Date Works

The Estimated Delivery Date feature displays delivery date options atÌýcheckout before your customers complete their purchase. This isÌýimportant, because shoppers don’t like uncertainty: they want toÌýknow when their purchase will arrive before they complete theÌýorder, soÌýthey can budget their time andÌýresources accordingly

The dates that appear toÌýyour customers will depend onÌýtheÌýshipping options you offer. IfÌýyou have several options available, your customers will beÌýable toÌýchoose theÌýone that works best forÌýthem.

How Merchants Benefit from Delivery Dates

Displaying delivery dates can improve theÌýtrust your customers put inÌýyour ²ú°ù²¹²Ô»å—a²Ô»å increase sales accordingly!

We’ve already discussed theÌývalue ofÌýtransparency andÌýtrust ¾±²ÔÌý´Ç³Ü°ù article onÌýlegal docs andÌýhow toÌýuse them. Delivery dates create many ofÌýtheÌýsame benefits.

Showing your customers potential delivery dates isÌýaÌýway ofÌýcommunicating with them. ByÌýopening this dialog, your business demonstrates its reliability andÌýcommitment toÌýconsumer satisfaction. ItÌýshows that you care about customers.

According toÌýtheÌý, consumers “regard delivery dates asÌýaÌýpromise” made byÌýtheÌýbrand. While shopping, customers decide whether toÌýbelieve you orÌýnot andÌýput their loyalty onÌýtheÌýtable asÌýaÌýreward. IfÌýyou succeed inÌýcomplying with your own standards andÌýkeeping this promise, you will win theÌýcustomer’s trust.

IfÌýpeople trust you, they are more likely toÌýbuy from you. And ifÌýthey are happy with your ²ú°ù²¹²Ô»å—a²õ in, they like theÌýproduct/service, they’re more likely toÌýcome back toÌýyour store forÌýtheir next purchase, andÌýeven tell their friends about you. ByÌýsimply being transparent, informative, andÌýconsistent with your promises, you get extra sales from repeat customers andÌýrecommendations forÌýnoÌýextra effort orÌýcost.

That’s how aÌýtiny feature like Estimated Delivery Date can become aÌýgame-changer ´Ú´Ç°ùÌý²¹Ìý³¾±ð°ù³¦³ó²¹²Ô³Ù.

How Shoppers Benefits from Estimated Delivery Date

Displaying delivery dates provides important benefits toÌýshoppers.

They won’t beÌýguessing

Your customers will beÌýsure that their order isÌýgoing toÌýactually beÌýdelivered! AÌýfunny thing (only inÌýtheory, not inÌýpractice), but ifÌýyou take money forÌýaÌýproduct without telling them when this product isÌýgoing toÌýarrive, theÌýcustomers might feel forgotten orÌýeven cheated, wondering when their purchase will arrive andÌýworrying that itÌýwill never come. AÌýrough delivery date estimate will make your customers feel safer shopping atÌýyour store, andÌýprevent anyÌýhint ofÌýstress while waiting.

Plus, consumers will feel free toÌýorganize their week without fear ofÌýmissing anÌýimportant delivery.

They will see theÌývalue ofÌýeach option

Shipping options without delivery dates represent abstractions forÌýyour customers. ByÌýdisplaying approximate delivery dates, you help customers toÌýfeel theÌýtrue value behind each option, andÌýmake aÌýbalanced decision onÌýtheir preferred delivery date.

For example, ifÌýtheÌýcustomer sees that Standard shipping forÌý$5Ìýwill arrive inÌý14Ìýdays, andÌýtheÌýPremium forÌý$20ÌýinÌý3Ìýdays, they can evaluate theÌýpros andÌýcons ofÌýeach, andÌýdecide whether theÌýdifference inÌýtime isÌýworth theÌýmoney.

They won’t get stumped

IfÌýyou offer over five shipping options, but noÌýestimated dates, you might puzzle your customers. It’s difficult toÌýchoose from several options ifÌýtheÌýonly difference isÌýtheÌýname (i.e. “standard shipping” vs. “express shipping”)! They might beÌýable toÌýguess which will arrive first byÌýtheÌýprice, but this still leaves aÌýlot ofÌýroom forÌýconfusion.

Any lack ofÌýclarity during theÌýcheckout process (which isÌýtheÌýmost sensitive stage ofÌýtheÌýpurchase) poses theÌýmajor risk ofÌýlosing aÌýcustomer. Delivery date estimates help shoppers compare their shipping options clearly without confusing them right when itÌýmatters most.

It’s myÌýgrandma’s birthday!

Sometimes weÌýbuy presents forÌýspecial people onÌýspecial occasions. And weÌýwant those presents toÌýbeÌýdelivered onÌýtime, not two days later. Your customers feel theÌýsame way!

Offering shipping options with delivery date estimates will help your customers choose theÌýone that guarantees they’ll beÌýready forÌýtheir grandma’s birthday, well inÌýadvance.

