Same-Day Delivery
by Jaidyn Farar
Same-day delivery can be a great way to build customer loyalty, outshine the competition, and ensure that time-sensitive shipments are transported quickly. But it can also be expensive and complicated.
Should your business provide same-day delivery? This article will run through a few crucial considerations. But first: what is same-day delivery, and how does it work?
What is same-day delivery?
Same-day delivery is a shipping option where a package is shipped and delivered on the same day a customer places their order.
It’s generally offered by businesses with local fulfillment centers or brick-and-mortar stores, and it works best in urban areas with dense populations.
Large retailers, grocery stores, and pharmacies are most likely to offer same-day delivery.
How fast is same-day delivery?
Same-day delivery is the fastest shipping method, measured in hours rather than days. For example, if someone purchases something at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, they’ll receive their package later that afternoon or evening.
How much does same-day delivery cost?
The cost of same-day delivery depends on package size and weight, shipping distance, and the shipping carrier you use. While same-day is the fastest delivery method, it’s also the most expensive.
Same-day delivery vs. same-day shipping
We’ve explained same-day delivery, but what is same-day shipping? The terms have slightly different meanings:
- Same-day delivery. An order is placed, shipped, and delivered the same day.
- Same-day shipping. An order is placed and shipped on the same day, but it’s not necessarily delivered that day.
How does same-day delivery work?
While same-day delivery can cause logistical headaches in practice, it’s simple in theory.
- A customer places an order. A customer places an order and chooses the same-day delivery option. To leave enough time for fulfillment, they must order by a specific cutoff time—often around 12:00 p.m.
- The business fulfills the order. Companies use local warehouses to quickly pick and pack the order. Then they hand it off to their chosen carrier, often a local or regional company.
- The carrier delivers the package. The carrier uses route optimization and fast transportation methods to deliver the package within a few hours.
Pros and cons of same-day delivery
We’ll take a look at some pros and cons of same-day delivery.
Pros of same-day delivery
Providing a fast shipping option enhances the overall delivery experience—something that’s essential for customer acquisition, satisfaction, and retention.
- Increases customer satisfaction. Same-day delivery is quick and convenient for customers, especially when they’re ordering something they need ASAP (like a prescription). In addition to increasing customer satisfaction, same-day shipping can also increase sales; the opportunity for instant gratification may encourage people to follow through with a purchase they’re on the fence about.
- Boosts business competitiveness. Not every company offers same-day fulfillment. By adding this option, you set yourself apart from the competition and become the customer’s go-to choice when they need something delivered urgently.
Cons of same-day delivery
Same-day delivery might not be right for you if your customers are cost-sensitive, you don’t have fulfillment centers located in urban areas, or your fulfillment process isn’t at peak efficiency.
- Higher costs. The faster the delivery, the higher the cost—meaning same-day delivery can get expensive fast. If you can’t cover the cost, you need to make sure customers are willing to pay the price for speedy shipping.
- Limited to certain areas. For same-day delivery to work, a business needs to have fulfillment centers (or physical stores) located near their customers—ideally no more than an hour or two away. Otherwise, there simply won’t be enough time to pick, pack, and transport packages within a single day.
- Logistically complex. Same-day delivery is logistically complex. First, it’s crucial to make sure your warehouse processes are optimized, as inefficient picking and packing can delay shipments. Additionally, you have to carefully choose fast, reliable carriers in the areas you plan to deliver to.
- Higher customer expectations. If you promise same-day delivery (and charge a premium for it) you have to uphold that promise or risk upsetting buyers.
Getting started with same-day delivery
Adding a same-day delivery option can offer major benefits for your business. But if you don’t go same-day, there are still many ways to provide a great delivery experience.
Decide if same-day delivery is right for your business
First, you need to decide whether same-day delivery is worth it for your business. Answering the following questions will help:
- Do you have enough local demand to make it worthwhile? Same-day delivery only works if your customers are close enough to receive packages quickly. Do you have a concentrated customer base in specific metro areas? If not, you may end up offering a premium service to only a small portion of your audience.
- Can you afford it? Same-day delivery will increase your shipping costs. Can you afford to pay more? If not, are your customers willing to take on the extra cost?
- How fast can you pick and pack orders? Your fulfillment centers need to be running at maximum efficiency—otherwise, you won’t be able to get packages out the door on time to be delivered the same day.
If same-day delivery makes sense for your business, read on! If not, skip to the section “Consider exploring alternatives.”
Choose reliable regional carriers
Once you’ve decided to give same-day delivery a shot, you need to create a carrier mix that can handle your shipment volume—without charging exorbitant prices.
Your best bet is regional or local carriers, which focus on specific states rather than delivering nationwide.
Rather than contacting these carriers individually—and potentially spending months negotiating rates and integrating with their systems—we recommend using a shipping API like EasyPost to automatically find and connect with carriers.
EasyPost provides access to over 100 carriers, including a wide variety of regional providers. Let’s look at just a few examples:
Carrier | Coverage |
|---|---|
Jitsu | Densely populated metropolitan areas across the U.S. |
Veho | Major population centers in Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Colorado, Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio |
OnTrac | 35 states and Washington D.C. |
Spee-Dee | Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin; some parts of Michigan, Missouri, and Nebraska |
Explore all the carriers EasyPost offers.
Consider exploring alternatives
If same-day delivery isn’t yet feasible for your organization, that’s okay! Most customers don’t mind standard shipping, especially if the cost is low, and you can always explore options like next-day delivery for orders that need to be delivered a bit faster.
If you don’t offer same-day delivery, focus on making other aspects of the shipping process as convenient as possible. The following perks will help maintain customer satisfaction regardless of shipping speed:
- Free or low-cost shipping
- Real-time package tracking
- Consistent on-time delivery
- A hassle-free returns process
Same-day delivery made simple
EasyPost makes same-day delivery simple with access to reliable regional carriers, automatic label generation, real-time package tracking, and more. Businesses like Yamibuy have used EasyPost to quickly get same-day delivery up and running—and you can too!