Understanding Order Processing Times

Order processing time is the period between when your order is confirmed and when it's handed off to the carrier for shipping. This is separate from shipping time—understanding the difference helps you set accurate delivery expectations for your customers.

What Counts as Processing Time

Processing includes everything that happens before the package leaves our facility: picking the product, quality-checking it, packing it (with standard or branded packaging), and generating the shipping label.

Processing time does not include the time your customer waits to place an order, the time you take to pay for it, or the shipping time after the carrier picks it up.

Typical Processing Times

Processing time varies by product type:

• Ready-to-ship products — 1–3 business days
• Made-to-order products (POD, private label) — 3–7 business days for production before shipping
• Custom-branded products — add 1–2 business days for branded packaging assembly
• Large or non-standard items (furniture, lighting) — 5–10 business days due to specialized handling and packaging

Business days exclude weekends and public holidays in the fulfillment region.

Why Processing Times Vary

• Product availability. Ready-to-ship products are pulled directly from stock; made-to-order products need to be produced first.
• Branding complexity. Standard packaging is faster than custom boxes, hang tags, or private label assembly. The more branded elements involved, the more steps in the process.
• Order volume. Peak seasons (Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and major holidays) can extend processing by 1–3 days, since order volume across all sellers rises sharply.
• Quality checks. Certain product categories require additional inspection steps, which add time but reduce return rates.

What to Tell Your Customers

When you list a product on your store, add the processing time to your estimated shipping time. If a product has 3-day processing and 7-day shipping, tell your customer to expect delivery in 10 business days, not 7.

Setting realistic expectations upfront reduces support tickets and chargebacks. Customers who expect 10 days and receive in 8 are happy; customers who expect 7 and receive in 10 file complaints.