Shipping Policy Template: 4 Free Shopify Shipping Policies to Copy
A shipping policy tells customers how long processing takes, which shipping methods you offer and what they cost, when tracking arrives, who pays duties on international orders, and what happens with wrong addresses or lost parcels. Below are four free templates (US domestic, free shipping threshold, international, preorders), a dropshipping clause, the FTC rule to respect, and how to publish it in Shopify.
Replace everything in [brackets] with your own details. Start from the template closest to how you ship, then add the clauses you need. This is practical guidance, not legal advice. If you'd rather fill in a form, our free shipping policy generator builds the policy from your answers.
What a shipping policy has to cover
Most "where is my order" tickets start with an expectation the store never set. A clear shipping policy answers the customer's questions before they write, and gives your team one source to quote. It should cover:
- Processing time: how long between order and shipment, in business days, and your order cut-off time.
- Shipping methods, delivery estimates and costs for each zone you ship to.
- Free shipping threshold, if you have one, and which items or regions it excludes.
- Tracking: when and how the customer gets it.
- International orders: who pays duties and taxes, and what happens if a parcel is refused at customs.
- Address errors and undeliverable parcels: who pays to reship.
- Lost, stolen or damaged parcels: when to contact you and what you'll do.
- Preorders, backorders and made-to-order items, if you sell them.
- Peak-season delays and holiday cut-offs.
Template 1: US domestic shipping policy
Processing time. Orders are processed within [1 to 2] business days. Orders placed after [2 pm ET] or on weekends and public holidays are processed the next business day. You'll receive a confirmation email when you order and a shipping email with tracking when your order leaves our warehouse.
Shipping rates and delivery estimates.
| Method | Delivery estimate (after processing) | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | [3 to 7] business days | [$5.95, free over $75] |
| Expedited | [2 to 3] business days | [$12.95] |
| Overnight | [1] business day | [$29.95] |
Delivery estimates are provided by the carrier and aren't guaranteed. We ship to all 50 states, [APO/FPO/DPO addresses and PO boxes via USPS only].
Tracking. Your tracking link is in your shipping confirmation email and in your account. Tracking can take up to [24 hours] to show the first scan.
Wrong or incomplete address. Please check your address at checkout. If you spot a mistake, email [support@yourstore.com] within [2 hours] of ordering and we'll fix it if the order hasn't shipped. If a parcel is returned to us because of an incorrect address, we'll reship it once you've paid the new shipping cost, or refund the order minus original shipping.
Lost, stolen or damaged parcels. If tracking shows no movement for [7] business days, or your order is marked delivered but you can't find it, contact us within [14] days of the expected delivery date. We'll open a claim with the carrier and [reship or refund] once it's resolved. Damaged on arrival? Send a photo of the item and packaging within [7] days of delivery.
Questions. Email [support@yourstore.com] with your order number.
Template 2: Free shipping threshold clause
Free shipping. Orders of [$75] or more (after discounts, before taxes) ship free by Standard shipping within [the contiguous United States]. Free shipping doesn't apply to [oversized items, Alaska, Hawaii, international orders]. If you return items and your order drops below [$75], [we'll deduct the standard shipping cost from your refund / your refund is not affected].
That last sentence prevents a common dispute. Decide it once and say it.
Template 3: International shipping and customs
The biggest source of international tickets is a surprise bill at the door. Decide whether you ship duties paid (DDP: you collect duties and taxes at checkout) or duties unpaid (DDU/DAP: the customer pays the carrier on delivery), and say it in the first line.
International shipping. We ship to [list of countries / over 50 countries]. Rates and delivery estimates are calculated at checkout. International orders usually arrive within [7 to 15] business days after processing.
Duties and taxes (pick one). [Option A, duties paid:] Duties and import taxes are calculated and charged at checkout, so you won't pay anything more on delivery. [Option B, duties unpaid:] Prices don't include import duties or taxes. These are charged by your country's customs on delivery and are the customer's responsibility.
Refused parcels. If you refuse a parcel or don't pay the duties due, the carrier returns it to us. We'll refund the order minus the original shipping cost, return shipping and any fees charged to us.
