A guide to shipping policies and free template
A shipping policy likely isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think about content you need to feature on your website to achieve compliance with the major data privacy laws. However, it is something you need to consider.
If your company provides goods, shipping policy is an essential document that covers shipping matters, including delivery times, costs, and options, and it intersects with compliance matters. Any business delivering goods to a buyer collects personal information that needs to be handled in line with the data privacy laws that apply either to the business or to its customers.
In this article, we’ll cover what a shipping policy is, why it’s important for your business, and the key elements to include. With our free template, you’ll be equipped to create a shipping policy that you can pair with your privacy policy to build trust with your customers, deliver great experiences, and achieve and maintain privacy compliance.
Who needs a shipping policy?
Any business that delivers goods to customers needs a shipping policy, whether it’s an ecommerce business or brick-and-mortar store. Outlining your shipping costs, delivery times, and return process in a shipping policy helps you to set clear expectations that can increase customer satisfaction.
The following types of businesses should have a shipping policy in place:
- ecommerce stores: online retailers that sell a wide range of products directly to consumers
- subscription box services: companies that offer recurring deliveries of curated goods, like meal kits, beauty products, or books
- direct-to-consumer (DTC) sellers: brands that sell products exclusively through their website and bypass traditional retail
- wholesalers: businesses that ship large quantities of products to retailers or other companies
- dropshipping companies: businesses that manage orders by directly shipping products from suppliers to consumers
- food and beverage delivery services: companies that deliver groceries, meals, or specialty foods to customers
- customized goods or made-to-order businesses: businesses that create personalized products and deliver them directly to customers
Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list. But if your business delivers goods to customers, whether directly or via a third-party delivery service, you need to have a shipping policy.
Where should you publish your shipping policy?
You have a couple of options for where to publish your shipping policy on your website. The most important consideration is that your policy should be easy for customers to find and present policies and information clearly.
Many businesses create a dedicated page for their shipping policy. This option enables you to link to your policy page in your navigation menu or footer, which makes it easily accessible. It also means you can group your policy with similar pages — like your returns or no refund policy — and link it on product pages or at certain points during the checkout process.
You can also include your shipping policy in the FAQ section of your website. Formatting your shipping practices in an FAQ schema makes them more easily searchable, which can be useful for customers who use a search engine to find your terms. It also means that the policy has to be concise.
Both of these options make it easier for your customers to access your shipping policy, which helps you to create a level of transparency about your practices that builds trust with your buyers. It can also help prevent issues later on, as you have already clearly provided shipping-related information and policies prior to purchase.
Why having a shipping policy is good for your business
Although a shipping policy is not essential for achieving and maintaining general website compliance, a clear shipping policy does help to protect your business, build customer trust, and reduce the number of delivery-related inquiries you or your team may need to handle.
Improve transparency with customers to build trust
A well-defined shipping policy sets clear expectations around delivery areas, costs, and times as well as other shipping-related details.
This clarity helps customers understand what to expect when ordering from your business. This in turn fosters trust when you deliver per your terms, reduces the likelihood of potential misunderstandings and frustrations, and encourages repeat business and referrals from satisfied customers.
Reduces the number of inquiries your team has to field
A detailed shipping policy will preemptively answer common customer questions about your delivery terms and conditions, potentially reducing the support load for your Customer Success and/or Support teams.
When customers can easily find details about shipping costs, estimated delivery timelines, shipping procedures, and any extenuating circumstances like the holidays or postal delivery disruption, they’re less likely to reach out to your customer success team with questions. This can free up time for your staff to focus on providing assistance to customers with more complex queries.
Protects you in the event of customer dispute
Issues like delays or lost or damaged packages are inevitable at least occasionally. Outlining how your business will deal with these and other delivery-related disputes helps you set clear expectations and can protect your business in the event of a mishap.
While it’s essential to have these terms in place to protect your business, it’s important to prioritize customer satisfaction. Focusing on resolving an issue rather than sticking to the letter of your policy can turn a potentially negative experience into a positive one, strengthening customer relationships and the long-term outlook for your business.
7 key elements to include in a shipping policy
Your shipping policy should be comprehensive about your business’s fulfillment and as easy to understand as it is to find on your website. To achieve this, avoid using legalese or other complex language. You should also structure it in a logical way so that your customers can quickly find the information they need.
Here are some sections you should include in your shipping policy and the details they should cover.
- Shipping fees and methods: Detail your shipping options and how much each one costs, including any free shipping thresholds. Let customers know which carriers you use and whether they can choose expedited options.
