Ever waited anxiously for an online order to arrive, only to learn that it wouldn’t arrive for another week? Did you ever receive a package much later than anticipated? A customer’s expectation of delivery date is one of the most important factors in online shopping. Providing accurate and reliable delivery estimates is a top priority for online shoppers looking for information about when their orders will arrive.
In fact, a survey conducted by MetaPack revealed that 96% of customers consider the expected delivery date to be the most important factor in their online shopping experience. As an e-commerce business owner, it’s essential to provide your customers with a reliable and accurate expected date of delivery. Failure to do so can result in customer frustration, negative reviews, and ultimately, a loss of business.
But how can you formulate and calculate the expected date of delivery, and what factors should you consider? In this article, we’ll dive into the nitty-gritty of how to formulate and calculate the expected date of delivery, so you can facilitate a better customer experience journey and your business running smoothly.
Let’s get started!
What is the Expected Date of Delivery in e-commerce?
In e-commerce, the phrase “Expected Date of Delivery” (EDD) is used to indicate when customers can expect to receive their purchased products. It is a key part of the experience of shopping online, and it is critical for ensuring that customers are happy with their purchases. The estimated delivery date is based on several variables, including the processing time required by the seller, the shipping time required by the carrier, and the customer’s location. In other words, it is an estimate of when the order will be delivered to the customer’s location.
Offering a dependable and accurate Expected Date of Delivery is crucial for e-commerce firms, as it enables customers to plan and manage their delivery expectations. In addition, it assists businesses in managing their inventory and optimizing their supply chain to ensure on-time product delivery.
It plays a crucial role in managing customer expectations and satisfaction, as it provides a reliable timeframe for when they can expect to receive their purchased goods. Accurate Expected Date of Delivery calculations involve considering factors such as order processing time, shipping method, carrier performance, destination distance, customs clearance, and holidays or non-business days.
Factors Influencing the Expected Date of Delivery
The expected delivery date (EDD) is an estimation of when a product will arrive at a customer’s designated address. It’s not a guaranteed arrival date, but rather a timeframe based on several factors. Here’s a breakdown of the key components influencing the estimated delivery dates:
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Processing Time
This refers to the time it takes the seller to prepare the order for shipment after it’s placed. It may involve picking, packing, and any necessary quality checks. Processing times can vary depending on the seller’s size, product type, and current order volume. -
Shipping Method
The chosen shipping method significantly impacts delivery speed. Options typically range from slower and more economical ground shipping to faster but pricier expedited options like overnight or next-day delivery. -
Carrier Service
Different carrier services (e.g., FedEx, UPS, USPS) have varying delivery timeframes based on their networks and infrastructure. Choosing a specific carrier can influence the EDD. -
Origin and Destination
The distance between the seller’s location (origin) and the customer’s address (destination) plays a major role. Deliveries across longer distances naturally take longer compared to those within the same city or region. -
External Factors
Unforeseen circumstances like bad weather, natural disasters, or customs delays can impact delivery times. While not always predictable, acknowledging these possibilities is important when formulating EDDs. -
Destination
The package’s final destination can also affect the EDD. Delivery to remote locations or regions with terrible weather may need an extension of the commute time. -
Shipping Distance
Distance between the seller and the buyer can affect when the shipment will arrive. Shipping to a close destination often results in a shorter delivery time than shipping to a distant destination. -
Availability of Inventory
If a product is out of stock or on backorder, the processing time and, consequently, the EDD can be delayed. -
Order Volume
High order volume during peak seasons, such as holidays or special sales events, can result in lengthier processing and shipping times. -
International Shipping
Due to customs and other laws, international shipping of products can take longer than domestic shipping.
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Difference Between the Expected Shipping Date and Expected Delivery Date
The expected shipping date and the expected delivery date are two different things that are often confused and used interchangeably. The expected shipping date is the date when the seller will send the product to the carrier for delivery. It’s the date when the product leaves the seller’s facility or warehouse. The expected shipping date is usually estimated based on the processing time, which is the time it takes the seller to prepare the product for shipment after the order is placed.
The expected delivery date, on the other hand, is the estimated date when the product will arrive at the customer’s designated shipping address. The expected delivery date is calculated based on the shipping method selected by the customer, the carrier’s transit time, and any other factors that may affect the delivery time.
