Shipping Policy Template: How To Create One For Your Online Store

Clear shipping information is one of the quickest ways to build trust with your customers online. It sets expectations, reduces support queries, and protects your business when things don’t go to plan.

If you’re selling products in Australia, a strong shipping policy isn’t just “nice to have” - it’s a key part of your customer experience and your legal compliance under Australian Consumer Law.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what to include in a shipping policy template, how to roll it out, and the laws you need to keep in mind. We’ll also share the related legal documents that work alongside your policy to give your business a complete and professional setup.

What Is A Shipping Policy (And Why Your Business Needs One)?

A shipping policy sets out how you handle delivery - timeframes, costs, carriers, tracking, international shipping, order cut-offs, pre-orders, lost or damaged items, returns logistics and more. It tells customers exactly what to expect after they click “buy”.

From your perspective, a clear policy helps prevent disputes, keeps your team consistent, and limits business risk. It also supports your obligations under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), especially around not misleading customers about delivery times and your responsibility for goods until they’re received.

If you sell online, we recommend publishing a dedicated page for your shipping policy and linking it in your website footer, checkout and FAQs. You can also reference key terms in your Online Shop Terms & Conditions so everything works together.

What Should A Shipping Policy Template Include?

Think of your shipping policy as the “how it works” playbook for deliveries. Here’s what most Australian online stores will want to cover.

Core Delivery Details

• Where you ship: Australia-wide, specific states/territories, PO Boxes/Parcel Lockers, rural/remote, and any excluded locations (e.g. dangerous goods limitations).
• Shipping methods and carriers: Standard, express, courier, same-day, click-and-collect, drop-shipped items, and who you use (e.g. Australia Post, StarTrack, Sendle) if you wish to disclose it.
• Costs and free shipping thresholds: Flat fees, variable rates by weight/region, and free shipping offers (including any exclusions).
• Dispatch timeframes: How quickly you pack and hand over (e.g. orders before 12pm ship same business day; otherwise next business day).
• Delivery timeframes: Estimated windows for standard vs express, with a note that they are estimates and may vary due to carrier delays.
• Order cut-offs and pre-orders: Daily cut-off times, pre-order expected release dates, and how mixed carts (in-stock + pre-order) are handled.

Tracking, Authority To Leave, and Missed Deliveries

• Tracking: Whether customers receive tracking links and how to access them.
• Authority to Leave (ATL): Whether customers can request ATL, when drivers may leave items unattended, and who bears risk after delivery.
• Missed deliveries and re-delivery fees: What happens if nobody is available, how re-deliveries/collection works, and who covers additional costs (be careful not to contradict ACL rights).

International Shipping (If Applicable)

• Countries served: Where you ship internationally, or if you ship only within Australia.
• Duties and taxes: Who is responsible for customs duties, VAT/GST in destination countries, and potential delays at customs.

Loss, Damage, and Delays

• Risk and title: When risk passes to the customer (typically on delivery) and how this aligns with your refund or replacement process.
• Damaged or missing items: What customers must do (e.g. notify within a set timeframe, provide photos), and how you assess and resolve claims.
• Carrier delays and force majeure: That estimated delivery times are not guarantees and factors beyond your control (e.g. severe weather, peak season) may cause delays.

Returns Logistics (Link To Your Returns Policy)

• Return shipping: Who pays for change-of-mind returns vs faulty goods, and the process for return authorisations.
• Refunds vs replacements: A brief statement that faulty goods will be remedied in line with ACL rights, and a link to your full returns policy and Warranties Against Defects Policy if you offer one.

Special Products And Restrictions

• Bulky or dangerous goods: Extra handling time, special courier services, or delivery conditions for batteries, aerosols, alcohol, etc.
• Personalised/made-to-order items: Longer lead times and how this affects overall delivery.

Contact And Support

• Customer service: How customers can contact you about shipping questions (email, phone, chat) and your response times.
• Policy updates: A note that you may update the policy, with the effective date at the top of the page.