Customs delays. Customs can hold parcels for inspection. These delays are outside our control and aren't covered by our delivery estimates.
Template 4: Preorders and made-to-order
Preorders. Preorder items ship by the estimated date shown on the product page. If you order preorder and in-stock items together, [we'll ship everything together when the preorder item arrives / we'll ship in-stock items now and the rest later at no extra cost]. If the estimated date changes, we'll email you with the new date and you can cancel for a full refund at any time before your item ships.
Made-to-order. Items marked Made to Order are produced after you order and ship within [10 to 14] business days. You'll receive tracking when your item ships.
The preorder clause matters legally, not just for customer experience. See the next section.
Clause for dropshipping and multiple warehouses
Shipments from several locations. Some items ship from different warehouses, so your order may arrive in more than one package. Each package has its own tracking link in your shipping email. You won't pay extra shipping for split shipments.
If your suppliers are overseas, be honest about delivery times. A policy that promises 5 days when parcels take 15 is the fastest way to a queue full of WISMO tickets and chargebacks.
The FTC rule your shipping policy must respect
In the US, the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule applies to online orders. In short, per the FTC's business guide:
- You must have a reasonable basis for any shipping time you state. If you state none, you must be able to ship within 30 days.
- If you can't ship on time, you must tell the customer, give a revised date, and offer the option to cancel for a full, prompt refund.
- A gift card or store credit is not a refund under the rule. The FTC's record $9.3 million settlement with Fashion Nova was partly about this, as Kelley Drye reported.
In practice: put realistic processing times in your policy, and have a ready-to-send delay email. Our shipping delay email templates include the cancel option.
Holiday cut-offs and peak-season delays
Add a short, dated section every October and remove it in January:
Holiday shipping. To receive your order by [December 24] in the US, order by [December 16] for Standard and [December 20] for Expedited. Orders placed after these dates are shipped as quickly as possible but can't be guaranteed for the holidays. Processing can take up to [3] business days during [Black Friday week].
Put the same dates in a banner and in your order confirmation email. Customers who see the date before they buy don't write in to ask.
How to add a shipping policy in Shopify
- In Shopify admin, go to Settings > Policies (some admins label it Legal), as described in Shopify's help center.
- Paste your text into Shipping policy, or click Create from template and edit it.
- Save. Shopify publishes it at yourstore.com/policies/shipping-policy. Recent free themes link it automatically from product pages.
- Add it to the footer menu: Online Store > Navigation > Footer menu > Add menu item > Policies.
- Make your Settings > Shipping and delivery rates match the policy exactly. A policy that says $5.95 while checkout charges $7.50 is a ticket waiting to happen.
Turn the policy into replies that close tickets
Your shipping policy is also your support script. Each section maps to a ticket type: processing time to "has my order shipped?", tracking to "tracking isn't moving", lost parcels to "it says delivered but it's not here". If the policy is precise, the reply can be too.
That's how Relay handles shipping tickets. It reads your shipping policy and the order in Shopify, checks the fulfilment status and the last tracking scan, and sends the answer your policy gives: the ship date if it hasn't shipped, the last scan and what happens next if tracking is stuck, your lost-parcel process if the delivery date has passed. Cases that need money or judgement go to your team. Our guide to WISMO tickets has the reply for each case.
FAQ
What should a shipping policy include? Processing time, shipping methods with delivery estimates and costs, free shipping rules, tracking, international duties and taxes, what happens with wrong addresses and lost or damaged parcels, and preorder terms.
Is a shipping policy legally required? There's no single US law requiring a shipping policy page, but the FTC Mail Order Rule requires a reasonable basis for any delivery time you state and a cancel-and-refund option when you can't ship on time. Payment providers and marketplaces also expect one.
Where do I add a shipping policy on Shopify? Settings > Policies in Shopify admin. Shopify publishes it at /policies/shipping-policy.
Should I say who pays customs duties? Yes. Say whether duties are collected at checkout or by the carrier on delivery. It's the most common reason for refused international parcels and angry emails.
How long should processing time be? As long as it really takes on your busiest normal week. One to three business days is typical for in-stock items; state longer times for made-to-order and preorder products.
