How to Craft a Great Shopify Shipping Policy (+ Template & Examples)
A Shopify shipping policy is vital to protect your brand and buyers, clarify your procedures, and establish guidelines that set the terms of your engagement.
To achieve those ends, your policy must be thoughtfully crafted to cover your business’s operations, hypothetical situations, and anticipated customer demands.
In this article, we’ll explain the importance of a well-written shipping policy for your Shopify store, the different components to include, and examples of what other stores are doing.
Read on to learn:
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What is a shipping policy?
A shipping policy is an agreement outlining the terms of engagement for your store in relation to the movement of ordered products and goods.
These terms outline important information around how orders are shipped to customers and how they may be shipped back.
In a shipping policy, you define the parameters of how you treat shipments, including service-level agreements (SLAs) you’ll hold yourself to, guidelines and expected timelines, and customer recourse when issues arise.
And, it needs to be easily located, so you should clearly display your shipping policy:
- Within the checkout flow to set expectations (e.g., a link that opens the policy in a new tab)
- In your FAQs section to help shoppers find answers without consulting your customer support
- In the footer of your website for easy access to anyone searching for shipping information
Why is a shipping policy crucial?
A shipping policy is essential for any merchant who delivers physical goods because it improves the buyer experience, establishes your level of service, and can relieve some of the workload for your customer support teams.
Set customer expectations
Setting expectations up front contributes to a satisfactory buyer experience, as it informs them of how your business operates.
When your shoppers understand your fulfillment process, they’re reassured their items won’t be lost or stolen—but, in the unlikely event they are, you also have a plan to fix it.
Enhance credibility
Although it may seem like another legal formality, sharing your shipping policy boosts your credibility as a brand.
It shows you’re organized, maintain firm but fair rules, and have thought of every potential circumstance. A well-written shipping policy makes your brand appear trustworthy and responsible.
Protect your brand
You can protect both your buyers and your brand by laying out fulfillment terms.
These establish up front what SLAs you are and aren’t responsible for upholding and call attention to what’s out of your hands.
When things go wrong, you should be able to point to your shipping policy to protect your name, proving your brand did everything it promised to do, but simply some factors were simply out of your control.
9 Key elements of a great shipping policy
Every good shipping policy should include a few key pieces of information, which we’ve outlined below.
1. Shipping process
Spell out how quickly shipments will go out after receiving an order, whether you send shipments over weekends, and the communications or updates buyers can expect along the way.
Above, Hey Honey explains how long they need to process orders and when cutoff times are for orders to ship the same day.
They also highlight how pre-ordered items are shipped the first day they have available stock.
2. Expected timelines
Provide estimated delivery dates based on location—for example, three to five days standard in the contiguous United States, with next-day delivery standard in California.
Tip: Consider creating a table of information to make it easier for visitors to skim and find the specific facts they want.
In this table, Hey Honey clearly lays out how long shoppers can expect to wait for their packages to arrive based on their shipping method.
3. Shipping fees
Give an overview of your shipping fees and any special conditions. For example, you may waive standard fees for your loyalty club members.
Here, Desert Steel clarifies how their shipping rates differ for orders based on minimum purchase price, size, and item.
4. Shipping service levels
Most merchants offer a wide range of service levels that shoppers can choose from, typically spanning next-day delivery for certain areas to standard shipping.
Defender includes a table that shows what to expect from their different service levels, including standard ground and UPS Expedited.
5. Recourse for late shipments
Circumstances outside your control can cause shipments to be lost or late.
In that event, provide instructions for buyers to report late or missing deliveries and explain what they can expect next in the process.
Ariel Rider Ebikes explains that, when items are lost, stolen, or damaged, the company isn’t responsible, but shoppers can purchase insurance to protect their orders.
6. Resolutions
Explain what happens when a shipment is lost or late.
Will you send a replacement using expedited shipping? Will you refund the order? What if part of the order was fulfilled?
Achamana’s shipping policy states that when items are damaged or lost, they’ll refund or replace the item pending an investigation by their courier.
7. Shipping restrictions
Talk about any regions or areas where you’re unable to provide fulfillment.
For example, some states prohibit alcohol delivery. This will enlighten consumers as to whether or not you can serve them.
