Free shipping is a marketing cost, not a logistics cost.

"Free shipping is a marketing cost, not a logistics cost."

Why this matters in practice

Account for it in CAC, not COGS, to align incentives correctly.

If this reflects something you've seen, share it with your team.

Failures that commonly trigger this insight.

Failure: Discount code abuse

Promotions stacking in unintended ways.

Failure: Fraud flag false positive

Turning away good money.

Failure: Payment gateway timeout

Money is taken but the order is not created.

Failure: Overselling inventory

Selling stock you do not physically have.

Operational situations where this insight appears most often.

No related scenarios yet.

Checklist controls that help prevent repeat incidents.

Checklist item: Every order has a clear owner

Someone is responsible for resolving stuck orders.

Checklist item: Carrier pickup times are documented

Ensures same-day shipping promises are met.

Checklist item: Refunds are processed within 48 hours

Builds trust for future purchases.

View full operational readiness checklist

Review all active readiness controls.