To write a shipping policy, state your processing time (for example, ships in 1–3 business days), the carriers and shipping options you offer with costs and delivery estimates, any free shipping threshold, where you ship internationally and who pays duties, how tracking works, and what happens if a package is lost or damaged. Add holiday cutoff dates each November.
A clear shipping policy answers “when will it arrive?” before the customer emails you, and it keeps you honest about promises you can meet. Our free shipping policy generator turns your answers into a plain-English draft with a rates table, ready to copy as text, Markdown or HTML. This guide is the deeper version, with sample wording, 2026 holiday dates and the US shipping-time rule. It's general information, not legal advice.
- Processing time + transit time = delivery time. State both, in business days.
- In the US, the FTC expects you to ship within the time you state, or within 30 days if you state none, and to tell customers about delays and offer a refund.
- Show a rates table: each option, its cost and its estimated delivery time, plus any free shipping threshold.
- International: list countries, delivery times and who pays customs duties.
- 2026 USPS holiday dates (lower 48): Ground Advantage December 17, Priority Mail December 18, Priority Mail Express December 19.
How to write a shipping policy: what to include
Cover eight topics, in this order, each in a few short lines.
| Section | What to say | Example wording |
|---|---|---|
| Processing time | Business days from order to dispatch; same-day cutoff; made-to-order extra time | “Orders ship within 1–3 business days. Orders placed before 1 pm Eastern on a business day can ship the same day.” |
| Shipping options and rates | Carriers, service names, costs, delivery estimates | “Standard (USPS Ground Advantage), 2–5 business days, $5.95.” |
| Free shipping | Threshold and which options qualify | “Free standard shipping on US orders over $50.” |
| Where you ship | Domestic regions, PO boxes, APO/FPO, countries | “We ship to all 50 states and PO boxes.” |
| International | Countries, delivery times, costs, duties | “Customs duties and import taxes are paid by the customer on delivery.” |
| Tracking | Every order or some options | “Every order gets a tracking number by email.” |
| Lost, late or damaged | Report window and what you'll do | “Tell us within 7 days of the expected delivery date and we'll open a claim, then replace or refund.” |
| Contact and last updated | Email and a date | “Questions? hello@yourstore.com. Last updated October 11, 2026.” |
The generator has a field for each of these: minimum and maximum processing days, a same-day cutoff, a made-to-order note, up to 8 shipping options with costs and delivery times, a free shipping threshold, PO boxes, international regions and duties, tracking, and how long customers have to report lost or damaged parcels. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
What is processing time vs shipping time?
Processing (or handling) time is how long you take to pack and hand the order to the carrier; shipping (transit) time is how long the carrier takes after that. Customers think in total delivery time, so spell out both and add them up for them.
| Item type | Typical processing time | Policy wording |
|---|---|---|
| In-stock items | 1–3 business days | “Ships within 1–3 business days.” |
| Handmade to order | 5–10 business days | “Made to order; ships within 5–10 business days.” |
| Personalized items | Base time plus extra days | “Personalized items take 5 to 7 extra business days.” |
| Print-on-demand | Depends on the print partner | Use the partner's production time plus a buffer |
| Pre-orders | A date range | “Expected to ship November 15–22, 2026.” |
Say “business days” and name the days you don't ship (weekends, public holidays). On marketplaces, set the same processing time in the listing or shipping profile, because that's what the estimated delivery date at checkout is built from.
What does the FTC say about shipping times?
In the US, the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule says you must have a reasonable basis for any shipping time you state, and if you don't state one, you must be able to ship within 30 days.
- If you can't ship on time, you must tell the customer, give a new date, and let them agree to the delay or cancel for a full refund.
- If they cancel, or don't agree where consent is required, refund promptly for the unshipped items.
- It applies to most goods ordered online, by phone or by mail, however the customer pays.
In practice: only promise times you can meet, build in a buffer, and email customers the moment a delay happens. Other countries have their own rules on delivery times and when risk passes to the buyer; in the EU, for example, goods are generally the seller's risk until the consumer receives them. Check the FTC's business guide and your local rules before you publish.
The FTC shipping rule and USPS holiday dates were checked in October 2026. Marketplaces change their rules, so confirm the current requirements in your seller dashboard before you upload a large batch.
How should I price shipping in my policy?
Pick one of four models and show it as a simple table: real-time carrier rates, flat rate, free over a threshold, or free on everything with shipping built into prices.
| Model | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier-calculated | Accurate; you rarely lose money | Customers see the cost late; can feel high |
| Flat rate (e.g. $5.95) | Simple to explain | Loses money on heavy or bulky orders |
| Free over a threshold (e.g. $50) | Lifts order value | Margin hit on orders just over the line |
| Free on everything | Removes a checkout objection | Shipping cost moves into your prices |
Before you set a flat or free rate, price your real shipping cost per order. Bulky, light items often bill on dimensional weight rather than scale weight; our guide to calculating dimensional weight explains the 139 divisor, and the free dimensional weight calculator works it out per box. Then check what's left with the profit margin calculator or our guide to profit margin.
