On-Time Shipping Rate, Depop

On-Time Shipping Rate for Depop stores. Tracked live in Vortex IQ Nerve Centre. How to read it, why it matters, and how to act on it.

Metrics type: Key Metrics • Category: Fulfilment

At a glance

On-Time Shipping Rate is the share of Depop orders you dispatched within the platform’s expected window. It is the fulfilment metric buyers feel most directly, and it feeds the ratings and seller standing that decide how much Depop trusts your shop. A rate that drifts below the low-90s percent band tends to precede a wave of poor reviews and dispute pressure, so it works as an early warning for reputation risk.

What it counts	The percentage of orders shipped on or before their expected dispatch window in the selected period.
Sample type	Backend API data from Depop, refreshed on the standard data refresh.
Why it matters	Late dispatch is the fastest route to a low rating and a dispute. Depop’s algorithm and buyers both reward reliable sellers, so on-time shipping protects both reputation and reach.
Reading the value	Higher is better. Hold above the low-90s percent band. A dip is an operational signal, usually a backlog or a stock-out, that you can clear before reviews react.
Currency	percent
Time window	30D versus prior period
Alert trigger	< 90%
Sentiment key	dep_on_time_ship_rate
Roles	owner, operations

Calculation

The card divides orders dispatched within their expected window by total orders due to ship in the period, expressed as a percentage. Vortex IQ reads dispatch timestamps and order deadlines from the Depop integration. The exact deadline model is set by Depop and is described here in general terms.

Worked example

A representative reading of On-Time Shipping Rate for a typical one-person resale shop on Depop. The shop normally ran at 96 percent on time. During a busy fortnight in June 26 it slipped to 88 percent, tripping the alert. Vortex Mind tied the miss to a cluster of orders for items that turned out to be sold elsewhere, so packing stalled while the seller sourced replacements or refunded. The fix was operational: a clearer pull-list and faster refunds on unavailable items. The next period recovered to 95 percent and the shop’s rating held. To see which orders breached, ask Ask Viq for orders shipped after their deadline last month.

Sibling cards merchants should reference together

Card	Why merchants reach for it
dep_pending_ship	Fulfilment sibling: a rising backlog is the leading cause of late dispatch.
dep_late_shipments	Alert sibling: the live list of orders already past their deadline.
dep_dispute_rate	Reputation sibling: late shipping feeds disputes and refunds.
dep_rating_average	Reputation sibling: late dispatch is a top driver of low ratings.
dep_orders_per_day	Volume sibling: order spikes stress dispatch capacity.

Reconciling against Depop

Where to look in Depop’s own dashboard:

Depop tracks dispatch performance against its expected windows in the seller hub and reflects it in your seller standing. Reconcile by comparing the Vortex IQ rate to the on-time signals Depop surfaces for the same period.

Why the Vortex IQ value may legitimately differ:

Reason	Direction	What to do
Period boundary. Vortex IQ uses a 30-day rolling window; Depop may use a different reporting period.	Variable	Match the period range.
Deadline interpretation. The expected window is Depop’s model; Vortex IQ mirrors it but timing of marking dispatched can differ.	Marginal	Mark orders dispatched promptly.
Order scope. Cancelled or refunded orders may be handled differently.	Variable	Confirm which orders are in scope.

Cross-connector reconciliation: read this with the pending-shipment backlog and the late-shipments alert to catch a slide before ratings react. For divergence investigations, use Vortex Mind.

Known limitations / merchant FAQs

Q: How often does On-Time Shipping Rate update? The card refreshes on the standard data refresh (typically every 30-60 minutes for live integrations). Mark orders dispatched promptly so the rate reflects reality.

Q: My rate dropped but I shipped everything. Why? The likely cause is timing of when orders were marked dispatched versus their deadline, or refunded orders being counted. Check the late-shipments list to see exactly which orders breached.

Q: Why is 90 percent the alert line? The low-90s band is an illustrative floor below which ratings and disputes tend to react. Your real tolerance depends on volume and category. Set your own threshold in the Alert Rules tab.

Q: Can I customise the alert threshold? Yes, alert thresholds are configurable per profile in the Alert Rules tab. Adjust to match your business baseline rather than relying on the generic default.

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Tracked live in Vortex IQ Nerve Centre

On-Time Shipping Rate is one of hundreds of KPI pulses Vortex IQ tracks across Depop and 70+ other ecommerce connectors. Nerve Centre runs the detection layer; Vortex Mind investigates the cause when something moves; Ask Viq lets you interrogate any number in plain English.

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