NESTiG needs only a single sentence to inform international buyers that they currently only serve shoppers in the US
8. Returns and refunds
It’s impossible to prevent returns entirely, so have a section in your shipping policy that details what happens in the event of a refund request.
Explain whether you’ll cover return shipping and include a link to your full return policy.
NESTiG breaks down their returns process when buyers want to send back their orders. They also state they have a partner who picks up cribs to be returned.
9. International shipping
If you serve global markets, include a section that specifically details what your international customers can expect.
For example, state the countries you deliver to, whether your return policy applies to international orders, etc.
NATURTREU lists their shipping policies for different EU shipping zones.
Shopify shipping policy examples to inspire yours
Now that we’ve reviewed the components of an excellent shipping policy and seen (briefly) how other brands incorporate each one, let’s take a deeper look at a complete document in action.
Defender: Straightforward and business-like
Shogun customer Defender details in their shipping policy everything shoppers can expect using a straightforward, easy-to-read manner.
The policy opens with:
“We are proud to offer free standard ground shipping to our customers across the 10 Canadian provinces with a $19.99 minimum purchase (estimated delivery in 4-7 business days). Free shipping is not available for Canadian Territories and select areas considered remote by our shipping partners. Shipping fees will be calculated at the Checkout.”
Defender provides important information up front, stating their free shipping offer for a minimum purchase amount, timeline estimates, and the areas they serve.
Then, they display a table summarizing shipping service levels, delivery estimates, and disclaimers on processing times.
After, they move on to order confirmations, explaining:
“You will receive an order confirmation email within an hour of placing your order with your estimated Delivery Date, guaranteed Ships By date, and list of all items. If you have questions about your delivery dates or would like to change shipping details, contact us and we’d be delighted to help!”
This section informs customers about the communications they can expect from the company and when they’ll get those emails.
Defender also alerts their shoppers that they’ll receive another email once the order has shipped.
They even have a line explaining how all orders are charged when placed (to avoid any confusion about being charged when orders are shipped).
Lastly, they wrap up with a note on what happens when a buyer cancels an order or wants to make an exchange.
This shipping info example has all the components of a great policy and paints a crystal-clear picture for customers about what to expect.
Hey Honey: Friendly and clear
Another Shogun customer, Hey Honey, employs more personal language in their shipping policy but maintains an easy-to-read structure.
After a large “Hey Honey, I’m Home!” nod to the company name, it opens with a friendly, personable tone to broach a touchy subject:
“Real life is complicated and hectic. COVID-19 has the entire world on pause. As a company we are still fully operational, although you may experience some shipping delays as the situation progresses. We are taking the necessary sanitation measures by limiting human contact and cleaning every surface possible. While we can’t guarantee complete sanitation of your package upon its arrival, we can assure you that we have taken all the recommended precautions as outlined by the CDC.
“The Postal Service has experienced operational impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, geographical areas are impacted differently and will have various levels of impact around the country. You may experience some shipment delays.”
The Hey Honey team also gives their contact information halfway into the first section, saying:
“If you have any concerns, questions or comments, please email us at care@heyhoney.com.”
They provide the key information shoppers are likely looking for within the introduction as well.
Hey Honey explains when orders are processed (weekdays, excluding holidays) and that items are shipped within one business day unless otherwise noted.
They wrap up by stating that, although they work with the best shipping services on the market, some elements are out of their control.
This serves to temper customer demands so the company can tackle any issues that arise and complete fulfillment on a reasonable schedule.
Hey Honey then breaks down the rest of their shipping info into three parts:
1. The first covers domestic orders within the continental US. They share the cutoff times for an order to ship on the same day and break down shipping service levels, costs, and timelines in a clear table.
2. The next section is about domestic orders outside the continental US. They caution delivery may take longer than it would in the continental states and confirm they can ship to the following locations:
3. Finally, Hey Honey details their international shipping policies and clarifies that their shipping doesn’t include duties, taxes, and other additional charges—these are the responsibility of the buyer.
They also highlight that international fees are ineligible for refunds and, if a package is returned due to missing customs fees and duties, the shipping charge will be deducted from the total refund of the order.
Shipping policy template
If you’re ready to write your own shipping policy after viewing those well-honed examples, we’ve prepared a template below to serve as a guideline and help you cover the important aspects of a strong shipping policy:
[Introduction]
In this section, you want to give readers a high-level overview of what your shipping policy entails.
