On-Time Delivery Rate

The On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) represents shipments delivered by their estimated delivery date as a percentage of total tracked shipments. OTDR only applies to seller fulfilled orders.

We consider OTDR performance when determining which Transit Times you are eligible to set, which may enable you to promise faster delivery times and improve your conversion.

We recommend that sellers maintain an OTDR greater than 97% in order to provide a good customer experience; however, there is no penalty for not meeting the performance target at this time.

Customers tell us that receiving their orders on time and having the ability to track their parcels are important factors in their overall satisfaction with an order. Our research shows that tracked orders have 60 per cent fewer order defects and that tracking also helps reduce order inquiries from buyers.

Frequently asked questions

Why is on-time delivery important?

If you meet Amazon’s targets for on-time delivery and tracking scores, you may be eligible to offer reduced shipping or handling times on your products. Find out more about Premium Shipping Options.

Does Amazon display my on-time delivery rate to customers?

We do not currently display these rates to customers.

What happens if I miss the on-time delivery target?

This metric is intended to help you understand the cause of negative feedback and claims. When parcels arrive late or are shipped without tracking, buyers are more likely to leave negative feedback or file claims. This directly impacts your performance metrics. Therefore, it is important to review your on-time delivery and tracking-usage rates regularly.

Failure to meet Amazon’s target for this metric generally does not result in the suspension of your selling account. However it could cause negative feedback or claims, which could impact your selling account status. To help you monitor your on-time delivery metrics, we have added a performance indicator to the Account Health.

How is the on-time delivery rate calculated?

A parcel is considered on time if the following requirements are met:

• Tracking information is recorded within 48 hours of entering the shipment confirmation.
• The parcel is delivered by the estimated delivery date according to the carrier’s tracking updates.

To calculate the percentage of parcels delivered on time, we divide the number of tracked parcels that were delivered on time, as confirmed by the carrier, by the number of parcels that have valid tracking information. Your on-time delivery rate typically reflects your shipping performance data as of two weeks prior to the date you view the rate. This allows carriers time to update delivery confirmation data in their databases.

If a parcel is confirmed as shipped after the estimated delivery date, the parcel is not considered to be delivered on time.

What is the number in parentheses next to my on-time delivery rate?

That is the total number of parcels that buyers received on time. It is used to calculate the on-time delivery rate.