Make these sections plain-English and precise. Avoid vague statements like “we ship fast” - spell out what “fast” means in days, who pays what, and what happens when exceptions arise.

Step-By-Step: Draft And Roll Out Your Shipping Policy

1) Map Your Operational Reality

Start with your actual fulfilment setup. List where your products are warehoused, how often you pack orders, which carriers you use, and your historical or quoted delivery windows by region.

If you plan to change carriers or offer new options (e.g. express or click-and-collect), decide now so your policy won’t immediately need amending after launch.

2) Draft The Policy Using Clear, Customer-Friendly Language

Use headings and short paragraphs. Customers skim - make it easy to find costs, timeframes and exceptions.

Be specific about cut-offs, pre-order timing, and what you’ll do if carriers delay. If you do offer ATL, clarify when risk passes and how customers can opt in or out.

3) Align With Your Website Legal Documents

Your shipping policy should be consistent with your Website Terms and Conditions and your store’s Online Shop Terms & Conditions. Contradictions can cause confusion and complaints, so keep definitions (like “Business Days” or “Force Majeure”) and processes aligned across documents.

4) Cross-Check With ACL Requirements

Under the Australian Consumer Law, you must not mislead customers about delivery times, and you’re responsible for ensuring goods arrive within a “reasonable time” unless a specific timeframe is agreed. If a delay becomes unreasonable, customers may be entitled to a remedy.

This is a good moment to sanity-check your estimates and communications against your actual performance. If in doubt, speak with a lawyer about your obligations under the Australian Consumer Law and your approach to remedies when delivery fails.

5) Publish Prominently And Link At Checkout

Place the full policy on a dedicated page and link it in your footer, product pages and checkout. At checkout, consider a short summary (e.g. “Dispatch in 1-2 business days; delivery 2-6 business days”) with a link to the full policy for details.

6) Train Your Team And Automate Where Possible

Make sure your support team knows the policy and has templates for common scenarios (lost parcels, split shipments, re-delivery). Set up automated order and tracking emails that reflect the policy wording to keep messaging consistent.

7) Review Regularly

Peak periods, carrier changes and new product lines can shift your averages. Review your policy at least quarterly - monthly during peak season - and update the “effective date” each time you change it.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Overpromising on timeframes: Quoting “2-3 days” when your average is 3-5 days sets you up for complaints.
• Conflicting documents: Shipping policy says one thing; terms say another. Keep them aligned.
• Shifting risk too early: Saying “we’re not responsible once it’s with the carrier” can conflict with ACL obligations and frustrate customers - take care here.
• Hiding key exclusions: If free shipping excludes remote areas, say so clearly near any free-shipping promotions.
• Ignoring returns logistics: Your shipping and returns policies should work together, particularly on who pays return freight.

What Laws Apply To Shipping Policies In Australia?

Several Australian laws and standards will influence what you say in your shipping policy and how you deliver on it. Here are the main ones to understand.

Australian Consumer Law (ACL)

• Misleading or deceptive conduct: Don’t advertise delivery times you can’t meet reliably. If delays occur, communicate proactively and offer appropriate remedies where required.
• Consumer guarantees: Goods must arrive within a reasonable time and be of acceptable quality. If they’re lost or arrive damaged, you’ll usually need to provide a remedy.
• Warranties against defects: If you provide a warranty, ensure your wording meets ACL requirements, which is often handled via a separate Warranties Against Defects Policy that dovetails with your shipping and returns processes.

Fair And Accurate Pricing

Be transparent about shipping fees and any surcharges. If you advertise free shipping, spell out any exclusions upfront so you don’t risk misleading advertising or issues under advertised price laws.

Privacy And Data

When you share customer details with carriers for delivery and tracking, you’re handling personal information. Explain this in your Privacy Policy and make sure your processes comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Imports, Dangerous Goods And Restricted Items

If you ship internationally or send restricted items (like lithium batteries or alcohol), you’ll have additional compliance obligations and carrier rules to follow. Your policy should reflect any special terms, extended timeframes or delivery restrictions for these products.

