27 Shipping Survey Questions: Types, Use-Cases & Examples

Packaging Quality Survey

Unboxing can be an emotional rollercoaster—and packaging is the safety harness. Brands want to know if their parcels arrive intact, eco-friendly, and sleek enough to impress. This survey should land 1 to 3 days after delivery or immediately after any damage report. It reveals risks of damage, customer eco-expectations, and how packaging influences brand perception.

Customers hate wasted packaging almost as much as squashed products. Striking the right balance in protection and sustainability is critical. Too much packaging can scream “wasteful,” while too little risks broken goods. This type of e-commerce delivery feedback flags those sweet spots and opportunities for innovation.

Try these questions for a winning package:

1. Was the outer packaging intact upon arrival? (Yes/No)
   
2. Rate the protection level of the packaging for your items.
   
3. How satisfied are you with the environmental friendliness of our packaging materials?
   
4. Did excessive packaging influence your perception of our brand?
   
5. Share one improvement you’d like to see in our packaging.
   

The open-ended finale invites customers to think like your packaging designer—insight that’s pure gold.

Tracking & Communication Survey

Every customer loves a good treasure map, and tracking info is just that. This survey measures how clear, timely, and helpful your shipment updates are, especially once the parcel has been traveling for more than 24 hours or is delivered. Because nothing kills excitement faster than flying blind during the shipment journey.

The best communication avoids anxiety by answering the ever-important “Where’s my stuff?” question. Brands get to pinpoint any miscommunications or overload of messages—the balance between “too few” and “Spam City” notifications is delicate but vital.

Here’s the treasure chest of questions for this survey:

1. How easy was it to access real-time tracking information?
   
2. Did you receive too few, too many, or the right number of shipping updates?
   
3. Rate the usefulness of the email/SMS notifications you received.
   
4. At any point did you feel uncertain about your package’s location? (Yes/No)
   
5. Which additional tracking features would be valuable to you?
   

By blending quantitative with multiple-choice formats, brands can tailor future communications to nuggets of customer preferences.

Shipping Cost Perception Survey

Shipping fees can be a deal breaker or a deal maker. Detecting sticker shock before it turns into cart abandonment saves revenue and reputation. This survey should be sent immediately after checkout or as a recovery nudge in cart-abandonment emails—smart timing is everything.

Understanding how customers perceive cost fairness helps brands revise free-shipping thresholds or experiment with pricing models like flat-rate vs. dynamic shipping fees. After all, nobody wants to be nickeled and dimed for delivery they expected to be seamless.

Engaging customers with these questions will shed light on their price pain points:

1. How fair do you find the shipping cost you paid today?
   
2. Would you add more items to qualify for free shipping? (Yes/No)
   
3. Which shipping option did you select and why?
   
4. How likely are you to switch retailers for lower shipping fees?
   
5. What is the maximum shipping fee you consider acceptable for standard delivery?
   

Finding the ‘sweet spot’ where price meets perceived value can magic-up more conversions.

International Shipping Experience Survey

Ah, international shipping: the adventure of customs, surprises, and sometimes, mystery fees. Gathering honest feedback here is essential to surfacing hidden challenges like unclear duty fees or language barriers. Send this survey post-delivery to customers out of your domestic market to capture authentic insights when the experience is fresh.

Clear info about customs and duties builds trust, but confusing or unexpected fees create buyer’s remorse. Measuring satisfaction with packaging compliance and delivery speed overseas helps brands tweak international processes to better meet global expectations.

Check out this globe-trotting question set:

1. How clear was the information about duties and taxes at checkout?
   
2. Rate the speed of your international delivery.
   
3. Did you experience unexpected fees upon delivery? (Yes/No)
   
4. How satisfied are you with the packaging’s compliance with customs requirements?
   
5. Would you order internationally from us again? (NPS 0-10)
   

The NPS question neatly quantifies likelihood of repeat cross-border business.

Returns & Exchange Shipping Survey

Returns aren’t failures—they’re opportunities to shine (or crash spectacularly). This survey helps optimize prepaid labels, drop-off options, and refund speeds. It’s best triggered once returns have wrapped up or refunds hit customer accounts.

Ease and speed in returns often define whether a shopper will return—literally and figuratively. Measuring transparency and convenience of instructions helps avoid common hiccups and customer frustration.

Here’s a returns wishlist crafted as questions:

1. How convenient was the process of generating a return label?
   
2. Rate the cost of return shipping.
   
3. How quickly did you receive your refund or replacement?
   
4. Were return instructions clear and easy to follow?
   
5. What one change would improve our returns shipping process?
   

Listening here turns reluctant returners into brand advocates.

Carrier Performance & Preference Survey

The courier who delivers can make or break the shipping story. Comparing carriers quarterly or after a known hiccup arms brands with insights about SLA (Service Level Agreement) adherence and service quality. Getting customer input on carriers like UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL, or local couriers helps align logistics investments.

Carrier professionalism, package security, and delivery preferences matter. This survey uncovers which carriers delight customers and which raise eyebrows. It also surfaces repeat issues quickly to prevent reputational damage.

Use these questions for a full carrier check-up:

1. Which carrier delivered your package?
   
2. How would you rate the professionalism of the delivery driver?
   
3. Did the carrier leave your package in a secure location? (Yes/No)
   
4. Which carrier do you prefer for future shipments and why?
   
5. Have you experienced issues with this carrier in the past 6 months? (Yes/No + Comment)
   

This intel feeds smarter carrier contracts and happier recipients.

Post-Delivery Overall Shipping Feedback Survey

Sometimes, you have to zoom out for the big picture. This survey captures holistic Net Promoter Score (NPS) and verbatim insights a few days after delivery, when the product is already in use. It’s the grand finale to the shipping feedback symphony and the ultimate learning opportunity.

Gathering overall satisfaction scores and letting customers share wins and woes reveals both strengths and pain points. The open questions invite honest, unfiltered voices—a treasure trove for improvement.

Here’s a winning collection of questions:

1. Overall, how satisfied are you with your recent shipping experience?
   
2. On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our store based on shipping alone?
   
3. What aspect of the shipping process impressed you the most?
   
4. What aspect of the shipping process needs the most improvement?
   
5. If you could change one thing about our shipping experience, what would it be?
   

These answers guide continuous improvement while keeping your finger on the customer’s pulse.

Shipping Survey Best Practices: Dos & Don’ts

Crafting shipping survey questions that bring gold isn’t rocket science, but there are smart moves to keep in mind. Here’s a playbook to boost your survey success:

• Do keep surveys short (under 2 minutes) to prevent drop-offs.
  
• Do personalize with order number and carrier to increase recall accuracy.
  
• Do combine quantitative scales with at least one open-ended question for depth.
  
• Don't send multiple surveys for one order—batch questions logically to avoid annoyance.
  
• Don't use jargon like “last-mile logistics”—speak the customer’s language with clarity.
  
• Do A/B test send times & subject lines to maximize response rates.
  
• Don't forget mobile optimization; about 70% of survey completions happen on phones, so make it thumb-friendly.
  
• Do act on insights quickly—close the feedback loop with email updates on improvements, showing you actually listen.
  

Following these guidelines transforms your surveys into a customer experience superpower.

Delivering on the promise of great shipping is not just logistics—it’s a sales and customer loyalty driver woven into your brand DNA. Using well-timed, targeted surveys gives you the crystal-clear insights needed to tweak, test, and triumph. With smart post-purchase surveys in place, you’ll swiftly build stronger connections, reduce cart abandonment, and score rave reviews. Ready to turn your shipping into an experience customers brag about? The right questions await.