In other words, the expected shipping date is the date when the product will be shipped, and the expected delivery date is the date when the product is expected to be delivered to the customer.
Benefits of Estimated Delivery Dates
Estimated delivery dates are beneficial for both businesses and their customers in several ways:
- Managing customer expectations: Providing estimated delivery dates helps manage customer expectations and reduces the likelihood of customer complaints or frustration due to delayed delivery.
- Increased customer satisfaction: When a business can deliver products within the estimated delivery date, it can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- Increased sales: Providing estimated delivery dates can help increase sales by reducing the perceived risk of online shopping, making customers more likely to purchase.
- Reduced customer service workload: Providing estimated delivery dates can reduce the number of inquiries and complaints about delivery times, allowing customer service teams to focus on other issues.
- Better inventory management: Providing estimated delivery dates can help businesses better manage their inventory levels and ensure that they have sufficient stock on hand to fulfill orders within the estimated delivery time.
- Improved logistics and operations: Providing estimated delivery dates can help businesses optimize their logistics and operations processes to ensure that products are delivered within the estimated timeframe.
Streamlining Expected Date of Delivery
By employing the ELEX EasyPost (FedEx, UPS, Canada Post & USPS) Shipping & Label Printing Plugin for WooCommerce, businesses can save time and effort in calculating estimated delivery dates manually. The plugin integrates with major shipping carriers and provides real-time shipping rates and estimated delivery dates, allowing businesses to provide accurate and reliable delivery estimates to their customers.
With this plugin, businesses can improve customer satisfaction, reduce cart abandonment rates, and gain a competitive advantage in the e-commerce landscape. Let’s go through a quick overview of how to display estimated delivery dates using the ELEX EasyPost Shipping & Label Printing Plugin.
The first step is to install the ELEX EasyPost plugin on your WooCommerce store. This plugin integrates with major shipping carriers such as FedEx, UPS, Canada Post, and USPS, allowing you to access real-time shipping rates and estimated delivery dates. Check this article for more details on how to download, install, and activate the plugin.
After installing the plugin, you’ll need to set up your carrier accounts with FedEx, UPS, Canada Post, or USPS, depending on the carriers you want to use. You can do this by entering your EasyPost account credentials in the plugin settings. Once you’ve set up your carrier accounts, you can configure your shipping settings in the plugin. This includes setting up general settings, rates and services settings, label generation, and packaging settings.
To enable estimated delivery dates, you’ll need to go to the rates and services settings and scroll down to the Estimated Delivery Date Settings section. You can also configure the working days, cut-off time, or lead time if needed. These settings will be used to calculate the final estimated delivery date.
To learn how to set up the plugin from scratch, please refer to the product documentation. Doing so will display the expected date of delivery on the cart and checkout pages. Check out the screenshot:
Highlighted Features
- Integrates with FedEx, UPS, Canada Post, and USPS, offering real-time shipping rates.
- Facilitates the generation and printing of shipping labels directly from WooCommerce.
- Provides real-time shipment tracking for all supported carriers.
- Automatic box packing algorithm for accurate shipping calculations.
- Allows customization of shipping services based on customer preferences and business needs.
Competitive Advantage of Estimated Delivery Dates
Providing accurate and reliable estimated delivery dates can be a significant competitive advantage for e-commerce businesses. By meeting customer expectations and delivering products within the estimated timeframe, businesses can increase customer satisfaction, build a reputation for reliability, reduce cart abandonment rates, and improve their supply chain management.
In addition, offering faster or more reliable delivery options than competitors can help increase sales and market share. In today’s competitive e-commerce landscape, businesses that can provide accurate and reliable estimated delivery dates are better positioned to meet customer expectations and gain a competitive edge over their competitors.
Last Shot
In conclusion, the expected date of delivery is an essential aspect of the e-commerce experience. It helps businesses manage customer expectations, improve customer satisfaction, and increase sales. While calculating the expected date of delivery can be complex, it is essential to consider various factors such as processing time, shipping method, carrier transit time, and any other potential delays.
Businesses can also leverage technology, such as automated shipping and tracking systems, to streamline their operations and provide more accurate and reliable estimated delivery dates to customers. Providing accurate and reliable estimated delivery dates is crucial for businesses to remain competitive in the e-commerce landscape and meet the evolving expectations of customers.