What should my policy say about international shipping?
List the countries or regions you ship to, the delivery estimate and cost, and exactly who pays customs duties and import taxes.
- Duties paid by the customer on delivery (often called DAP or DDU): cheapest for you, but say it clearly. Surprise fees are a top cause of refused parcels.
- Duties included at checkout (DDP): best customer experience; needs a checkout or carrier service that calculates and collects them.
- Longer delivery windows: international estimates of 7–21 business days are common for economy services; customs can add more.
- Restricted items: some products (batteries, liquids, perfume, plants, food) can't go to every country. Say which items you don't ship abroad.
Shipping sorted? Make the listing photos as dependable as your delivery times: white-background and lifestyle images from your own product shots, product kept exactly as shot.
Make listing photos7 days free · 50 credits · No credit cardWhat should a shipping policy say about lost or damaged packages?
Give a reporting window and say what you'll do: open a claim with the carrier, then replace or refund.
- Report window: “Contact us within 7 days of the expected delivery date if your order hasn't arrived, or within 7 days of delivery if it arrives damaged.”
- Evidence: ask for photos of the damaged item and the box; carriers usually want them for claims.
- “Delivered but not received”: ask the customer to check with neighbors and their local post office, then open a carrier claim or missing-mail search. Say how you'll handle it after that.
- Wrong address: “We're not responsible for orders shipped to an address entered incorrectly at checkout, but we'll help where we can.” Offer address changes before dispatch.
On marketplaces, buyer protection programs may refund customers for lost or damaged parcels regardless of what your policy says, so tracked shipping protects you as much as the buyer.
When should I add holiday shipping cutoffs?
Add them by mid-November and pin them to your homepage: work backward from the carrier's recommended date by your processing time.
| USPS service (contiguous US) | Recommended send-by date for delivery by Dec 25, 2026 | Your order cutoff if you need 2 business days |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Advantage | Thursday, December 17 | Tuesday, December 15 |
| First-Class Mail | Thursday, December 17 | Tuesday, December 15 |
| Priority Mail | Friday, December 18 | Wednesday, December 16 |
| Priority Mail Express | Saturday, December 19 | Thursday, December 17 |
USPS lists earlier dates for Alaska, Hawaii, international and military addresses, and UPS and FedEx publish their own; check each carrier's holiday page. Hanukkah runs December 4–12 in 2026, so gift orders for it need earlier cutoffs. Sample wording: “Order by December 15 for delivery by December 25 with standard shipping (US). After that, choose Priority Mail Express at checkout; delivery dates are carrier estimates, not guarantees.” Our holiday listing photo checklist covers the rest of the seasonal prep.
How do I write and publish my shipping policy, step by step?
- Write down your real processing time, carriers, options and costs, and the countries you ship to.
- Open the shipping policy generator and enter your answers.
- Read the preview and remove any promise you can't keep every week of the year.
- Copy it as plain text, or HTML if your store editor has a code view, and paste it into your shipping policy page.
- Set matching handling times and rates in your Etsy, Shopify or Amazon settings.
- Link it from the footer, product pages, checkout and order emails.
- Update it each November for holiday cutoffs and whenever carriers or rates change.
Shipping and returns questions arrive together, so publish both at once. The return policy generator uses the same simple format, and our guide to writing a return policy covers the sections. A one-line summary of both fits nicely on your packing slip.
Frequently asked questions
What should be included in a shipping policy?
Processing time, shipping options with costs and delivery estimates, any free shipping threshold, where you ship (including PO boxes and international), who pays customs duties, tracking, what happens with lost or damaged packages, holiday cutoffs and a contact email.
How long should processing time be?
1–3 business days is common for in-stock items; handmade or personalized items often need 5–10 business days. Pick a range you can meet even in busy weeks, and set the same time in your marketplace settings.
What is the 30-day shipping rule?
It's the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule. US sellers must ship within the time they state, or within 30 days if they state none. If there's a delay, they must tell the customer and offer the option to cancel for a full refund.
Who is responsible for a lost package, the seller or the buyer?
It depends on the law where the buyer lives, your policy and the platform. In the EU, goods are generally the seller's risk until the consumer receives them, and marketplace protection programs often refund buyers for parcels that never arrive. Tracked shipping and carrier claims protect you either way.
Do I need a shipping policy for my online store?
Most platforms expect one, and customers look for it before buying. It sets expectations on delivery times and costs, reduces support emails and gives you a clear reference when a parcel goes missing.
When is the last day to ship for Christmas 2026?
USPS recommends sending by December 17 for Ground Advantage, December 18 for Priority Mail and December 19 for Priority Mail Express to reach contiguous US addresses by December 25. Set your order cutoff a few days earlier to allow for processing.
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