DELIVERY DILEMMA: WHY RETAILERS LOSE SALES ON SHIPPING Capabilities such as predictive delivery dates, 7-day carrier services, and weekend fulfillment are consistently tied to higher conversion and repeat purchase rates—yet remain underutilized across most brands’ logistics strategies, finds OnTrac’s latest The State of Speed research study. The findings show where delivery makes the biggest impact on ecommerce outcomes, and how Vague delivery timing. 88% of retailers still show delivery ranges such as “4-6 business days” at checkout, despite shoppers being two times more likely to abandon carts due to vague delivery timing ( see chart below ). Demand for expedited shipping. 84% of consumers have used expedited shipping in the past six months, and 37% have sought out weekend delivery, indicating that delivery flexibility is now a baseline expectation. Stagnant delivery speeds. 65% of retailers report no change in their standard delivery speeds over the past 24 months. Additionally, 59% are not expanding fulfillment networks, and 23% are consolidating them. Reduced consumer spending. 37% of consumers plan to reduce overall spending this year, intensifying competition for fewer ecommerce dollars. many retailers are still leaving revenue on the table. Retailer Delivery Defaults and Missed Opportunities
charging cables. AI can examine options at a granular level to determine the best routes, carriers, and service offerings, based on the parameters and business rules the company sets. When working with different carriers, shippers should track their performance closely, as late deliveries boost costs and diminish customer loyalty. They can zero in on metrics such as the percentage of on-time deliveries, delays, and carrier performance by route, and then use these to evaluate carriers and warehouse locations. Taris Add Complexity The uctuating tariff environment adds complexity to expediting decisions and inventory placement calculations. Businesses that might have sold items from overseas to U.S. consumers may now want to locate more inventory domestically. Not only can this speed delivery timeframes, but it may be possible to apply the tariff rate to the wholesale, rather than the retail value of the goods, Langston says. The abrupt elimination of the de minimis exemption for goods coming into the United States has also created chaos, Howard says. Typically, regulatory changes are announced one year or so in advance, giving organizations time to adjust their processes. The speed of this change is leaving some companies scrambling. As with tariffs, the elimination of the di minimis exemption is prompting USKO’s expedited services primarily use a large fleet of Sprinter vans and straight trucks for fast, dedicated ground transport.
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Delivery promise
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72% 12% 14% 14% 66% 15% 20% 19% 54% 15% 20% 26%
Date with time window (Mar 15, by 10 pm)
Specific date (Mar 15)
Business-day range (4-6 business days)
What Top-Performing Brands Do Dierently More than half of retailers using 7-day/week last-mile carrier services saw improvement in Net Promoter Score (NPS), customer lifetime value, and a decrease in abandonment rate. Brands in the top 50th percentile for conversion, repeat purchase, and NPS were two times more likely to use predictive delivery dates and over three times more likely to operate warehouses on a seven-day schedule (either year-round or seasonally). Retailers adopting predictive delivery dates were half as likely to expand fulfillment networks and one-third as likely to introduce new premium shipping options. 44% 16% 72% 30% Survey question: If the delivery date is shown in the following ways, what would you most likely do? Unspecified day range (5-7 days)
some businesses to bring products in bulk into the United States. They then may be able to more quickly ll orders, Binkis says. Organizations that take steps now to evaluate and cost-effectively shorten delivery timeframes will be better positioned to stay ahead of ever-tightening delivery expectations. Eventually, same-day delivery likely will become the norm. “People are used to receiving their orders the same day, and that will set the benchmark,” Binkis says. The landscape of expedited shipping has evolved beyond simple speed. It now
demands strategic networks, advanced technology, and meticulous planning to achieve both rapid and cost-effective deliveries. Shippers must navigate a complex environment of regional and national carriers, cross-border regulations, and uctuating tariffs, all while striving for greater visibility and optimized inventory placement. Ultimately, by leveraging predictive logistics and carefully evaluating transportation options, businesses can meet ever-tightening delivery expectations and ensure customer satisfaction in a rapidly changing global market.
November 2025 • Inbound Logistics 37
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