CDON is introducing the new Shipping Checkout together with our partner Ingrid, a new delivery experience that shows customers clearer, more specific delivery information directly in the checkout: a concrete delivery date, the carrier and delivery method, and — where possible — a choice between delivery options.
What a customer sees for your products is determined entirely by the delivery data you provide. The more complete your data, the richer the experience. This article explains how Shipping Checkout works, how the delivery level is determined for each order, and exactly what you need to do to be ready.
Why this matters
The delivery step is one of the most decisive moments in the purchase. When customers know exactly when and how their order will arrive, they are more likely to complete the purchase, more likely to be satisfied after delivery, and less likely to contact support.
A more complete delivery experience tends to lead to:
- Higher conversion — fewer customers abandon checkout when the delivery promise is clear and specific.
- Higher post-delivery satisfaction — realistic, concrete promises reduce disappointment and disputes.
- Fewer "where is my order?" tickets — customers who know the date and carrier ask fewer questions.
The three delivery levels
Shipping Checkout renders the highest level your data supports for each article and order. There are three levels, each building on the one below it.
Level 1 – Delivery Date (base level / fallback)
The customer sees an estimated delivery date (a date range).
- What the customer sees: "Estimated delivery: 12–14 Sept"
- What drives it: your configured shipping times for the market, including both handling and transit time.
- This is the minimum level. As long as your articles are correctly configured, every order gets at least a delivery date.
Level 2 – Delivery Details
Everything in Level 1, plus the carrier and delivery method, so the customer knows how the item arrives.
- What the customer sees: "Estimated delivery: 12–14 Sept · PostNord · Home delivery" or "… · Pickup point"
- What drives it: Level 1 data plus carrier and delivery method per order.
Level 3 – Delivery Choice
Everything in Level 2, plus the ability for the customer to choose between delivery options (different carriers and/or methods and/or pickup points) directly in the checkout.
- What the customer sees: a set of selectable options, e.g. "PostNord — Home delivery, 12–14 Sept" vs. "Instabox — Pickup point, 11–13 Sept".
- What drives it: Level 2 data plus selectable delivery options for the order (delivery method and/or pickup point).
How the delivery level is determined
Shipping Checkout evaluates the data available for each order and automatically shows the highest level that data supports:
Has carrier + method + ≥2 selectable options? → Level 3 (Delivery Choice)
Has carrier + method? → Level 2 (Delivery Details)
Has valid shipping time only? → Level 1 (Delivery Date)
You will never block a sale by having incomplete data. If the data needed for a higher level is missing, Shipping Checkout falls back to the level the available data supports. The trade-off is simply a less compelling delivery experience — and, at Level 3, the loss of the conversion benefit that comes from letting customers choose.
The level can differ from order to order, because it depends on the data available for the specific articles and destination in that order.
What you need to provide
| To reach… | You need to provide… |
|---|---|
| Level 1 – Delivery Date | Accurate shipping_time (min/max) per market |
| Level 2 – Delivery Details | Level 1 + carrier and delivery method |
| Level 3 – Delivery Choice | Level 2 + selectable delivery options |
Carrier information is already part of CDON's delivery policy — see Delivery Policy - Carrier and Tracking ID. The additional fields required to expose carrier, method, and selectable options to Shipping Checkout are documented in the API documentation below.
How to integrate
All technical specifications — field definitions, request formats, and examples for the new flows — are in the CDON Shipping Checkout API documentation.
If you use an integration partner: Much of the integration is handled on their side. Contact your partner to confirm that they support the new Shipping Checkout fields and what, if anything, is required from you.
If you integrate directly against the CDON API: Follow the API documentation above for the exact fields and formats needed for each level. At a minimum, ensure your shipping times are accurate; to reach Levels 2 and 3, add the carrier, method, and delivery-option data described in the documentation.
Worked example
Say you sell to the Swedish market. It takes you 2 days to process and ship an order, and you use two carriers:
- PostNord — home delivery, 3–5 days transit
- Instabox — pickup point, 2–4 days transit
Your shipping_time should reflect the full end-to-end time, not just the carrier's transit:
- min: 4 (your 2 days handling + 2 days fastest transit)
- max: 7 (your 2 days handling + 5 days slowest transit)
Because you provide accurate shipping times, carrier and method, and two selectable options, your orders qualify for Level 3. In the checkout, the customer can choose between PostNord home delivery and Instabox pickup, with its own estimated date.
If you provided only shipping_time and no carrier data, the same order would fall back to Level 1 — a delivery date only. The sale still goes through, but you lose the conversion benefit of letting the customer choose.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some of my products only show a delivery date (Level 1)? The order doesn't have the carrier/method data needed for Level 2, or the selectable options needed for Level 3. Review the data you send against the table above and the API documentation.
Do I need to do anything if I use an integration partner? Check with your partner. They handle much of the integration, but you may still need to ensure your shipping times and carrier setup are complete and that your partner supports the new fields.
Will incomplete data stop my products from selling? No. Shipping Checkout always falls back to the highest level your data supports. Incomplete data only means a less complete delivery experience, never a blocked sale.
Does this change how I configure shipping times? No. Shipping times continue to work exactly as before. Shipping Checkout builds on top of them. Keeping them accurate is more important than ever, because they now drive the date customers see in the checkout.
Can I control which carriers are offered? The selectable options at Level 3 are derived from the delivery-option data you provide. See the API documentation for how to define them.
Quick checklist: Are you ready for Shipping Checkout?
- Are your shipping times accurate and set per market, including both handling and transit time?
- Do you send carrier and delivery method for your orders (required for Level 2)?
- Do you offer multiple selectable delivery options where possible (required for Level 3)?
- If you use an integration partner, have you confirmed they support the new Shipping Checkout fields?
- If you integrate directly, have you reviewed the API documentation and updated your integration?
- Have you double-checked that your delivery dates are realistic, so the checkout doesn't promise more than you can deliver?