Touch briefly on the areas you deliver to, shipping costs, estimated delivery times, and how soon you send items out after receiving an order.
[Table of service levels]
Fill out and adjust the following table as needed to clarify your offers.
| Shipping location | Service level | Cost | Est. delivery time |
| Contiguous US | Standard | $10 | 5-7 business days |
| Contiguous US | Expedited | $15 | 1-2 business days |
| Hawaii | Standard | $15 | 5-10 business days |
| Hawaii | Expedited | $20 | 3-5 business days |
Reminder: “Contiguous US” includes Alaska, whereas “Continental US” does not.
[Communications]
Tell your customers what communications to expect from you.
For example, will you send them a text message and email upon order confirmation, shipment, and delivery? Explain what details you’ll include in those alerts.
[Shipment tracking]
Give your buyers information about how to track their shipments.
This might be the same across your orders, or you can let them know tracking instructions will be emailed to them after a purchase.
[Refunds and exchanges]
In this section, you need to explain what happens when something goes wrong.
If orders are lost or damaged, state who’s liable. Then, go into detail about your refund process, returns or warranties, and exchange policies.
[Further information]
Sign off with your contact information and invite buyers to reach out if they have further questions.
Shipping policy checklist
Before you publish your brand new Shopify shipping policy page, make sure you’ve covered every element of a great shipping policy.
Have you included all of these elements in your policy?
- An overview of your shipping process
- Expected delivery timelines for each service level
- Shipping and other expected fees
- What happens if something goes wrong
- What circumstances fall outside your area of responsibility
- Shipping restrictions and areas you don’t serve
- Return, refund, and exchange information
- International shipping policies, if applicable
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How to create a shipping policy page in Shopify
Now that you’ve crafted a top-tier policy, here’s how to add it to your Shopify store.
1. Go to your Shopify store’s Preferences in the bottom left corner.
2. Navigate to Policies.
3. Scroll down to the section that says Shipping policy.
4. Copy and paste your policy into the text box. Once you’re done, click “Save” in the Unsaved changes bar.
You’ll then have a complete, albeit quite plain, page of text for your shipping policy.
How to create a Shopify shipping policy page with Shogun Page Builder
A shipping policy is essential for both your business and buyers, so its appearance should reflect its importance.
Take your policy to the next level with the Shogun Page Builder and make every page on your website stunning.
Here’s how to create beautiful shipping pages with ease through Shogun’s intuitive tool.
1. From your Shogun dashboard, go to Create new.
2. Click on Page.
3. Select a blank page or choose from any of the pre-built Shogun Page Builder themes.
4. Fill in your page details and click Create standard page.
5. Use Shogun’s easy drag-and-drop builder, page elements, and more to set up your shipping page exactly as you envisioned.
Tip: Take advantage of Shogun’s Unsplash integration to find great images for your shipping page.
Here are a few elements you can add to your Shopify shipping policy page using Page Builder:
- An accordion where you can nest common shipping FAQs
- Tables to list your shipping details and service levels
- Videos explaining how to open your packages
- Tabs to show different shipping regulations based on country
- Maps to highlight the areas where you can ship next-day delivery
- And much more
Build a strong foundation with a great Shopify shipping policy
Policies may sound boring, but they’re the building blocks of a resilient business.
Your Shopify shipping policy is no different, as it contains critical information that helps set buyer expectations and protects you from legal action.
Invest time to craft a policy that covers all your bases, comprehensively details your shipping standards, and keeps your customers informed.
To go the extra mile, give it personality by leveraging the customization options in the Shogun Page Builder.
Use the template and resources we’ve shared here to start or refine your shipping page and fill your customers with shopping confidence.
#cta-visual-pb#<cta-title>Create your shipping policy page in just a few clicks<cta-title>Shogun Page Builder makes it easy to build, design, and refine each page on your website.Start building for free
Rachel Go
Rachel is a remote marketing manager with a background in building scalable content engines. She creates content that wins customers for B2B ecommerce companies like MyFBAPrep, Shogun, and more. In the past, she has scaled organic acquisition efforts for companies like Deliverr and Skubana.
