Same-day delivery: is it the future of e-commerce shipping?

“Order it today, get it today” sounds like music to many online shoppers' ears. Same-day delivery keeps getting more popular.

Plenty of online shoppers abandon their cart when delivery times feel too slow, which makes offering faster delivery options at checkout essential.

This concept in e-commerce logistics brings the digital shopping experience closer to the offline one. It combines the ease of shopping online with the instant satisfaction of buying in a physical store.

The upside is obvious to anyone, but the challenges tend to get underestimated. What are the biggest problems, and what's the future of same-day delivery? That's what this article covers.

What is same-day delivery?

Same-day delivery means exactly what it says: this type of urgent shipment gets delivered on the same day it was ordered.

In practice, same-day delivery usually means delivery within 12 hours. Next-day delivery means delivery within 24 hours. Some carriers offer the 12-hour version, others the 24-hour one.

But how long has same-day delivery actually been around? Let's take a quick look at who first offered this kind of urgent shipping.

Same-day delivery isn't a new idea

Before we look at the future of same-day delivery, let's take a step back.

The same-day delivery model has generated plenty of interest since the early days of the dot-com bubble. New companies quickly popped up promising to deliver orders within two hours, or even one.

Those promises of instant delivery clearly struck a nerve — and as proof, some of these new companies made millions with little effort.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long to become clear that, as the saying goes, it was too good to be true. Most of the first companies offering same-day delivery don't even exist anymore.

Companies like Zara and MediaMarkt offer this kind of service today. Another Spanish giant, El Corte Inglés, has offered same-day delivery since 2016 — there must be a reason for that.

So how much does same-day delivery cost?

Large online platforms often offer same-day delivery as an added service with market value, without making any direct profit from it. Still, it gives them an edge over smaller operators and retailers.

Why is same-day delivery so hard to pull off?

Same-day delivery runs into three critical issues when it comes to shipping a package:

1. Shipping costs.

2. Delivery speed.

3. Sustainability.

Let's look at each of these in more detail.

1. The high cost of same-day delivery

Compared with the European average, Spanish online shoppers are among the most willing to pay extra shipping costs for a premium delivery option.

Shoppers are willing to pay more when they feel they're getting real added value — higher quality, extra features, more security, or better service.

But how much added value does same-day delivery actually offer compared to next-day delivery? It's understandable that shoppers accept slightly higher shipping costs for same-day delivery, but the real question is when and why those extra costs feel justified.

Someone who needs a birthday present, for example, will happily pay more to get it on time. On the other hand, a full-time worker who won't get around to hanging that new lamp until the weekend probably doesn't need it delivered immediately.

Want to know how to cut your shipping costs? Check out our article on cheaper shipping and start saving on your shipments.

Efficiency: a hugely important factor for same-day delivery

Efficiency is a core factor in keeping shipping costs under control.

That means moving packages from point A to point B with as little manual work as possible, over well-connected delivery routes.

Lower shipping costs are only realistic once the last leg of the delivery chain is handled by fully autonomous transport.

Delivery speed vs. economies of scale

Efficiency in the delivery process comes down to how many deliveries can be made on a single route.

Same-day delivery is sometimes offered as a checkout add-on, which means a driver often has to make a special trip to pick up just one package.

That's why smaller carriers tend to work with bigger players like DHL or PostNL, who can deliver orders much faster and at a much better cost, thanks to the scale at which they operate.

Other options include passing shipping costs on to the customer, or setting a minimum number of packages per pickup to make the service scalable. Right now, same-day delivery is only profitable for carriers that can operate in a specific market niche, offering added value through service and security.

It's worth noting that it's mainly the larger online businesses that are willing to give up part of their margin on shipping.

The whole shipping process is part of the customer journey within the online experience, and it's a key factor in how customers judge a given brand.

2. Delivery speed

Delivery used to typically take 3 to 5 days. These days, next-day delivery is the norm, thanks to technological innovation and increasingly efficient shipping processes.

This is only possible because more and more packages are being shipped these days. Shorter delivery times are largely down to economies of scale: the more packages that get shipped, the more often and more efficiently deliveries can be made.

Relatively few companies currently offer same-day delivery. Drivers also need the flexibility to adjust their routes at the last minute.

What tends to happen is that same-day deliveries get made in half-empty vans, which drives shipping costs up considerably. That's also far from ideal from a sustainability standpoint.

Note: want to know which shipping methods can boost your online store's conversions? Find out more in these articles: free shipping, how and when to offer it, and cash on delivery, the easiest way to sell to every type of customer.

3. Sustainability and same-day delivery processes

Both customers and businesses are paying more attention to sustainability. Transport is considered one of the biggest sources of CO2 emissions, especially within the digital retail sector.

Packages tend to travel long distances, and almost every shipment goes to a different address.

Same-day delivery still generates unnecessary mileage today. But thanks to more environmentally friendly vehicles and growing demand for postal shipments, online shopping is gradually becoming more sustainable.

In terms of sustainability, the biggest obstacle is the distance vehicles have to cover. Deliveries in urban areas are cheaper and more sustainable, since a full van can cover relatively short routes.

Could e-commerce become more sustainable than traditional retail in the future?

In the future, e-commerce could even end up being less harmful to the environment than traditional retail.

To make a realistic comparison, we'd need a clear view of every link in the supply chain — from manufacturers and how products are made, to the distance products travel to reach the customer's door.