- Shipping destinations: Let customers know if you ship internationally as well as domestically. Clarify the differences in costs (including additional fees like customs or duties), methods, and delivery times for domestic versus international orders.
- Shipping restrictions: Outline any geographic or product-based restrictions, such as items that can’t be shipped to certain regions, or shipping limitations due to local regulations.
- Processing and handling time: Clearly state how long it takes to prepare and dispatch orders, and note the average time between an order being placed and when it goes out for delivery.
- Delivery time estimates: Provide estimated delivery times for each shipping method you offer, taking into account factors like weekends, holidays, and the delivery destination.
- Missing, lost, or damaged packages: Outline your procedure for handling lost packages or those that arrive damaged. Let customers know how to report a missing or damaged order and what steps your business will take to resolve the issue, along with an estimated timeline.
- Refunds, returns, and exchanges: If you don’t have a separate policy, include a brief section outlining your return, refund, and exchange terms. Explain any conditions for eligibility and the process customers should follow.
Free shipping policy template
Understanding which elements to include in your shipping policy is a great starting point, but knowing exactly how to set it up can still be challenging. To give you a better sense of what your shipping policy should look like, we’ve created an example policy that you can use to get started.
Please note that this template is for demonstrative purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice. You will need to adjust this template to suit your business’s specific needs while aligning it with local laws, shipping providers, and industry practices. For issues involving your business, you should consult qualified legal counsel to assist you.
Shipping Policy
Thank you for choosing [Your Business Name]. Here’s everything you need to know about our shipping process.
1. Processing Time
Orders are processed within [timeframe, e.g. “24 hours”] of receipt. Processing takes place during business hours [operational days, hours, and time zone(s), e.g. “Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST”]. For personalized orders, please allow 5 to 7 business days for production before shipping. Production time may vary during high demand periods, such as [relevant location, e.g. “US”] holidays.
2. Shipping Options & Fees
Once production is complete, orders are dispatched in 2 to 3 business days. We offer three delivery options within the US:
- Overnight: 1 to 2 business days
- Express: 3 to 5 business days
- Standard: 7 to 10 business days
Shipping fees vary based on the products you’ve selected and the delivery destination.
3. International Shipping
We proudly ship worldwide! Delivery times and fees are calculated based on the destination and order size. Customers will receive an estimate at checkout. Please note that customs fees and duties may apply at the shipping destination depending on your location.
4. Delivery Times
Delivery times are estimates and do not include the initial production period. Factors like carrier availability, weather, and holidays may impact these times. We strive to keep delays to a minimum and notify you of any significant changes.
5. Shipping Partners
We partner with [Shipping Partner Name] for all US deliveries, to provide reliable service for our domestic customers. For international orders, we work with [Shipping Partner Name], a trusted provider with extensive global reach.
6. Tracking & Notifications
After placing your order, you’ll receive an email confirmation. Once it ships, you’ll get a tracking link from us and our shipping partner (US deliveries: [Shipping Partner Name]; international deliveries: [Shipping Partner Name]). Feel free to check your order’s status using the link provided, or contact us if you need further assistance.
7. Lost, Missing or Damaged Packages
If your package hasn’t arrived within the estimated timeframe or arrives damaged, please reach out to us at [Email Address or Support Page Link]. We’ll work with our shipping partner to investigate and resolve any issues with your order.
8. Returns, Refunds & Exchanges
We offer refunds, returns, and exchanges for most of our products for up to 30 days after you receive them. For custom-made items, we currently do not accept returns or exchanges unless the item arrives damaged. Contact us at [Email Address or Support Page Link] if there are any issues with your order, and we’ll be happy to assist.
9. Customer Support
If you have questions about our shipping policy or assistance with your order, our team is here to help. Reach out to us at [Email Address or Support Page Link] and we’ll respond during business hours, within one business day.
Create a transparent shipping policy for better customer relationships
A clear shipping policy is essential for any business that delivers products to customers. It helps to set expectations by providing buyers with the information they need about delivery times, costs, and other shipping-related matters.
Data privacy laws don’t specifically regulate shipping procedures or shipping policies, but delivering items to customers does necessitate collecting and processing personal information like names, addresses, and payment details. To achieve compliance with relevant privacy and data protection regulations, frameworks, and policies, you’ll need to have privacy policies and other compliance measures in place.
Usercentrics provides data privacy solutions that enable you to adhere to the various laws applicable to your business. Our consent management platform is an asset for ecommerce compliance, helping you to provide transparency around your data collection practices and build trust with customers from the moment they enter your website right until their products are delivered.