Shipping Policy Generator
Generate a shipping policy with processing times, carriers, transit estimates, customs notes and the rules for lost or damaged parcels.
What is Shipping Policy?
A shipping policy generator. It answers the four questions a customer has after ordering — when will it go out, when will it arrive, what does it cost, and what if something goes wrong — and sets a definable point at which a parcel counts as lost so the customer is not left waiting indefinitely.
How it works
Processing days, carrier, transit estimates and the free-shipping threshold are written into the rates section, and the international and cut-off clauses appear only when switched on. The damaged-parcel and lost-parcel windows you supply become concrete commitments, which is what stops a dispute turning into an open-ended argument.
- Fill in the details the document needs. Business name, jurisdiction, dates, the clauses that apply to you. Nothing is uploaded and no account is created — the form is the only input, and the document is assembled in the page.
- Watch the blanks, not just the text. Any field you leave empty appears in the document as [[a highlighted marker]], and the panel above the output lists exactly which blanks are left. A half-finished policy should never look finished.
- Copy or download, then have it reviewed. Copy the document to the clipboard or download it as a .md file named for what it is. Every page states the same thing: this is a template, and it needs a qualified lawyer's eye before you publish or sign it.
Examples
A privacy policy for a side project
A solo developer shipping a newsletter signup needs a policy that says what is collected, why, and how to ask for deletion. Selecting the categories actually collected — rather than copying a competitor's list — takes two minutes and produces a document that is true.
Terms of service with a real liability cap
The liability clause is written from a number you supply instead of being left as "our total liability is limited to [amount]". A cap that is never filled in is a clause no one can rely on.
A DMCA notice a provider will actually action
A takedown that is missing the URL of the original work, or the statement under penalty of perjury, is one the service provider is entitled to ignore. Every required element appears in the generated letter, in the order the statute describes.
A DPA for a new vendor
Processors, security measures, breach notification window, transfers and audit rights as one document, with the subprocessor and SCC clauses switched on because this vendor uses both.
Common mistakes
Publishing a template without reading it
A policy that promises something you do not do — deleting data on request within 30 days, or never sharing data with third parties — is worse than no policy, because it is a documented misstatement. Read every clause against what actually happens and cut the ones that do not apply.
Assuming one document covers every jurisdiction
A privacy policy written for the UK does not automatically satisfy California, Brazil or Canada, and an employment clause that is standard in one country can be unenforceable in another. Name the jurisdiction you are actually writing for, and check the rules that follow from it.
Bundling consent and calling it consent
A single "I agree" covering marketing, analytics, photographs and treatment is not valid consent under most regimes, because consent has to be specific and separately given. Use one form per purpose, and never pre-tick the optional boxes.
Leaving the blanks in after generating
The marker can be more subtle to spot in a document than on the page — search the pasted text for the bracket characters before publishing, or use the missing-field list to confirm it is empty.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set a realistic processing time?
count from the moment payment clears, not from when the order was placed, and add a separate line for sales and holiday periods. A two-day promise that becomes five days in December costs more goodwill than admitting the seasonal delay up front.
Who pays customs duties on international orders?
Normally the recipient, and saying so before the order is placed matters: an unexpected customs bill is one of the most common reasons a parcel is refused. The policy also needs to say what happens to the shipping cost when that happens.
Should I offer a delivery guarantee?
Only for transit times you control. Promising arrival dates when the carrier does the delivering creates a liability you cannot manage; promising a despatch time and a replacement for a genuinely lost parcel is both honest and good service.