The fact is, if products were only sold online, they could be produced and packaged differently. They wouldn't need to stand out on store shelves anymore, so packages could be smaller and more environmentally friendly.

At the same time, the last leg of the delivery process is becoming more efficient and sustainable, thanks to the growing volume of shipments and the rise of autonomous electric vehicles.

Individual shoppers often still drive polluting vehicles, but they no longer need to travel as much as before to shop in physical stores — and that alone cuts a lot of CO2 emissions.

Do consumers actually prefer same-day delivery?

When it comes to same-day delivery, the question isn't just whether it's feasible — it's what the customer actually wants. Beyond price and speed, other factors matter too.

For occasions like Valentine's Day, Father's Day, or Mother's Day, same-day delivery can be a great ally for sending flowers to a partner, family, or friends.

Does a customer really need a pair of shoes at home today, or would they rather have them arrive tomorrow with the option to pick a specific delivery window?

Many shoppers prioritize speed over choosing an exact delivery time. Even so, pickup points remain a popular option: they let customers collect their package whenever suits them best, avoiding delivery delays or missed delivery windows.

Shifting consumer expectations and the future of same-day delivery

Customer needs stay essentially the same. Since the early days of e-commerce (and even before), everyone has wanted their products as fast as possible and with low shipping costs.

Growing interest in sustainability is pushing conscious consumers to choose delivery options with minimal environmental impact.

Today, same-day delivery only addresses one of those needs. Even though its shipping costs aren't much higher than next-day delivery, it's unlikely to become everyone's preferred option.

It's also worth noting that same-day delivery isn't more polluting than next-day delivery.

In fact, there's a good chance sustainability and lower costs go hand in hand here: fewer kilometers mean a more efficient delivery process, which supports both sustainability and lower shipping costs for same-day delivery.

Needs vs. expectations in same-day delivery

While customer needs stay largely the same, their expectations keep shifting.

How does that work? Haven't customer needs changed? First they wanted next-day delivery, now they prefer same-day — right?

What changes isn't the need, it's the expectation. Customer needs stay constant: speed, quality of service, and a good price. Expectations, on the other hand, reset every time a customer discovers a new option that fits their needs better than the current standard.

Not long ago, next-day delivery impressed customers as a real added value. Now that next-day delivery is the standard, it's just become “normal.”

So the pattern of expectations has shifted. That means a two- or three-day delivery window is no longer seen as normal — it now reads as a negative. And that has real consequences for online stores' conversion rates.

Next-day delivery is reshaping consumer expectations

The same thing is going to happen with same-day delivery: once customers get used to it, any slower delivery option will start to feel outdated.

Every new, improved option shifts consumer expectations a little further.

Of course, cost is a major factor, since shipping costs are one of the core needs for most shoppers. But as same-day delivery pricing gets closer to next-day pricing, more and more customers will end up choosing the faster option.

That requires innovation within the business and close collaboration with online retailers. Online stores that get there first can use same-day delivery as a differentiator to win new customers — until 12-hour delivery becomes the norm, and online stores have to find yet another way to stand out from the competition.

What can we expect from shipping in the future?

For same-day delivery to really succeed, the entire shipping process needs to become faster and more efficient.

That's not easy, but a number of broader trends and developments are making it easier: the growing rise of online shopping, more urbanization, autonomous vehicles, smart shipping integrations, and shifting consumer expectations.

None of these developments has the power to make same-day delivery mainstream on its own, but combined, they might. Keeping an eye on how these trends develop will give you a sense of when same-day delivery could become the dominant shipping option.

Want to know the latest e-commerce trends? Check out our article on e-commerce trends.

The future of same-day delivery: a unique selling point?

This isn't expected to happen overnight, but we will see shipping costs come down, along with growing use of same-day delivery as a unique selling point among the companies leading the way.

Companies like Amazon, El Corte Inglés, and the Inditex group already offer same-day delivery regularly, thanks to their scale and, in part, their own delivery networks.

Other online stores use same-day delivery as a premium shipping option for their customers.

The easiest path for these businesses is to use a shipping platform like Sendcloud, which makes it simple to combine different shipping options.

What really matters is the whole shipping experience

Shipping is becoming an increasingly important part of the overall online shopping experience. That said, it will still take some time before same-day delivery really makes a difference.

Before that happens, other innovations will need to shift consumer expectations over a much shorter timeframe.

Features that can shift consumer expectations:

• Shorter delivery times: this leads to better delivery outcomes.

• The ability to choose a delivery time: this gives customers more freedom to decide when to receive their package at home without any hassle.

• Live parcel tracking: this makes sure packages arrive safely, shortens driver stops, and gives customers more freedom.

• Last-minute changes to location and delivery time: this gives customers flexibility and a sense of control over the shipping process.

• Communication with the driver: this leads to a better shipping experience and faster delivery.

That's why having an all-in-one shipping tool to deliver the full customer experience is essential. Sendcloud is the link between your store and your carriers, giving you a range of shipping options.

Our goal is to help you achieve your mission by giving you the tools to stay competitive in this constantly changing market.

For same-day delivery, our platform integrates domestic and international shipping methods with DHL Express, shipments to mainland Spain and the islands with Correos Express, and SEUR's well-known SEUR24 service. Adding several carriers can help boost your conversions even further.

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