Conversion guide
How to set a dispatch cut-off time for accurate Shopify delivery dates
Set a dispatch cut-off that tells your ETA app when to stop counting toward same-day shipping. The right cut-off prevents false promises.
What a cut-off does
A dispatch cut-off is the latest time you accept orders for same-day processing. Orders placed at 2:59pm might ship same day. Orders placed at 3:01pm ship the next day. Your ETA app uses this time to tell shoppers whether their order will arrive on the promised date.
Why it matters
A wrong cut-off creates angry customers. if you promise “order today, ship today” but your warehouse closes at 2pm, customers who order at 1pm will receive their item 3 days later, not tomorrow. that destroys trust.
Step 1. Find your actual warehouse cut-off
Check with your fulfillment team (or yourself, if you pack). When do you actually stop processing orders each day? Common times are noon, 2pm, or 4pm.
Step 2. Add a buffer
Subtract 30 minutes to an hour. This buffer accounts for payment processing, order verification, and the time it takes to print labels. Example: if your team stops at 2pm, set the cut-off to 1pm or 1:30pm.
Step 3. Account for time zones
If you ship from a single location but sell to customers in multiple time zones, your cut-off must be in your warehouse timezone, not the customer’s. An app like Arrively handles this by showing the visitor’s local time and automatically converting.
Step 4. Handle weekends and holidays
Cut-offs don’t apply on days you don’t ship. If you’re closed Sundays, set your cut-off to 0 (midnight) so no orders claim same-day delivery. Mark holidays in your ETA app.
Common mistake: dishonest cut-offs
Do not set a 5pm cut-off if you actually stop at 2pm. Do not set a 11:59pm cut-off if you want to ship same-day. Both create delivery failures and refund requests.
Step 5. Test and adjust
Place a test order 15 minutes before your cut-off. Confirm the ETA says “arrives tomorrow”. Place another 15 minutes after. confirm it says “arrives the day after tomorrow”. If the dates flip at the wrong time, adjust your cut-off in the app settings.
Fine-tune based on what you actually ship
after a week of orders, check how many were late. if more than 10 percent of orders miss their ETA, extend your cut-off earlier by 30 minutes. the goal is 100 percent accuracy, not maximum same-day claims.
see the shopify estimated delivery date guide for the full strategy on how cut-offs interact with conversion and customer trust.
Keep reading
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