Ship dates, delivery dates, estimated delivery dates, and a variety of other dates are critical for ecommerce businesses to understand and meet. With 22% of customers abandoning their carts due to slow delivery, it’s critical to inform customers about shipping dates to increase conversion rates. Over-communicating print on demand shipping dates can also help relieve customer frustration, reduce the likelihood of failed delivery attempts, and improve order management. But first, let’s talk about a print on demand ship date.

THE 6 MOST IMPORTANT PRINT ON DEMAND SHIPPING DATES TO TRACK

1. Ship Date

The ship date is when the order is shipped from the seller or warehouse to the customer. For example, if you offer 2-day shipping, the package is expected to arrive at your customer’s location two days after it leaves your warehouse. It’s important to note that the order and ship dates are not always the same. This could be due to ecommerce stores only being open during the week and not on weekends, as well as shipping cutoff times during the day.

2. Estimated Shipping Date

The estimated shipping date is a good guess for when the order will be shipped. It is not always perfect and maybe a day or two late due to ecommerce order fulfillment cutoffs. In rare cases, a customer will purchase a product that sells out before the order can be filled. This is referred to as a backorder. When a backorder is placed, an estimated shipping time is provided to inform customers when their order will ship and be delivered.

3. Estimated Delivery Date

The estimated delivery date, like the estimated shipping date, is when a customer can reasonably expect the order to arrive. It is usually displayed at the checkout. This date may be replaced by many days for non-guaranteed shipping methods. Some businesses also provide estimated delivery times. It can be established once an order is in the hands of the carrier. Shipping delays occur for various reasons, but this estimate assists the customer in planning for them. This increases the value of ecommerce order tracking.

4. Date Of Invoice Creation

The invoice creation date, which is not always the same as the billing date, is the date the invoice was created, which could be days before the order was processed.

5. Date of Delivery

This is the precise date the shipment is delivered to the customer. For a variety of reasons, delivery dates do not always match their estimated delivery date. Delivery exceptions occur due to customs issues, federal holidays, severe weather conditions, damaged or missing labels, failed delivery attempts, and other factors.

6. Return Date

The return date is when the product is returned to the seller, as opposed to the return window, which is the total time a customer has to initiate a return and return the product to the seller. This is also distinct from a return cutoff, the deadline for making an ecommerce return.

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN ESTIMATING DELIVERY TIMES

1. Shipping Services And Transit Times

Transit times vary depending on the carrier, the service selected, and the shipping destination, among other factors. Cheaper, slower delivery options are typically not guaranteed and may require multiple modes of transportation, lengthening the journey and subjecting it to varying conditions. The longer the delivery, the more expensive it will be. Fast and guaranteed options, such as overnight shipping, can help ensure the ship date and delivery date if you’re willing to pay for it.

2. National Holidays

Shipping times can be significantly slowed because many businesses are closed on holidays. When shipping internationally, the sender or receiver may be unaware of the other country’s federal holiday closures. Many businesses in the United States are closed on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and other holidays.

3. Slowdowns Caused By The Weather

Natural slowdowns such as heavy rains, snow, and damage from natural disasters may cause your package deliveries to be delayed. For example, shipments to the southern United States are frequently delayed during hurricane season.

4. Customs

If you’re shipping internationally, there are even more variables to consider. Customs clearance and delivery, for example, can take days or even weeks. Packages are frequently held up at customs for longer than expected, especially when the proper tariff codes are missing. Working with carriers such as UPS, FedEx, or DHL can reduce international shipping times. Because packages must be handed off to a specific country’s mailing service, USPS may take longer.

CONCLUSION

Shipping dates may appear insignificant, but communicating them to your site’s visitors can significantly impact its performance. Thinking about ship dates may not seem very exciting in business. This, however, is an important aspect of running a successful business. Gathering relevant data to set the right ship dates so that your customers receive your products on time is critical to any organization’s success. 

Want to give your customers more delivery options while spending less time on shipping? Consider partnering with a top ecommerce fulfillment company like Fulfillplex to handle your order volume seamlessly, expand your shipping options, and lower the costs of managing a warehouse and retail fulfillment. Get in touch with us now.

The post A Beginners Guide to Tracking Print on Demand Shipping Dates first appeared on Fulfillplex.