"Order by 2 p.m. — shipped today." It is on many shop pages. It rarely holds. Why? Because three layers sit between the marketing promise and the carrier's reality — and all three have to mesh.
The three layers of a cut-off time
Order cut-off (shop system)
When does the order have to reach the shop so it still goes to the warehouse today? Rule of thumb: 60–90 minutes before the pick cut-off.
Pick cut-off (warehouse)
When do warehouse staff have to have all picks fully assembled? Usual: 2 hours before the tour cut-off.
Tour cut-off (carrier)
When does the tour have to be loaded and dispatched? With us: 3:30 p.m. for regional last-mile, 5:00 p.m. for overnight express within NRW.
So if you want to promise "by 2 p.m. — shipped today", you need:
- 2:00 p.m. — order cut-off
- 2:30–3:00 p.m. — pick cut-off
- 3:30 p.m. — tour cut-off
What goes wrong with tight cut-offs
When the order and tour cut-offs sit too close together, there is no buffer for:
- Complex orders (several items from different warehouse zones)
- Out-of-stock situations (cancel or partial shipment?)
- Printer failures, label shortages
- Last-minute orders right before the cut-off
At peak times a 30-minute delay is enough — and the tour leaves without you.
How we help
With firm tour discipline: you know our tour cut-off to the minute. You can plan your pick cut-off realistically ahead of it. For special situations you call — we coordinate personally.
An urgent shipment that still needs to go after 3:30 p.m.? Possible in 80% of cases via direct express. But: special rate, and in return a punctuality guarantee.
Talk to us if you want to optimise your cut-off times.