Presently, customers expect businesses to be perfect in everything they provide, from products to after-sales services. When anything goes wrong or changes, they expect accurate information in real time. It can be dynamic pricing or delay in shipping; they want the correct information at the right time. Shipping time turned out as the major factor highly impacting the customer experience.
Research states that customers are looking for shipping time (how much time it takes to deliver the products) and want to stay informed about possible delays. The same thing is no exception with Etsy’s customers who are repetitively found asking one question to customer support that’s- how much time will their order take to deliver? How is Etsy taking care of product shipping operations? A lot more.
In this blog, we will understand in detail the time that Etsy takes to deliver orders following the standard shipping process.
Why do customers need clarification on Etsy's shipping time?
Etsy is one of the popular Ecommerce marketplaces with more than 8 million sellers selling unique handcrafted products to customers globally. It's a safe and legit marketplace with reliable, verified sellers offering genuine products that customers can purchase safely. However, some scammers try to cheat customers in different ways.
Etsy’s business model runs on the USP, where vendors can showcase their desired products with preferred price tags. The online Ecommerce store sells to a broader audience using different distribution channels like- the Etsy website, social channels, events/workshops, partner programs, online/offline advertising, word of mouth, etc.
The best thing about Etsy shipping is that the marketplace doesn't have any built-in shipping system for order delivery; instead, registered sellers take care of order shipments using different shipping methods and policies. Etsy only provides the estimated time of arrival so that customers will have an idea of how long it will take to deliver the product.
Let’s understand Etsy’s shipping time in detail; the ordered product processing time comprises processing time and shipping time. Processing time is based on how quickly sellers can make the order ready to ship. For example, in the handmade marketplace, some sellers create the product after they receive an order request. The production process extends from 1 day to months. Therefore, defining a standard processing time is impossible, and it is defined by the seller only. So, shipping time depends on sellers and their shipping methods for order delivery.
When we look at Etsy’s shipping policy, Etsy promises to deliver local products within 3 to 7 business days and international products within 10 to 30 business days. Still, the standard shipping time varies under specific conditions. It isn't very clear for the customers when they want to know the accurate shipping time for their product shipment. To make things clear, go through the next section that helps better understand how long Etsy takes to ship your orders.
Different time estimation to calculate
Etsy's shipping time depends on processing time and actual order shipping time, so we will first understand these two terms in detail. Later, take a quick look at the estimated time of arrival term that Etsy provides to avoid confusion.
Processing time
As discussed, processing time starts when vendors receive an order request and ends when they complete it. The reason is that Etsy vendors won't store products in selling condition; instead, they have a half-manufactured inventory that's finished production after the order placement. However, this is only the case with some products.
The products that require no customization are ready within 1-3 business days, but if product orders need customization, such as unique design or exceptional creativity, the processing time extends. Also, sellers require approvals from customers for custom design, which takes a lot of time, and sellers need help completing the product within a defined time. Prompt responses to the seller's questions are essential to getting the product on time.
This way, the product will ship after it is completely processed. Customers can check the order processing time defined within Etsy's delivery time breakdown. Still, if customers are unsure; they can directly connect with vendors to know the exact processing time on their order.
When there's a need for expedited deliveries, customers are requested to check the processing time because the customized products take weeks to finish, which frustrates them. Another solution provided by Etsy for faster deliveries is customers can pay an extra amount and get the product on time.
Shipping time
Shipping time starts when the product is ready and packed for shipping. It has nothing to do with processing time because it depends on the shipping carrier chosen for logistic services, which determines delivery speed. Etsy vendors have less control over product shipping as they need more information about customers' locations or expected delivery times.
One more issue during transportation is improper scanning of the packages, which leads to wrong delivery information, especially in international deliveries. The local variations make it difficult to fix this problem.
However, order shipping is made faster with the selection of shipping vendors facilitating expedited deliveries, say a one-day or two-day delivery guarantee. Customers can opt for shipping services that provide faster deliveries, but expenses will increase proportionately, so it should be kept in mind.
Estimated delivery time
Etsy provides the estimated delivery time that gives customers a rough idea about the tentative delivery of handmade products. The estimated delivery time combines processing time and shipping time, followed by an extension of 1 more day. For example, when processing time takes five days to complete the product, and shipping takes two days, then the estimated delivery time will be eight days, as displayed by Etsy.
When the order gets processed before, or the product is shipping faster, then the estimated delivery time is updated accordingly on Etsy. However, all the vendors don't provide estimated delivery time, so customers can ask the vendors about processing time and shipping time to know the estimated delivery time.
How much time Etsy takes to ship products?
Etsy’s shipping time estimates remain assumptions as Etsy doesn’t ship anything. It depends on the processing time the vendor takes to make the product ready to ship and the carrier chosen for the order shipment. Customers should consider both of them, and it's better if they connect straight with sellers to know things. Direct communication eliminates everything that tests the customers' patience regarding order shipping time.
Also, customers can stay up-to-date about shipping time with package delivery tracking using a link provided by the shipping company, which is not in the control of sellers after product shipment. Stay informed and updated on Etsy by considering these tips.
When it comes to building an online store, delivery quality determines customer satisfaction.
However, there is often a daunting question of which ecommerce delivery services to choose and which options to use, as each shipping service and each shipping option has its own pros and cons.
In this article, we will look at various shipping options.Details https://soft-loft.com/ecommerce-shipping-solutions
