置き配 (oki-hai, "leave-at-door" or unattended delivery) has become a default expectation for Japanese shoppers. Instead of waiting in for a hand-off, the customer asks the courier to leave the parcel at a designated spot. If you sell in Japan, offering 置き配 — cleanly, alongside a delivery date and time window — signals that you understand how people actually want to receive orders.
What 置き配 is (and why shoppers want it)
置き配 lets a customer receive a delivery without being present — left at the door, in a delivery box, at the meter cupboard, and so on. It removes the friction of redelivery slips and missed hand-offs, which is why carriers and marketplaces in Japan have normalized it. For merchants, fewer failed deliveries means fewer redelivery costs and support tickets.
Offer it as part of the delivery selection
With OrderRules on the Advanced plan, 置き配 is offered as a delivery option the customer chooses as part of picking their delivery date and time slot — the same flow covered in How to add a delivery date picker to Shopify. The selection travels with the order, so your fulfillment team and carrier export know the customer wants unattended delivery.
Because it rides the same availability rules engine, you keep full control: 置き配 sits alongside date, time slot, and your capacity limits, rather than being a bolt-on that ignores them.
Pair it with the rest of the delivery suite
置き配 works best as one piece of a complete delivery experience:
- Delivery date & time-slot picker — the date and window the customer wants.
- Time slots — windows like 14:00–16:00, each with its own capacity.
- Carrier CSV export — hand the day's shipments (with the customer's delivery preferences) to Yamato, Sagawa, or Japan Post.
The bigger picture
置き配 is a small option with an outsized effect on the Japanese customer experience — and it's the kind of native expectation a Japan-first delivery build should meet. Control when customers order, when you deliver, and how it's handed over, all in one app.
See the Delivery Dates feature or start a free 14-day trial.