Shipping Policy
Understanding A Shipping Policy
A shipping policy is a written document which helps eCommerce bussinesses to communicate their terms and conditions around shipping. It is not a legal requirement, however, it serves the purpose of ensuring clarity among customers and addressing their common concerns upfront. It can also prove to be of legal help if a dispute were to occur with the shipment of an order.
Leading shopping and shipping platforms like Shopify encourage businesses to have a comprehensive shipping policy to ensure transparency with customers and improve their visibility. Platforms like ClickPost also provide free templates to write and build on a shipping policy, making sure that the most asked questions are addressed adequately by the company, without having to second guess the information they are putting out.
Writing A Shipping Policy
As mentioned, a good shipping policy is one that addresses regularly raised concerns by customers. It is also a functional policy if it efficiently communicates your company’s terms prior, during, and after an order is placed.
About 80% of a company’s time is spent on addressing repetitive concerns — an issue that can be easily mitigated through a concise and clear policy. It is therefore also important to take notice of how easily accessible the policy is on your company’s website or seller’s page (in case on an eCommerce intelligence platform). This document can be as detailed, or as to-the-point as you would like to make it. However, there are certain key aspects that we recommend, every eCommerce enterprise should address in their policy.
6 Things To Include In Your Shipping Policy
It is always advisable to add the following six factors in your shipping policy:
- Order Processing Times: Order processing time is the number of days or hours taken to acknowledge and dispatch your order. It is good to mention if specific holidays are not considered while processing orders on your platform
- Local Deliveries and In-Store Pick-Ups: It is best to list out the locations you deliver to, and stores where in-store pickup is available. You can also add any steps that customers need to follow to ensure seamless completion of the order.
- Domestic and International Delivery Details: A good way to make sure that your customers are aware of delivery options, is to list out the locations/countries where your delivery services are available. If you have multiple options for shipping products you can detail them down in tables. This is also a good way to communicate ETDs and pricing.
- Payment Options: Do you offer UPI payments, along with debit and credit card options? What are your payment surcharges for international payments? Do you offer EMI options? These are questions that should also be answered on your policy.
- Returns, Exchanges, and Cancellations: Oftentimes returns and exchanges are requested, either because the product was damaged, or the customer wanted a different version of the product they had placed an order for. In such cases, what is your company’s policy for returns and exchanges? What is the time frame within which this can be requested, and how will refunds or replacements be made? Similarly, if a customer wanted to cancel an order, what would be the time frame within which this would be possible? Many companies like to detail this section further, and make a dedicated document just for Returns and Cancellations. However, you can also add this to your shipping policy, if the process is fairly straightforward.
- Informing On Potential Delays: Delays may naturally occur, especially due to natural conditions or government restrictions — and in case of international deliveries, customs. It is always good to mention in case you foresee delivery delays, and how you will keep your customers updated on changing ETDs or progress in shipping.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that a shipping policy is more than just an informative document — it is also a great marketing tool. It ensures that your enterprise is viewed with credibility and builds trust among customers, increasing the footfall of a returning customer base. As mentioned, a shipping policy can be straight-forward or meticulate, based on your enterprises’ size, customer reach, and more. It can therefore sometimes seem challenging to write a shipping policy — irrespective of whether you are writing it for the first time or rewriting an old one to meet your current business approach. Intelligence platforms like ClickPost can provide you with free templates with sample text, that can be tweaked as needed, to tailor it to your needs. It is also recommended that an enterprise update their policies regularly, to avoid miscommunication and disputes.