Setting UpÌýEstimated Delivery Date

The first thing andÌýmost important thing toÌýknowÌý— Estimated Delivery Date isÌýavailable forÌýall plans.

The second thingÌý— theÌýfeature works forÌýall shipping methods except forÌýlocal delivery andÌýpickups. Just because these methods are usually made inÌýaÌýfew next days, andÌýlet theÌýcustomers set upÌýtheÌýdate.

Action!

When you , you’ll find aÌýlist ofÌýshipping options. Choose anyÌýcarrier toÌýedit andÌýsee this small yet essential settingÌý— Show estimated delivery date atÌýcheckout.

ByÌýenabling this feature, you will activate theÌýfollowing settings:

• Order preparation timeÌý— how long itÌýtakes toÌýget theÌýorder ready forÌýshipping (for you toÌýproduce, assemble, and/or pack your item).
• Days you pack ordersÌý— ifÌýyour online store isÌýaÌýside business, andÌýyou only process orders onÌýweekends, you’ll beÌýable toÌýindicate that toÌýmake delivery date estimates are precise. OnÌýtheÌýother hand, ifÌýyou’re aÌýfull-time online merchant andÌýtake theÌýweekends off, you can also let theÌýsystem know toÌýensure accurate delivery dates.
• IÌýpack orders received past this time onÌýtheÌýnext day (a.k.a. Áª´Ç°ù»å±ð°ù-±è°ù´Ç³¦±ð²õ²õ¾±²Ô²µ cut-off ³Ù¾±³¾±ð´Ï)Ìý— you don’t have toÌýpackage new orders day andÌýnight. You can mark aÌýcut-off time forÌýpacking orders automatically, soÌýtheÌýsystem knows that orders placed after aÌýcertain time will beÌýprocessed theÌýnext day. This lag becomes calculated inÌýtheÌýdelivery date estimation. IfÌýtheÌýnext day isÌýyour off day, theÌýsystem will take this into account asÌýwell.

All these settings influence theÌýdate displayed atÌýcheckout.

ByÌýmaking your order processing more transparent, you can help shoppers choose theÌýright shipping option forÌýthem, even ifÌýit’s more expensive. Knowing when toÌýexpect their purchase will save theÌýcustomers from order frustration, andÌýsave you from their potential anxiety.

There’s one more important settingÌý— Approximate transit time. It’s used toÌýdefine how many days itÌýtakes toÌýdeliver theÌýorder from theÌýcarrier’s office toÌýtheÌýcustomer’s location.

IfÌýyou ship with USPS, UPS, FedEx, Canada Post, MDS, orÌýBrasil Correios andÌýuse carrier-calculated automatic rates your ºÚÁÏÃÅ shop will receive transit times automatically andÌýadd them toÌýtheÌýoverall delivery calculation. You won’t even see this configuration inÌýaction.

But ifÌýyou ship with another carrier, orÌýset upÌýtheÌýshipping options manually, you’ll have toÌýdefine transit time manually. It’s easy. Just set theÌýminimum andÌýtheÌýmaximum number ofÌýdays theÌýdelivery will take. Ask your shipping company toÌýhelp you with transit estimates. Consider adding anÌýextra day toÌýtheÌýtransit time toÌýplay safe, just inÌýcase.

Still have questions? Here’s aÌýfull-fledged video tutorial onÌýsetting upÌýcarrier calculated shipping with theÌýEstimated Delivery Date feature.

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InÌýClosing

Estimated Delivery Date isÌýanÌýoutstanding (and free!) feature that improves theÌýshopping experience forÌýyour customers. Aside from its obvious informational purpose, itÌýpositively influences:

• Customers trust inÌýyour store
• Conversion rate atÌýcheckout
• Customer retention

This new ºÚÁÏÃÅ feature also helps customers choose theÌýshipping option that aligns best with their lifestyle andÌýrespects their schedule. Estimated delivery dates are aÌýgood way toÌýshow your customers that you are attentive toÌýtheir needs andÌýcare about their shopping success.

IfÌýyou ship orders with carriers (like USPS, UPS, orÌýFedEx) andÌýwant toÌýdeliver aÌýnext-level shipping experience toÌýyour customers, toÌýstart displaying delivery dates atÌýcheckout.

Activate theÌýEstimated Delivery DateÌýfeature andÌýweÌýpromise, both your customers andÌýyour store will feel theÌýdifference.

Did weÌýmention that Delivery Date isÌýavailable forÌýall plans? Oh, ²â±ð²¹³ó—w±ð did. Well, it’s such aÌýgreat feature that itÌýbears repeating. Delivery Date isÌýfree forÌýall plans! !

Ìý

• Local Businesses, Step UpÌýYour Game with Delivery Time Picker atÌýCheckout
• Estimated Delivery Date atÌýCheckout: Trust andÌýConversion
• Selling Online with Local Delivery Made Easy
• What IsÌýCurbside Pickup?
• How toÌýSet UpÌýCurbside Pickup andÌýLocal Delivery