How Long Does Printful Take to Ship?

Printful is one of the leading platforms that offers print-on-demand (POD) services. As an e-commerce vendor looking for a reliable place to run your POD business, Printful may be an ideal choice. But how quick are its shipping times?

Printful has a specific duration for fulfilling orders. Typically, Printful fulfills orders within two to five business days.

However, this duration can vary based on certain issues like the preferred shipping method, the order’s destination, and the production time for the items ordered.

Printful Versus Printify

You should compare Printful with other similar platforms‒like Printify‒to make sure you’re using the right printing platform for your business or project.

Your Printful versus Printify comparison should also focus on the rules and guidelines for selling printed products. These platforms have strict rules that every vendor must adhere to, including copyright, publicity, and trademark laws.

This comparison will help you understand the problems with Printify publishing to Etsy and how Printful has dealt with the issue. However, the most important consideration is the platform’s ability to ship your orders safely and on time to help you build trust with your clients.

So, check how fast you can fulfill bulk orders with Printify and Printful. Then, think about what other factors could impact your shipping times..

Factors Determining Shipping Time for Printful Orders

Preferred Shipping Method

Your customer’s preferred shipping method will affect the delivery time because each shipping option has a specific delivery speed. The main delivery options offered by Printiful are standard and express shipping.

The standard shipping process follows the regular delivery time, which ranges between two to seven business days, while express shipping takes between one to two days because the order is delivered through air couriers.

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Delivery Location

The location of your customer plays a key role in determining shipping duration. Orders delivered locally‒within the same country‒usually arrive faster than international orders because of shorter transit distances and faster customs clearance.

Printing Time

This is the time it takes for Printful’s printers to produce your custom item. This duration depends on the type of product ordered, the complexity of its designs, and the current order volume.

Printful displays the estimated production time on each product listed on its website to set clear expectations to clients and vendors. This helps you plan your orders accordingly.

Preferred Courier Services

The time it takes for Printful to deliver your order will depend on the shipping carrier you choose. The platform works with several carriers who have a variety of networks, delivery services, and transit times.

Holidays and Unexpected Events

Delivering an order on a holiday will take longer, especially if it’s the peak season. Holidays like Christmas, New Year, and Independence Day come with increased order volumes.

The sudden increase leads to potential disruptions in production and delivery.

Unexpected events like natural and manmade disasters, disease outbreaks, severe weather conditions, and disruptions in transportation networks will also cause delays in shipping.

Customs Clearance

Local and international orders are subjected to different customs clearance procedures for safety and revenue purposes. This adds more time to the shipping process. The longer your package is held up in customs for inspection and tax assessments, the longer the delivery time will be.