Why your EDDs might be hurting checkout conversion rates
Vaishali Ravi
·March 25, 2025
A lot of factors go into whether or not a shopper is going to make an online purchase. And while delivery speed is important for some shoppers, delivery transparency is an even more essential factor.
Three-quarters of shoppers say that providing an estimated delivery date (EDD) can positively influence them to move forward with a purchase. And on the flip side, 46% of shoppers have abandoned shipping carts if shipping times were too long or not provided.
As a brand, it’s critical to give shoppers an EDD for their purchase before they’ve completed the checkout process, or you’re likely to lose them altogether.
But not all EDDs are alike—let’s look at where you may be failing to deliver on your customers’ expectations.
What are EDDs?
Estimated delivery dates are pretty straightforward—they’re a time estimate of when a customer can expect to receive a product.
In order to provide an EDD, you’ll need to know the current status of the product and where it’s being held (i.e., in inventory at our Georgia warehouse), the customer’s location, and your shipping carrier and service options.
EDDs will differ based on the shopper’s region: If a shopper in California puts an order in their cart, for instance, they may get an EDD of 3 days for a product being held in a Jacksonville warehouse, compared to one-day if a shopper in Orlando orders the same product.
EDDs can also differ based on the level of shipping service the customer decides to purchase. For instance, your brand may offer a flat rate $7 shipping fee for delivery within three to four days if the order doesn’t meet your minimum free shipping threshold. The shopper may choose to update to one-day, two-day, or even same-day delivery for an additional upcharge at the point of purchase.
During the checkout process, your customer should be able to enter their zip code before submitting any billing information and get instant access to an EDD based on their location and shipping service level. But if the EDD is too vague, you’re likely to lose the sale. And for customers who do complete purchases, you may end up losing their future business if the EDD isn’t accurate.
Why EDD accuracy matters
Shoppers aren’t always concerned with getting their products immediately, especially if they feel like they’re getting a good deal: 46% of shoppers have selected a longer delivery timeframe to save money on their purchase.
But they do care about accuracy in shipping. Sixty-nine percent of customers said they’d abandon shopping with a retailer if they’d received a delivery late two or three times. And it happens with alarming frequency: 20% of shoppers said that a quarter of their online orders arrived later than promised.
Shoppers often purchase items in anticipation of upcoming events: Back-to-school shopping, a beach vacation, a friend’s birthday. So if you can’t get the product to them in time for the anticipated event, they may no longer want it—and even worse, they’ll no longer trust your brand.
Inaccurate EDDs also place a heavy burden on your customer support team. If a shopper isn’t sure where their order is, they’re much more likely to contact support for an update, taking up valuable CS resources.
Failing to provide accurate EDDs creates a negative experience for both your customers and your brand, and puts your brand at risk of losing valuable customers.
Improving your EDD with a Delivery Promise
When estimating delivery times, it’s not enough to simply rely on your shipping carrier’s standard time frames. Anything could happen. An order could be delayed getting picked up, or end up being damaged in shipment. Plus, fulfillment times play a big role and are unique to each brand, and sometimes specific products – which relies on your data. Without access to regular updates, your customer won’t know that anything’s amiss until it’s past their original EDD—and it’s too late by then to save their experience.
By using Loop’s Delivery Promise technology, you can provide accurate EDDs based on your brand’s unique shipping and fulfillment data – updated daily. You’ll be able to provide real-time order shipping statuses, from the start of the journey to the last mile logistics. You can sync updates directly to your customers when their package is progressing, so they know exactly when they can expect to see it show up at their doorstep.
If things don’t go according to plan along the journey, you’ll have the tools to proactively communicate with your customers through proactive alerts in your admin. By setting up customized campaigns tied to trigger events, you can let your shoppers know what’s going on and how you plan to resolve the issue. For instance, if a package was lost by the carrier, you can let them know that you’re sending a replacement immediately, and give them a discount to make up for the slight delay.
By prioritizing full transparency around your delivery process, you’ll be able to win your shoppers’ trust and ensure their loyalty for the long term.
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