We are excited to announce that we are introducing a new functionality in Shipping Settings that will allow you to set a faster default handling time for your standard shipping products. Starting May 10, you will have the option to set default handling time to one working day or two working days as per your shipping capabilities.

Handling time is a key component in defining delivery times to the customers. Earlier, for products where you did not specify any handling time in the Manage Inventory page (i.e. the handling time field is blank), a default handling time of two working days was applied. With the new feature launch, you will now have the flexibility to choose default handling time of either one working day or two working days. We believe that this is a great opportunity to set faster and accurate handling times that match your capabilities.

What is handling time?

Handling time is the number of days taken by a seller to pack and dispatch a product after the order is received. Handling time is part of the delivery time calculation displayed on the offer listing and checkout page, and the Ship-by date for an order is defined based on handling time. You can set your default handling time and also customise your handling time at a product level.

What is default handling time?

Default handling time refers to the handling time set at an account level and will apply to all your products by default unless you specifically change the handling time for each of your products. See the FAQ below for details.

How can I update the default handling time?

To update the ‘Default Handling Time’ on Seller Central, please follow the below steps:

1. From the Settings drop-down menu at the top right of Seller Central, click on Shipping Settings.
2. Under General Shipping Settings, identify the Handling Time section, and click on Edit.
3. Choose your default handling time as one day or two days and click on Save.

What is the benefit of setting faster handling time?

Faster delivery promise helps improve the delivery experience for customers and can help increase conversion and sales. The delivery promise that customers see on the detail and checkout page considers your Handling Time and Transit Time. You will have the opportunity to offer a faster delivery promise to customers by setting a faster default handling time.

What will be the impact on order fulfilment when I set a one business day default handling time?

The expected ship date for orders of products with a 1-day handling time will be the next working day. It is important that you meet customers’ expectations and deliver your items by the promise date. This includes to confirm the dispatch of orders by the expected ship date and meet the Late Dispatch Rate (LDR) requirements for your account. Not meeting the LDR requirement may result in account deactivation. Click here to learn more.

How can I set a longer handling time for specific products that take longer to dispatch?

If you estimate that certain products could take longer to pack and dispatch, you should set specific handling times for the SKU/ASINs that will override the default handling time. You can do so via Seller Central’s Manage Inventory page (one product at a time), Inventory Excel file uploads (for bulk updates) and through API by updating the Fulfilment Latency feed. Visit our help pages to access a detailed step-by-step guide and learn more on how to set product level handling time.