Estimated Delivery Date at Checkout
Show accurate delivery dates tailored to the shopper—based on inventory node, cutoff, service days, and live transit expectations. Boost conversion without overpromising.
TL;DR
What it does
Computes a precise delivery promise for each shopper using their ZIP, inventory node, cutoff, and realistic transit time.
Why it matters
Generic ranges under‑convert and overpromises cause churn. Accurate dates lift conversion and reduce WISMO tickets.
Who it’s for
Merchants running multi‑node or multi‑carrier shipping who want higher checkout conversion and fewer post‑purchase issues.
Why generic “3–7 business days” loses revenue
Too vague to convert
Shoppers need confidence. Vague windows depress add‑to‑cart and send buyers to marketplaces.
Misses cutoffs
Static ETAs ignore node cutoffs and holiday calendars—often promising a day you can’t hit.
Ignores lane speed
Some lanes are effectively two‑day by ground. Without lane intelligence you either overpay or disappoint.
How it works
Ingest shopper & inventory context
ZIP + geo, cart contents, available nodes, per‑node cutoffs and pickup schedules, blackout dates.
Score feasible lanes
Use service days and lane transit expectations to find the earliest promise you can reliably hit.
Output shopper‑friendly date
Return a single date (or tight range) with clarifiers like “order in the next 2h 15m for Friday delivery”.
Stay honest post‑purchase
The same promise propagates to tracking and alerts; exceptions trigger proactive updates.
Inputs
- Shopper ZIP & delivery speed choice
- Inventory node availability & cutoffs
- Carrier calendars & service days
- Lane transit expectations
Outputs
- Promised delivery date (or tight range)
- Urgency message (order‑by timer)
- Consistent promise across tracking
- Audit entry + reason code
Real‑world examples
Order‑by urgency
Context: 5:10pm shopper near Atlanta; GA node cutoff 6pm. Promise: “Get it Thu, Sep 12 — order in 50m.” Impact: Higher conversion.
Multi‑node honesty
Context: NY node out of stock; OH node available. Promise: Adds one day. Impact: Accurate expectation; fewer WISMO tickets.
Weekend handling
Context: Saturday delivery disabled. Promise: Rolls to Monday. Impact: No false Saturday promises.
What you configure (light touch)
Policies
- Which speeds show at checkout
- Weekend delivery & holidays
- Fallback behavior when nearby node is OOS
Display & API
- Copy format (single date or window)
- Order‑by timer styling
- JS widget or server‑side API
Results you can expect
- Higher checkout conversion
- Fewer WISMO and refund requests
- Consistent promise from checkout to delivery
- Cleaner promo‑day performance
FAQ
How is this different from Shopify’s default estimates?
We use your real cutoffs, lane speeds, and calendars per node, not a static buffer. Promises are specific and reliable.
Does this slow down checkout?
No. The widget is lightweight and the API responds quickly. You can also pre‑compute on PDP/cart.
What happens on holidays?
Blackout calendars roll promises forward automatically and keep copy honest.
Can we A/B test messaging?
Yes—date vs range, urgency copy, and placement are configurable.