A Shopify shipping policy lives in Settings, then Policies, in your Shopify admin. You can switch on Shopify's automated policy, which builds the page from your store settings, or write your own. Either way it should say where you ship, what it costs, how long processing and delivery take and what happens when an order is late or lost. The one rule to keep: the FTC's mail and internet order rule says you need a reasonable basis for any delivery time you state, and if you don't state one, you must be able to ship within 30 days.
How to add it
- 1Open Settings, then PoliciesIn the Shopify admin, find Written policies and choose the shipping policy.
- 2Choose automated or your ownTurn on Use automated policy, or write your own text from the template.
- 3Check the generated textFulfillment time shows only if estimated delivery dates are Manual or Automated.
- 4SaveShopify links it in the checkout footer, on product pages and in the cart.
- 5Add it to your footerSo buyers can find it before checkout too.
Once it's saved, Shopify links your policies in the checkout footer automatically, and by default the shipping policy link also shows on product pages and in the cart. Add it to your store footer as well, so buyers can find it before they reach checkout.
Automated or your own?
The automated policy is a good start for a simple store. Shopify fills in your store name, your support email, the countries you ship to (from where your shipping zones and markets overlap) and a last-updated date. It shows your fulfillment time only if estimated delivery dates are set to Manual or Automated in your shipping settings, so check that first. Write your own when you have exceptions the automation can't know about: oversized items, made-to-order lead times, local delivery or pickup, or carriers you don't use for every order. If you turn automation off, Shopify's Insert template button isn't available for the shipping policy, so start from the template below.
What to put in it
- Where we ship: the countries or regions, and any places you don't ship to.
- Processing time: how many business days before an order leaves, and the order cut-off time.
- Delivery options and times: each method, its usual delivery time and its cost or free-shipping threshold.
- Made-to-order or pre-order items: the lead time, stated on the product page too.
- Tracking: when and how the buyer gets a tracking number.
- Late, lost or damaged orders: who to contact, by when, and what you'll do.
- Duties and taxes for international orders: who pays them.
- Contact: your support email, and the date the policy was last updated.
Keep it to facts a buyer can check. Shopify's own help says not to promise delivery or shipping times you can't meet, and to review the policy whenever the way you ship changes.
The delivery rule behind every promise
In the US, the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule covers most goods ordered online. In short, from the FTC's business guide:
- Have a reason for the time you state. You need a reasonable basis for any shipping time you state or imply, such as "ships in 2 days".
- No time stated means 30 days. If you don't give a time, you must have a reasonable basis for believing you can ship within 30 days.
- Late means asking. If you can't ship on time, you must tell the buyer, seek their consent to the delay and offer to cancel with a full, prompt refund.
- Refunds are quick. A cancelled order is refunded within seven working days, or within one billing cycle for some credit card orders.
This is a summary, not legal advice. Read the FTC guide, and ask your attorney if you sell made-to-order goods or ship outside the US.
Shipping details in Google
Google can show shipping costs and delivery times in shopping results. You can give it those details in merchant listing markup on product pages, or set them once in Merchant Center or Search Console, which take priority over the markup. Whichever you use, make it match the policy page. Our guide to ecommerce product page optimization covers the rest of the product markup.
What takes ongoing time
Rates, carriers and holiday cut-offs change during the year, and the policy has to follow them. If you'd rather hand the upkeep over, Gigabit runs it for online stores as a flat monthly service.
