1. Processing time
Orders are packed and shipped within [1-2] business days. Orders placed before [12pm AEST] on a business day usually ship the same day. We do not ship on weekends or public holidays.
Shipping policy template for online stores (Australia and NZ)
A good shipping policy template tells customers how long you take to pack an order, which couriers you use, how much shipping costs, how long delivery takes to each region, how tracking works and what happens if a parcel is late, lost or damaged. Written clearly, it answers most 'where is my order?' questions before they are asked. Below is a free template for Australian and New Zealand stores you can copy into Shopify, and what to think about before you publish it.
Updated 13 October 2026
What a shipping policy should cover
- Processing time: how many business days to pack and ship, and your cut-off time for same-day dispatch.
- Couriers: who you use, such as Australia Post, StarTrack, Sendle, Aramex or NZ Post.
- Costs: flat rates, free-shipping thresholds and express options.
- Delivery times by region, as ranges in business days.
- Tracking: when the tracking email is sent and where to find it.
- Delays: sale periods, public holidays, weather and peak season.
- Lost, damaged or stolen parcels: what the customer should do and what you will do.
- Wrong or incomplete addresses, PO boxes and parcel lockers.
- International orders, including New Zealand, and who pays any duties or taxes.
- How to contact you about a delivery.
Shipping policy template (copy and adjust)
2. Shipping costs
Standard shipping within Australia is $[X], free on orders over $[X]. Express shipping is $[X]. Shipping to New Zealand is $[X]. Costs are shown at checkout before you pay.
3. Delivery times
Once shipped, delivery usually takes: metro areas [2-5] business days; regional areas [3-7]; WA, NT and Tasmania [5-10]; New Zealand [5-12]. These are courier estimates, not guarantees.
4. Tracking
You will get an email with your tracking link as soon as your order ships. You can also track it any time on our tracking page: [link].
5. Delays
During sales, Christmas and other busy periods, couriers can take longer. If your order is delayed on our side, we will email you.
6. Lost, damaged or stolen parcels
If your tracking has not moved for [5] business days, your parcel arrives damaged, or it shows as delivered but you have not received it, contact us at [email] with your order number. We will work with the courier and make it right.
7. Addresses
Please check your address at checkout. We can change it before your order ships. We ship to PO boxes and parcel lockers with [courier]. If a parcel is returned because of an incorrect address, we can resend it for the cost of shipping.
8. New Zealand and international orders
We ship to New Zealand [and other countries]. Any duties or taxes charged by the destination country are [included at checkout / paid by the customer on delivery].
Before you publish: things to check
- Use real numbers from your couriers and your own packing time. Promising faster delivery than you can manage creates complaints.
- If you arrange the delivery, sorting out lost or damaged parcels with the courier is generally your job, not the customer's. Your policy should say you will help, and should never take away rights customers have under Australian Consumer Law or New Zealand's Consumer Guarantees Act.
- If you sell a lot to New Zealand, check whether you need to register for New Zealand GST on low-value imported goods, and say clearly in your policy who pays any taxes.
- Match your Shopify shipping rates and the delivery dates shown at checkout to what the policy says.
- Update the policy before sales and the Christmas cut-off dates each year.
How to add a shipping policy in Shopify
- In Shopify admin, go to Settings, then Policies.
- Find Shipping policy and paste your policy in.
- Save. Shopify links your policies in the checkout.
- Add the policy to your footer menu, and link it from product pages, your FAQ and your shipping confirmation email.
Shipping questions will still come in
Even with a clear policy, people ask 'do you ship to NZ?' under your ads and 'where is my order?' in DMs and email. Paperflower puts those questions in one list, puts buying questions first, and drafts each reply from your own shipping policy and the customer's Shopify order, so the answer is right and fast. See our guides to Shopify order tracking and WISMO, or our refund policy template.
How Paperflower is different
Comments are a sales channel, not a chore
Most tools treat comments as noise. Paperflower reads every one, spots buying questions like “do you ship to NZ?” and makes sure they get answered before the customer moves on.
Buying Intent and Opportunity Score
Every conversation gets a score so the people ready to buy come first. You see who to reply to now, and who can wait.
Shopify context in every draft
Order status, shipping and product details are pulled in automatically, so drafts are right the first time and private order details never go out in public.
You stay in control
AI drafts are on and auto-send is off by default. Complaints are escalated to you. Refunds and cancellations always need a human.
Simple pricing
Paperflower starts free with 100 customer interactions a month, no card needed: every message in one list, and you write the replies. AI sorting, reply drafts and spam hiding come with Standard, which is A$47 a month for 3,000 customer interactions, with a 7-day free trial. Human replies are always free. See all plans.
Built for AU and NZ brands
Local time zones, local shipping questions, and support from people who know the market.
Frequently asked questions
Processing time, couriers, shipping costs, delivery times by region, tracking, what happens with delays and lost or damaged parcels, address changes, international orders and how to contact you.
Go to Settings, then Policies, paste your policy into Shipping policy and save. Then link it from your footer, product pages and FAQ.
If you arranged the delivery, it is generally up to you to sort it out with the courier and make it right for the customer, by resending or refunding. Do not ask the customer to chase the courier.
Yes. Give ranges in business days by region, and say they start once the order has shipped, so customers know what to expect.
Not unless you turn that on. By default it drafts a reply and you approve it. You can switch on auto-send for simple, safe questions once you trust the drafts.
Instagram, Facebook and TikTok comments and DMs, support email through Gmail or Google Workspace, and Shopify for order details.
Yes. The Free plan is the basics: 100 customer interactions a month in one list, no card needed, and you write each reply. Standard adds AI sorting, reply drafts and spam hiding, and comes with a 7-day free trial. You can cancel any time. Compare plans.
Start Paperflower free
Connect Instagram, Facebook, email and Shopify in a few minutes. On Standard, AI sorts every message and drafts every reply, you stay in control, and nothing is sent without your say-so unless you switch that on. Free puts every message in one list for you to answer.