Website And Contract Law

To ensure your policy is enforceable, it should sit alongside proper ecommerce terms. Most online stores use a combination of Website Terms and Conditions, Online Shop Terms & Conditions, and, if you sell wholesale or B2B, Terms of Trade that set out ordering, delivery, risk and title in more detail.

What Other Documents Work With Your Shipping Policy?

Your shipping policy is part of a bigger legal toolkit for selling online. The goal is consistency across all customer touchpoints and contracts, so there’s no confusion about how delivery works and what happens when it doesn’t.

• Shipping Policy: Your dedicated page explaining delivery options, timeframes, costs, and exceptions. If you want a lawyer-drafted version tailored to your business, consider a professionally prepared Shipping Policy.
• Online Shop Terms & Conditions: The rules of sale on your store (orders, payment, delivery, risk and title, returns). These should reference your shipping and returns policies and control if there’s any inconsistency.
• Website Terms and Conditions: Governs use of your website, including acceptable use and IP, and helps limit your liability for site content and downtime.
• Privacy Policy: Explains how you collect, use and disclose personal information, including sharing addresses and phone numbers with carriers and tracking providers.
• Returns/Refunds Policy: Sets out your process for change-of-mind returns (if offered) and remedies for faulty goods in line with ACL guarantees.
• Warranties Against Defects Policy: If you offer your own warranty, this must include specific ACL wording and sit consistently beside your returns and shipping processes.
• Terms of Trade (for B2B/Wholesale): If you supply businesses, use robust terms that address bulk shipments, lead times, split deliveries, and Incoterms for international sales.

If you run a marketplace or app, you may also need specialised platform terms or a Terms of Use to address how shipping responsibilities fall between you and sellers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shipping Policies

Do I Need A Shipping Policy If I Show Delivery Estimates At Checkout?

Yes. Checkout snippets are helpful, but a policy page gives the detail customers often need after purchase (tracking, delays, ATL, redelivery, damaged goods). It also provides a single source of truth for your support team.

Can I Say “We’re Not Responsible For Delays Caused By The Carrier”?

You can explain that delivery timeframes are estimates and outside your direct control once dispatched. However, under the ACL you still have obligations regarding delivery within a reasonable time or within the timeframe you’ve promised, so avoid disclaimers that attempt to exclude rights you can’t legally exclude.

When Does Risk Transfer To The Customer?

Typically, risk passes on delivery. If you use ATL, clarify when delivery is deemed to occur (e.g. when the carrier leaves the parcel at the nominated address). Align this with your sales terms so there’s no conflict between documents.

What If My Products Are Bulky Or Require Special Handling?

Explain the extra handling time, third-party services (e.g. tail-lift trucks), and any additional fees clearly. Give longer delivery windows and spell out contact requirements so customers can plan for receiving the goods.

Can I Charge Redelivery Fees?

Often yes, if a customer misses an agreed delivery window and the carrier charges you. Be transparent about when fees apply and the exact amount or how it’s calculated - and make sure this doesn’t cut across your ACL obligations.

Key Takeaways

• A clear, specific shipping policy sets customer expectations, reduces support load, and helps you comply with Australian Consumer Law.
• Cover the essentials: where you ship, costs, dispatch and delivery timeframes, tracking, ATL, loss/damage, pre-orders, returns logistics, and special product rules.
• Align your shipping policy with your Online Shop Terms & Conditions, Website Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy so everything tells the same story.
• Don’t overpromise delivery times or shift risk in a way that conflicts with the ACL - build processes for delays, damage and missing items into your policy.
• Publish the policy prominently, link it at checkout, train your team, and review it regularly as carriers and conditions change.
• For wholesale or B2B, back your policy with strong Terms of Trade and consider whether a Warranties Against Defects Policy is appropriate.

If you’d like a professionally drafted Shipping Policy tailored to your products and logistics, you can reach us at 1800 730 617 or team@sprintlaw.com.au for a free, no-obligations chat.