Transit time analytics

The Transit time dashboard measures how long carriers take to move your parcels — from the first carrier scan to the Delivered status. It answers the question every merchant eventually asks: which carrier is actually fastest on my routes?

To open it, go to Shopify admin → Apps → Parcel Track → Analytics → Transit time.

How transit time is measured

Transit time starts at the first carrier scan (usually when the shipment moves from Pending or Info Received into In Transit) and stops when the shipment reaches Delivered. Time spent preparing the order before the carrier picks it up is not included — that portion is covered in Order-to-delivery time analytics.

Key metrics

Average transit time (overall)

The mean number of days between first scan and delivery across all delivered shipments in the selected date range.

Why it matters: This is the number your customers experience once their parcel ships. It also feeds directly into how believable your estimated delivery dates are.

How to act on it: Track it monthly. A creeping increase across all carriers often points to seasonal congestion; plan promotions and cutoff dates around it.

Average transit time per carrier

The same calculation, broken down by carrier.

Why it matters: Carrier rate cards tell you what shipping costs; this metric tells you what it delivers. A carrier that is one day slower on average may still win on price — or may be costing you repeat customers.

How to act on it: Compare carriers on identical routes (use the destination country filter) so you’re comparing like with like.

Average transit time per destination

Transit time grouped by destination country.

Why it matters: A single “average transit time” hides huge differences between domestic and international routes. Per-destination numbers let you set honest expectations on product pages and in checkout.

How to act on it: Identify your slowest major markets and consider a different carrier or service level for those countries specifically.

Comparing carriers fairly

Set a date range of at least 30 days so one bad week doesn’t skew the averages.
Apply the destination country filter for one market you ship to frequently.
Switch between carriers using the carrier filter and note the average transit time for each.
Repeat for your other key markets — a carrier can be fastest domestically and slowest internationally.
Export the results as CSV to build a simple route-by-route comparison table.

Tip: Don’t switch carriers on averages alone. Check the spread too — a carrier averaging 4 days with occasional 15-day outliers creates more support tickets than one that reliably delivers in 5.

Using transit data to set accurate EDDs

Parcel Track can show an estimated delivery date on your tracking page and in notifications. The Transit time dashboard is the best source of truth for configuring it:

Filter by your primary carrier and destination country.
Note the average transit time, then add a one-day buffer to stay on the safe side.
Enter that value when setting up your estimated delivery date — see configuring the estimated delivery date.
Revisit quarterly, and before peak season, since carrier performance shifts throughout the year.

Tip: Under-promise slightly. Customers remember a parcel arriving a day early far more fondly than one arriving a day late — and accurate EDDs reduce “where is my order?” contacts.

Transit time only covers the carrier’s share of the journey. To see the full wait your customer experiences — including your own processing time — head to Order-to-delivery time analytics.