In cross-border logistics, customers first see a promise: how much delivery will cost, when their order will arrive and what they can do if something goes wrong. Behind that promise, there should be a process that accounts for the destination country, the product, stock availability, delivery options and fulfilment costs. The European e-Shopper Barometer highlights the growing importance of flexible delivery: preference for parcel lockers rose from 23% to 27%, while 76% of respondents want to know which company will deliver their parcel. These are European findings, not a forecast for every market. They do, however, point to a clear direction: effective logistics already depends on tailoring the delivery promise to each order and ensuring it can be met.

Delivery Dates Should Reflect Operational Capabilities

The delivery date displayed in an online store should account for the entire order fulfilment process, rather than just the carrier’s stated transit time. The delivery date depends on:

• product availability,
• warehouse location,
• picking and packing time,
• the order cut-off time for dispatch,
• transport to the destination country,
• delivery by the local carrier.

Public holidays and restrictions affecting particular regions or shipment types also need to be considered. A carrier’s estimated transit time can help with the calculation, but it does not necessarily represent a guaranteed delivery date.

How Do You Calculate an Estimated Delivery Date?

Suppose an online store ships orders to Czechia from a warehouse in Poland. In-stock products ordered before 1 p.m. are picked, packed and handed over to the carrier the same day. An analysis of a sufficiently large sample of past shipments shows that 90 out of 100 parcels on this route arrive within two business days of being accepted by the carrier. If a customer places an order on Monday at 12:30 p.m., the store can show Wednesday as the estimated delivery date. An order placed at 2:20 p.m. will be handed over to the carrier on Tuesday, moving the estimated delivery date to Thursday.

How Should Delivery Estimates Be Updated?

As sales grow, delivery date calculations can be automated. The system can take into account:

• the recipient’s postcode,
• the warehouse holding the product,
• the time the order was placed,
• picking and packing time,
• historical delivery performance for the selected service.

The store should regularly compare promised delivery dates with actual arrival dates. If delays become more frequent on a particular route or during a specific season, the date shown to customers should be adjusted. This keeps delivery promises grounded in operational performance, rather than an assumption that every parcel will take the same amount of time.

Tracking Should Trigger Action, Not Just Display a Status

A tracking number alone does not give a store control over order fulfilment. It needs up-to-date events from the warehouse and the carrier, linked to the correct order. For example, it is important to distinguish between a shipping label being created and a parcel actually being handed over to the carrier. This prevents the store from telling a customer that their parcel is on its way when it is still waiting to be collected from the warehouse.

Exceptions Should Trigger a Specific Response

The store should define what happens when a carrier misses a scheduled collection, a parcel receives no further scans or a delivery attempt fails. For example, if there is no collection confirmation by the end of the day, the system can check the shipping manifest and create a task for a warehouse employee. When the carrier records an unsuccessful delivery attempt, the store can notify the customer of the available next steps.

Data from Different Systems Should Provide a Complete View of Fulfilment

In cross-border sales, status updates may come from the online store, the warehouse, the international transport provider and the last-mile carrier. API integration can bring these events into a single workflow, allowing the store to link them to the order, update the customer and route exceptions to the appropriate team. Geopost reports that shoppers expect up-to-date information, notifications and options to change their delivery arrangements.

Cash on Delivery Is a Decision About Risk and Cash Flow

Simply comparing the cash-on-delivery fee with the cost of an online payment does not show which method offers better value for the store. The calculation should also include shipping costs, the potential cost of returning an uncollected parcel, additional handling and the time it takes the carrier to remit the funds collected. Check which currency the customer pays in and which currency the store receives, as terms may vary by provider and market.

Compare Performance by Country, Product Category and Sales Channel

Analyse cash-on-delivery orders separately for each market, product category and sales channel. Track their share of orders, the percentage of parcels left uncollected, handling costs and the margin remaining after all fees and return-to-sender costs. If cash on delivery increases order volumes, compare the additional revenue with the cost of uncollected shipments and the delay in receiving payment. This analysis will show where COD supports sales and where it reduces profitability or puts pressure on cash flow.

KPIs Should Capture the Cost and Quality of the Entire Order

A carrier’s on-time performance is not enough to assess cross-border logistics. Your store should measure the entire process, from order preparation through to delivery or return, and analyse results separately by country, sales channel and delivery method. This makes it easier to identify whether a problem lies in transport, picking and packing, communication or returns handling.

Check Whether the Store Meets Its Delivery Promise

Delivery promise adherence measures the percentage of shipped orders that arrive on or before the date given to the customer. First-attempt delivery success measures the share of shipments delivered to the recipient on the first attempt. Undelivered and uncollected parcels should also be reported separately so they remain visible in the overall performance picture.

Calculate the Cost per Successfully Delivered Order

Include more than the shipping label price. Add packaging, surcharges, cash-on-delivery fees, additional handling and the cost of shipments returned to the warehouse. Then divide the total cost by the number of successfully delivered orders. This metric makes services easier to compare: a carrier with a cheaper label may generate a higher overall cost if repeat delivery attempts or returns to sender are more common.

Measure Returns Handling and the Causes of Problems

Analyse the percentage of uncollected parcels separately from customer-initiated returns, as these situations have different causes. Also measure the time from a return request to the product’s arrival at the warehouse and its availability for resale. Combining this data with return reasons, complaints and customer service enquiries helps identify which parts of the process need improvement.

Break Down Results to Support Specific Decisions

Compare KPIs across individual countries, channels, delivery methods and product categories. If one service has a higher delivery success rate but a substantially higher cost per delivered order, assess whether it is best suited to selected products or regions. This approach helps optimise the process based on the overall outcome of each order, rather than a single carrier metric.

How Can You Prepare Cross-Border Logistics for the Years Ahead?

By 2030, a competitive advantage in international sales will come from the ability to turn order, inventory and delivery data into practical operational decisions. Customers should see a realistic delivery date and a suitable delivery option, while the store should be able to respond quickly to delays, failed collections or returns. Success therefore depends on the overall outcome of the order: delivery quality, service costs and profitability. Technology can connect these decisions within a single process, provided the data is consistent and exception handling is well planned. Alsendo International supports domestic and international shipping management, collaboration with local delivery providers and process integration through APIs. Discover Alsendo International.

Source: Geopost e-Shopper Barometer 2025

Anna Sztyk