Show an estimated delivery date in the cart
A delivery estimate in the cart answers the shopper's most common question. Show a date or range before checkout.
2 min read
Area
CRO & UX
Severity
Medium
Fix effort
Medium
Stores failing
Not enough data
When will it arrive? is the question shoppers ask last before paying. A delivery date or range in the cart answers it at the point of decision. This check looks for a delivery estimate on the cart page.
Why it matters
A shopper who must guess may assume the worst. A confident date reduces doubt, especially near gifting seasons. Estimates must be honest, since a missed promise costs more than a vague one.
What the audit looks at
The audit reads the cart for a delivery estimate, date or delivery time range.
What usually causes it
- Delivery times only in the shipping policy
- Estimates calculated only after an address is entered
- No app or rule for dates
- Different carriers with different times and no way to show them
How to fix it
Show an estimated delivery date in the cart. The effort is medium, a theme or template edit that takes an afternoon.
- "Arrives Thursday 14 to Monday 18" answers the shopper's question before checkout.
- Base it on real processing and carrier times, not a guess.
On Shopify
- Shopify has no built-in delivery estimate in the cart: use a delivery date app, or add a text block with your shipping times in the cart section.
On WooCommerce
- Use a delivery estimate plugin, or add a text with your shipping times near the totals.
How to check it yourself
- Open the cart and look for an arrival estimate.
- Compare it with your real carrier performance.
- Check cut-off wording for same-day dispatch.
Frequently asked questions
What if I cannot predict dates?
Show a range such as 3 to 5 working days from dispatch.
Should it show before an address is entered?
A general range is better than nothing.
Related checks
Check your own store
See whether your store passes this check
Paste your store URL. The audit loads your pages in a real browser and shows the result for this check with the evidence behind it.