By prioritizing timely delivery and investing in effective delivery management, businesses can build customer loyalty and drive long-term growth. By understanding the factors that influence delivery dates and implementing effective calculation methods, businesses can provide customers with realistic expectations and build trust. Leveraging technology further streamlines the process and ensures a smooth and transparent delivery experience for both parties.
Plugins to Consider
Take a look at some of the best shipping plugins for WooCommerce by ELEXtensions!
ELEX WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin
With ELEXtensions, you have access to real-time USPS shipping rates when using the WooCommerce USPS shipping plugin. With ELEX WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin, you can manage orders and shipments, print shipping labels, and print shipping labels. The shipping rates on the cart or checkout page are also automatically updated, as well as the tracking information. Consequently, you can provide your customers with accurate shipping costs.
There might be no better solution for shipping than the ELEXtensions WooCommerce USPS shipping plugin, which is the smartest solution for any e-commerce business. Your e-commerce website will become more engaging for your customers with a user-friendly interface, updated shipping rates, and better tracking capabilities.
Highlighted Features
- USPS postage rates are calculated based on weight, box dimensions, and destination. The plugin displays retail-specific online and offline rates, as well as estimated delivery times, on WooCommerce carts and checkout pages.
- By selecting their country and zip code, your customers can calculate shipping rates directly on your shop’s product pages.
- Your customers can track their deliveries directly from their order pages. Tracking numbers can also be used by store administrators to check the status of packages.
- Depending on the weights and dimensions of the items in the cart, a customized box will be automatically packed after the order is placed.
- A flat-rate box is priced at a fixed rate unless it weighs more than 70 pounds. Various sizes make these boxes suitable for products of all sizes.
ELEX EasyPost
By using the ELEX EasyPost Plugin, you can provide real-time shipping rates as well as print shipping labels for USPS, UPS, FedEx, UPS DAP, UPS SurePost, and Canada Post. You can create custom box packaging options, view expected arrival dates for shipments, configure USPS Flat rate boxes, and track shipments with this plugin.
With this plugin, you can print shipping labels that have a tracking barcode that integrates with EasyPost APIs. Bulk labels can be printed in PDF format with the bulk label printing add-on, creating multiple shipments simultaneously. A secured informed delivery can be ensured by enabling the signature option. The signature option notifies the sender when the order is delivered to the recipient.
Create handling fees according to each shipping service’s amount or percentage value. A positive value entails markup, while a negative value entails discount. Overall, the ELEX EasyPost Plugin is a powerful tool that can help you manage your shipping process more efficiently and provide a better experience for your customers.
Highlighted Features
- Shipping rates from USPS, FedEx, UPS, UPS DAP, UPS SurePost & Canada Post in real-time.
- A tracking number from USPS, FedEx, UPS, UPS DAP, UPS SurePost, or Canada Post will be added to order notes and included in the order completion email.
- You can Provide your customers with an estimated delivery date for their package.
- The USPS Flat Rates are hardcoded into the ELEX WooCommerce EasyPost plugin
- The rate will be calculated and applied to the final price following the weights and dimensions of the items in the cart.
FAQ’S
- How is the EDD estimated?
The EDD is estimated by assessing order processing time, shipping method, carrier performance, destination distance, customs clearance, and holidays or non-business days. - Can the estimated delivery dates change after the order is placed?
Yes, the estimated delivery dates can change due to unpredictable occurrences like uncertainties in processing, carrier issues, or customs hold-ups. - How can businesses improve the accuracy of their estimated delivery dates?
Businesses can enhance estimated delivery date accuracy by simplifying order processing, choosing reliable carriers, monitoring delivery performance, and accounting for holidays and non-business days. - Are there any best practices for managing EDD in WooCommerce?
Best practices include regularly updating your shipping methods and times, considering peak seasons and holidays, using reliable EDD plugins, and maintaining transparent communication with customers about potential delays. - Is it possible to update the EDD after the order is placed?
Yes, you can update the EDD after an order is placed, specifically if there are delays or changes in the shipping schedule. Most EDD plugins allow you to send automated email notifications to customers with updated delivery information.
