Highlights. Optimized delivery is a growing concern in e-commerce as 74% of online shoppers expect delivery within two (2) days.
- 56% of online shoppers between the ages of 18-34 expect same-day delivery.
- 92% of consumers consider delivery windows when choosing to buy; 88% find real-time delivery tracking critical for a positive customer experience.
- Half of shoppers are more likely to shop online if offered same-day delivery.
- 67% of consumers say free delivery enhances the shopping experience.
- 68% of leading retailers offer same-day delivery; 51% offer same-day delivery with a minimum purchase.
eCommerce Delivery Consumers
Delivery convenience has a much greater impact on customer loyalty than branding according to peer-reviewed studies.
- 69% of consumers say one-day delivery is the best incentive to shop online.
- 63% of consumers choose a different retailer for later purchases if shipping takes longer than two (2) days.
- 62% of consumers find an accurate estimated delivery date is more important than fast shipping.
- 71% of online shoppers would be willing to pay an additional $3.00 for next-day delivery.
- 62% of online shoppers consider shipping speed critical to a positive online retail experience.
- An easy delivery process is crucial to 54% of consumers.
- 43% of consumers have abandoned a cart or a retailer due to slow shipping speeds.
- Unexpected early delivery correlates with a 1.2% increase in returns for every day the delivery is early.
- Late delivery correlates with a 1.1% increase in returns for every day the delivery is late.
eCommerce Delivery Consumers by Age
Consumer expectations vary by demographic and notably among age groups.
- 49% of consumers born between 1981 and 1996 (often referred to as Millennials) expect retailers to offer free two-day delivery services; 40% expect free same-day delivery.
- 58% of Millennials expect free delivery with a minimum order below $50.
- 40% of those born from 1965 to 1980 (a.k.a. Generation X) expect free two-day delivery; 27% expect same-day delivery.
- 67% of Gen Xers expect free delivery with a minimum order below $50.
- 35% of consumers born between 1997 and 2012 (also called Generation Z) consumers expect free two-day delivery; 18% expect free same-day delivery.
- 68% of Gen Zers expect free delivery with a minimum order below $50.
- 30% of consumers born from 1946 to 1964 (a.k.a. Baby Boomers) expect free two-day delivery; 11% expect free same-day delivery.
- 77% of Baby Boomers expect free delivery with a minimum order of $50.
eCommerce Free Delivery
While delivery speed is a significant incentive to buy online, most consumers prefer the least expensive delivery option available.
- 90% of consumers say free delivery is the best incentive to shop online.
- 77% of consumers say the offer of free delivery increases the likelihood they will purchase.
- 70% of consumers select the cheapest delivery option available at online checkout.
- 51% of online shoppers usually buy more in order to reach the minimum threshold for free delivery.
- Online shoppers spend an average of 30% more on orders that include free delivery.
- 63% of consumers consider delivery fees when choosing whether to shop online.
- 38% of consumers expect free two-day delivery.
eCommerce Same-Day Delivery
Modern consumers suffer increasingly from “time scarcity”; 30% pay more for delivery that is faster or gives them more control over delivery time.
- 58% of online shoppers have paid more for faster delivery at least once.
- 55% of online shoppers have been willing to pay at least $5.00 for same-day delivery.
- 24% of consumers expect free same-day delivery.
- 23% of consumers routinely pay more for same-day delivery.
- 79% of consumers would use drone delivery if it meant getting their item within one hour of purchase.
- Same-day delivery is subject to time constraints, and most online orders (55%) don’t qualify.
- Consumers make just under half (45%) of online orders by 1:00 p.m., which is the typical cut-off to qualify for same-day delivery.
eCommerce Delivery Tracking
Studies show delivery tracking and notification options has a powerful impact on customer satisfaction.
- 73% of consumers want to be able to track orders throughout delivery.
- When delivery tracking is available, 96% of consumers use it.
- 43% of consumers check their tracked orders every day until delivery.
- Most online wholesalers (at least 60%) do not alert their customers when an item has been delivered.
- In 2018, 42% of retailers offered the ability to track orders across channels.
- 4% of online wholesalers only alert their customers when an item has been delivered.
eCommerce Average Delivery Times
The average U.S. e-commerce delivery takes 2.47 days.
