Getting started with fulfillment time and delivery dates
You can display delivery dates at checkout to help customers know when to expect their orders. Delivery dates can encourage customers to complete purchases by giving them confidence in when items will arrive.
Before you display delivery dates, you need to set your fulfillment time. You can choose from different delivery date options depending on your location, plan, and preferences.
Delivery date options
You can choose from different delivery date options depending on your store's eligibility. The following table compares each option, including when to use it and what requirements you need to meet.
| Option | Description | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Automated delivery dates | Predict specific dates based on your shipping performance, such as Estimated delivery Mon, Jun 30. Automated dates adjust based on your performance and use your actual fulfillment history. Use this option when you want performance-based predictions and have fulfilled at least one US domestic order. | Basic plan or higher, active US fulfillment location, fulfilled at least one US domestic order. |
| Manual delivery dates | Calculate date ranges based on fulfillment time and transit time that you set, such as Wednesday, October 27 – Thursday, October 28. Manual dates give you more control over what's displayed and support multiple countries. Use this option when you prefer consistent date ranges or ship from outside the US. | Set up fulfillment time and shipping rates with transit time (flat rates, shipping label calculated rates, or negotiated carrier-calculated rates). Available on all plans. |
| No delivery dates | Choose not to display delivery dates. Only transit times or custom shipping rate descriptions are displayed to customers. Use this option when you don't want to commit to specific delivery timeframes. | None. |
You can use both automated and manual delivery dates together. If an order isn't eligible for automated dates, such as when delivery prediction is greater than 5 days, then manual delivery dates are displayed as a fallback.
Fulfillment time options
Regardless of which delivery date method you choose, you need to set your fulfillment time. Your fulfillment time is used to:
- Set the Fulfill by date in the order index and order details page
- Calculate delivery dates at checkout
- Determine eligibility for Shop Promise
You can choose from the following fulfillment time options:
- Same business day
- Next business day
- 2 business days
- Custom (3 to 40 business days, or 1 to 8 weeks)
To learn more about fulfillment time and how to improve your process, refer to Understanding fulfillment time.
Customer experience
When you set up delivery dates, estimated delivery information displays at checkout, in accelerated checkouts such as Shop Pay, in order confirmation emails, and on the Thank You and Order Details pages after checkout.