Same Day Delivery Statistics

Last updated: November 12, 2024

Highlights. Many American consumers (41%) are willing to pay more for same-day delivery of their retail orders; 23% would pay more for delivery within 3 hours.

  • 72% of consumers cite free shipping as a top reason for shopping online. 
  • 80% of consumers expect retailers to offer same-day delivery; among them, 30% expect free same-day delivery.
  • 68% of shoppers are more likely to shop online if offered same-day delivery.
  • 51% of online retailers offer same-day delivery.
  • 86% of consumers consider “fast delivery” within two (2) days.

Bar Graph: When Consumers Choose Same-Day Delivery according to the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General

Same-Day Delivery Consumer Statistics

Most consumers consider same-day delivery a prime benefit when shopping online.

  • Among the 80% of consumers who want same-day shipping, 76.3% want the option to receive packages within three (3) hours of ordering.
  • 55% of shoppers are willing to pay at least $5.00 for same-day delivery.
  • 50% of consumers value free same-day delivery more than the option to pick up curbside or in-store.
  • 26% of consumers have abandoned an online purchase because same-day shipping was unavailable.
  • Consumers are 91.8% more likely to order same-day delivery from Amazon than a retailer with brick-and-mortar locations.
  • 39% of consumers have ordered with same-day delivery from Amazon.
  • 25% of consumers have ordered same-day delivery from stores that had physical brick-and-mortar locations.
  • 15% of consumers have ordered same-day delivery from a web-only shop other than Amazon.

Bar Graph: When Consumers Reject Same-Day Delivery according to the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General

Same-Day Delivery Consumer Expectations

Consumers are more likely to expect fast delivery post-pandemic.

  • 24% of consumers expect retailers to offer free same-day shipping and delivery.
  • 40% of consumers born between 1981 and 1996 (often referred to as Millennials) expect retailers to offer free same-day delivery services.
  • 27% of those born from 1965 to 1980 (a.k.a. Generation X) expect free same-day delivery.
  • 18% of consumers born between 1997 and 2012 (also called Generation Z) consumers expect retailers to offer free same-day delivery.
  • 11% of consumers born from 1946 to 1964 (a.k.a. Baby Boomers) expect free same-day delivery.
  • In 2018, 89% of consumers expected ‘fast shipping’ to refer to four (4) days or fewer; just 2% thought ‘fast shipping’ should refer to same-day delivery.

Pie Chart: U.S. Same-Day Delivery Market Segments including B2C (62.5%), B2B (22.9%), and C2C (14.6%) according to Statista

Same-Day Delivery Market Value

As more consumers expect same-day delivery, costs will increase to accommodate faster shipping of more products.

  • In the U.S., the value of the same-day delivery market is $9.25 billion as of 2024.
  • Projections indicate that the market will grow to $13.5 billion in 2030.
  • The U.S. market will have a CAGR of 6.03% between 2024 and 2030.
  • Worldwide, the value of the same-day delivery market is $14.9 billion as of 2024.
  • 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%.

Bar Chart: Number of Same-Day Deliveries in millions from 2018 (227) to 2022 (1,149) according to the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General with estimates and projections from 2023 (1,723) to 2026 (5,818)

Fast vs. Free Delivery Statistics

Consumers tend to value free shipping more the definition of “fast” varies, but most consumers consider delivery.

  • 70% of shoppers consider shipping speed critical to a positive online retail experience.
  • Consumers are more than ten (10) times as likely to value free shipping over fast shipping. 
  • 43% of consumers consider free shipping just as important as fast shipping.
  • 30% of consumers have opted to wait longer for a delivery to make shipping more sustainable.

Bar Chart: U.S. Same-Day Delivery Market Size in billions from 2021 ($7.74) to 2033 ($15.7) according to Mordor Intelligence

Daily U.S. Delivery Statistics

59.5 million parcels ship daily across the United States.

  • The average American household receives one (1) delivery every 2.21 days. 
  • American households receive an average of one (1) same-day merchandise delivery every 28 days.
  • The average American household receives same-day delivery once for every 12.6 deliveries.
  • The number of same-day deliveries grows at an average annual rate of 50%.

Bar Chart: Worldwide Same-Day Delivery Market Size in billions from 2021 ($8.41) to 2033 ($82.9) according to Statista

The Capital One Shopping team compiled these data and insights based on publicly available data.

Sources

  1. DigitalCommerce360
  2. PwC
  3. National Retail Federation
  4. Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index
  5. Meteor Space, The Importance Of Fast Delivery
  6. Mordor Intelligence, United States Same Day Delivery Market
  7. U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, Same-Day Delivery
  8. Santa Clara University, Retail Management Institute
  9. PRWeb, New OnTrac Study
  10. Statista, Industry Overview 
  11. Deloitte, Holiday Survey of Consumers
  12. EliteEXTRA, The Growing Importance of Same-Day Delivery