- Globally, 49% of consumers believe the leading online marketplace in their region (e.g. Amazon, Aliexpress, Rakuten, etc.) has the fastest delivery options.
- In 2021, the average U.S. e-commerce delivery took 3.6 days.
- In 2020, delivery times for U.S. digital purchases averaged 6.5 days.
- Most online order deliveries (74%) arrive within four (4) days.
- 48% of online orders to North America take 3-4 days to deliver.
- 7% of North American online orders have same-day or next-day delivery.
- 5% of North American online orders take longer than a week for delivery.
- 81% of cross-border digital purchases are delivered within 14 days.
eCommerce Delivery Services
Most consumers pay for a specialty ecommerce delivery service such as Instacart or Amazon Prime.
- 75% of consumers want more professional delivery service
- 66% of consumers pay for at least one delivery service.
- 25% of online shoppers pay for multiple delivery services.
- 13% of consumers do not pay for a delivery service but express interest in subscribing to one.
Amazon Delivery Statistics
Amazon has one of the nation’s largest e-commerce delivery networks.
- In 2022, the average Amazon delivery took 1.9 days.
- 58% of Amazon shoppers say Prime same-day delivery has prompted them to increase their order sizes; 39% claim same-day delivery has no impact.
- 56% of Amazon shoppers say they’ve increased their order sizes with one-day delivery; 43% claim no impact.
eCommerce Delivery Apps
Digital consumers primarily use delivery apps to order meals or grocery items.
- 93% of Americans live in a food delivery app service area; this includes 90% of the population living in “food deserts”.
- 37% of adults have used delivery apps to order groceries or meals; among them, 65% have done so within the last 12 months.
- 31% of delivery app consumers dislike long delivery times; 30% are frustrated by incorrect orders.
- 26% of delivery app users dislike the cost of delivery.
- The world’s most-downloaded food delivery mobile app is Zepto of India, with 70.58 million downloads.
- The most popular food app in the United States is DoorDash, with 18.8 million U.S. downloads.
- Worldwide, mobile users have downloaded the DoorDash app 26.5 million times; 70.9% of downloads are within the U.S.
- UberEats is the second-most popular food delivery app in the U.S. and in the world with 42.7 million global downloads.
- The U.S. market represents 28.0% of UberEats with 11.97 million downloads.
eCommerce Delivery Industry Statistics
45% of online merchants believe cost is the most important factor of the delivery experience; 27% say speed is most important.
- Just 11% of online sellers believe convenience is the most important factor of delivery; 13% think delivery tracking and visibility is most important.
- 65% of third-party-logistics companies (3PLs) process e-commerce orders.
- Last-mile delivery costs represented 53% of the total cost of shipping in 2023.
- The relative cost of last-mile delivery increased 29.3% in five (5) years at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 5.27%.
- In 2018, last-mile delivery costs represented 41% of total shipping costs.
Same-Day Delivery Industry
The U.S. dominates the same-day delivery market with 62.1% of global industry revenues.
- The U.S. same-day delivery market is worth $9.25 billion as of 2024.
- Worldwide, the same-day delivery market is worth $14.9 billion.
- Projections indicate that the market will grow to $15.7 billion in 2033.
- The U.S. market will have a CAGR of 6.03% between 2024 and 2033.
- Projections indicate the global same-day delivery market value will grow to $82.9 billion in 2033.
- The global same-day delivery market has a CAGR of 21.0%.
The Capital One Shopping team compiled these data and insights based on publicly available data.
Sources
- Science Direct, Journal of Retailing: The faster, the better? The impact of short delivery times on product returns in online retailing
- PwC
- McKinsey
- Pitney Bowes
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- Insider Intelligence, eMarketer
- PRWeb, News Releases
- MDPI Open Access Journals, Mathematics: The Factors Influencing User Satisfaction in Last-Mile Delivery
- Statista, Industry Overview
- National Retail Federation, Fulfillment and Delivery
- Consumer Reports, We Tried Combining Amazon Deliveries with ‘Amazon Day’ Shipping
- Zepto
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- Strathmore University, SU+ Digital Repository
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- Brookings, The potential – and pitfalls – of the digitization of America’s food system