Guide to On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR)
Key Points:
On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) is a shop-level metric that measures the timeliness of order deliveries within a
- OTDR calculates how often you meet the expected delivery SLA for your orders.
- Sellers are expected to maintain an OTDR at or above 70% to meet customer delivery expectations and avoid violations.
OTDR applies to the following order types:
- Ship by Seller
- Ship by TikTok
How OTDR is calculated depends on the order type:
- For Ship by Seller orders, sellers manage the whole delivery process and are responsible for whether the order arrives on time.
- For Ship by TikTok orders, the platform manages the courier. If the seller dispatches on time, courier-caused late deliveries will not count against them.
- Deliver-by SLA counts business days only. Weekends and public holidays do not count toward your designated SLA.
set frame of time. It represents the percentage of orders delivered by their designated "deliver-by date" from
the total orders expected to be delivered within the set timeframe. All shops must maintain an OTDR
greater than or equal to 70%.
How is OTDR (On-Time Delivery Rate) Calculated
OTDR provides a comprehensive view of your shop's delivery reliability. It is calculated by dividing the number
of dispatched orders delivered on or before the delivery-by date by the total number of orders expected to bedelivered during the assessment period.
delivers 88 by the designated deliver-by date, OTDR for that week would be calculated as 88 ÷ 100,
resulting in an OTDR of 88%.
A shop's OTDR reflects order delivery efficiency on a weekly basis. Every Monday, metric evaluation is
conducted weekly with a 7 day lookback period.
Deliver-By SLA and Deliver-By Date
Understanding the difference between the deliver-by SLA and the deliver-by date is essential for managing your fulfillment operations.
- The deliver-by SLA is the designated timeframe a seller has to get an order packed, shipped, and delivered. For 'Shipped by Seller' orders, this is 5 Business Days from order creation date
- The delivery-by date is the specific deadline for a package to be marked "Delivered" by the carrier to meet OTDR expectations.
What about non-business days and public holidays?
- A "business day" refers to any day from Monday to Friday. Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays are considered non-business days.
- Non-business days and Public Holidays are not counted when your OTDR is calculated.
Order Types and Deliver-By SLA
The delivery-by SLA varies depending on the order type.
Order Type | Deliver-by SLA | Example |
Shipped by Seller Shipped by TikTok | 5 Business days | Order date: Feb 25, 2026Deliver-by SLA: 5 Business DaysDeliver on or before Mar 4, 2026 to meet OTDR requirement |
How to See Your OTDR
View your current OTDR performance status in the Account Health Rating page in Seller Centre
How OTDR Impacts Your Shop
Maintaining a healthy OTDR is critical for your shop's standing. Sellers are expected to maintain an OTDR of 70% or more. Performance below this threshold triggers enforcement actions evaluated at the shop-level every week.
OTDR Band | 1st Time | 2nd Time onward |
| (70%, 100%] | Healthy | |
(60%, 70%] | Warning only | Traffic Deboost (Slight) |
(50%, 60%] | Traffic Deboost (Slight) | Order Volume Limit: Only allowed to sell up to 70% of your average daily order volume |
(30%, 50%] | Traffic Deboost (Severe) | Order Volume Limit: Only allowed to sell up to 50% of your average daily order volume |
[0%, 30%] | Order Volume Limit: Only allowed to sell up to 30% of your average daily order volume | |
Understanding Enforcement Terms:
- Traffic Deboost: Reduces your shop's visibility in search and recommendations by the specified percentage.
- Order Volume Limit (OVL): Restricts the number of daily orders you can receive. The limit is based on your average daily volume over the last 28 days (L28D).
Appeals
Enforcements for OTDR can be appealed if the delay was caused by specific recognised scenarios.
Scenario | Description | Required Evidence |
Force Majeure | Localised issues such as warehouse fires or specific carrier station closures. |
|
Bulky Order | Delays caused by the specialized handling required for heavy or oversized products. | 1. Clear photograph of the actual product ready for shipping to verify its bulky nature. |
Best Practices for Maintaining a High OTDR
- Take End-to-End Responsibility: Remember that OTDR covers the entire journey to the buyer's doorstep. Your responsibility does not end at shipment handover.
- Avoid Premature Dispatch: Only mark orders as "Awaiting Collection" when they are actually packed and ready for immediate handover to avoid post-dispatch delays.
- Monitor Logistics Progress: Regularly check the status of dispatched orders and proactively follow up with carriers to resolve bottlenecks.
- Plan for Peak Seasons: Monitor official announcements for proactive SLA extensions during major campaigns or regional emergencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can sellers see their OTDR data?
You can view your OTDR performance on the Account Health Rating (AHR) page in Seller Center. Detailed order-level data will also be available for download to help identify specific late shipments.
Do business days include weekends and holidays?
No. Weekends and public holidays are excluded from the business day count. If an order is placed on a non-working day, the delivery-by SLA begins counting from the next available working day.
What is the difference between OTDR and Late Dispatch Rate (LDR)?
LDR only measures the initial stage from order payment to shipment handover (RTS). OTDR is an end-to-end metric that tracks the entire process until the order is successfully delivered to the buyer.
Which orders are in scope for OTDR?
Currently, OTDR applies to Shipped by Seller orders only.
Why was my shop not enforced despite a low OTDR percentage?
TikTok Shop Japan does not enforce penalties if your shop has very small volume of orders delivered during the assessment period. This ensures that small-volume sellers are not unfairly penalized for isolated delivery delays.