Cut-off time

There is a time of day before which an order goes out today and after which it goes out tomorrow. It is set by working backwards from the courier's collection: take the collection time, subtract the time to pick, pack and label, and what is left is the last moment an order can still make it. That time is called the cut-off time.

The time you promise customers ('order before 15:00 for next-day delivery') and the time your courier collects are not the same, and the gap between them is your working window. If the window is two hours and a typical order takes five minutes, one picker can handle about two dozen orders in it before the deadline; more than that and the cut-off must come earlier, or you need more hands.

Couriers often have more than one collection, or different cut-offs by service. Say the cut-off clearly on your site and at checkout, and keep to it. A customer who orders at 14:55 and reads 'next-day delivery' has been promised something.