Online shoppers today demand fast delivery once they click 'Buy Now'. The widespread adoption of 2-day shipping, notably influenced by Amazon's discounted 2-day delivery in 2005, has made fast delivery the expected norm.
Indeed, 76% of consumers prefer same or next-day delivery (Deloitte), with 47% of them expressing a willingness to pay extra for 2-day delivery (Shipstation).
You might think that 2-day shipping is only for e-commerce giants. But good news! Small to mid-sized brands can now afford it too. EFEX will explore this further in this post.
2-day shipping refers to a delivery service that promises to deliver a package or order to the recipient’s doorstep within two days. It is a popular choice for customers who prioritize prompt delivery of their orders.
Companies offering 2-day shipping aim to deliver packages to customers quickly, providing a faster and more expedited delivery option compared to standard shipping methods.
However, the exact timing can depend on the seller and the chosen carrier, ranging from two full days to two business days from the checkout or order cutoff time.
The combination of speed and affordability makes 2-day shipping an attractive option for online sellers seeking a cost-effective and rapid way to deliver products to their customers.
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Getting your order in just 2 days after a buy click is simple for customers, but there's a significant effort behind to ensure timely orders, especially for those living far from the warehouse.
In a nutshell, 2-day shipping begins once a carrier has the order, and during the transit period, packages may change hands multiple times.
There are two main ways this happens:
Ground shipping method employs trucks and vans to bring customers' orders from the warehouse to their doorstep.
This method is cost-effective but works best for shorter distances. If customers' destinations are far away, the seller might need other ways to deliver quickly.
Using planes to transport orders, air shipping method is more expensive, especially for smaller shipments. This method is commonly used for international or long-distance deliveries where ground shipping isn't feasible.
Despite the higher cost than ground shipping, air shipping is often the only way to guarantee a 2-day turnaround, even for packages coming from really far away.
The benefits of 2-day shipping are numerous, and they contribute significantly to customer satisfaction and business success.
Here are some key advantages:
As mentioned earlier, 2-day shipping was born aiming to offer customers the happiest online shopping possible. Therefore, fast and reliable delivery unquestionably can enhance customer satisfaction which is ever-changing day by day.
A fact is that: while 96% of retailers provide zero-cost shipping options, surprisingly, only a small number of brands are currently meeting consumer expectations in terms of delivery speed.
If you can't deliver that fast, they might go to other businesses that can. Promising 2-day shipping ensures a good experience for customers, leading to better reviews and recommendations.
High shipping costs and slow delivery often make people leave their shopping carts. Slow delivery alone causes 18% of abandoned carts.
Offering 2-day delivery helps solve the speed issue, making people more likely to complete their purchase.
If you're selling on places like Walmart.com, Amazon, or Etsy, offering a cheaper 2-day delivery option sets you apart from others. As long as it makes sense for your profits, it's also attractive to budget-conscious customers.
Showing a 2-day delivery label on product pages and before checkout encourages customers to consider buying quickly, potentially leading to higher conversion rates.
Speedy 2-day shipping not only makes customers happy (which is key to customer retention) but also keeps them satisfied and coming back.
Quick delivery demonstrates reliability, a commitment to promises, and a dedication to providing top-notch customer experience, which builds customer loyalty.
Furthermore, providing 2-day shipping on your site grants access to customer information and email addresses, enabling you to foster loyalty and engage in future marketing efforts.
Some may ignore this! But you can go a step further where 2-day shipping can be a great marketing attention-grabbing point.
2-day shipping sets your businesses apart from others; that’s why you need to take advantage of it as a marketing material. You can use banners, tags, and messaging about quick delivery in your emails, social media posts, and website. Even in ads, highlighting your fast delivery can attract customers to click and boost conversion rates.
According to Deliverr data, certain merchants saw a 50% rise in Facebook CPA (Cost per acquisition) by featuring next-day and 2-day delivery badges in their Facebook ads.
Bringing 2-day shipping to your online store requires thoughtful planning, streamlined logistics, and teaming up with trusted carriers.
How 2-day shipping works depends on what the businesses choose and how they manage their shipping process. There are 2 ways to make 2-day shipping a reality.
When managing e-commerce fulfillment in-house, you might send customers' orders through the post office or your chosen shipping carrier.
Alternatively, if your company is sizable enough to handle warehousing independently, your own shipping carrier might pick up packages directly from your facility. This involves using your own resources, space, and staff to ensure orders are shipped within 2 days.
The key advantages of in-house fulfillment lie in cost and full control. You can manage to meet 2-day shipping timelines and better oversight of your budget.
However, in-house fulfillment comes with challenges like capacity and scale. Consistently achieving 2-day delivery requires highly efficient processes, which can be tough during peak periods or when your e-commerce business is growing.
In-house order fulfillment is most suitable for smaller retailers with the capability to efficiently process orders internally, allowing them to handle various e-commerce responsibilities simultaneously.
Outsourcing fulfillment, a strategic move for achieving efficient 2-day delivery, involves leveraging an outsourced fulfillment center. Many e-commerce sellers partner with third-party logistics providers (3PLs) for an easier way to offer 2-day shipping.
Within this model, online merchants dispatch their inventory to the 3PL’s fulfillment center(s), entrusting them with the intricate tasks of order picking, packing, and subsequent handover to a designated shipping carrier.
The benefits are expertise and capacity.
3PLs boast cutting-edge infrastructure and technology capable of reducing overall shipping costs, making them great for growing brands. Plus, they're good at fast shipping and can handle 2-day deliveries, no matter how busy your business gets.
However, key considerations in adopting outsourced fulfillment include cost and integration with sales channels.
While 3PLs can save on storage and shipping, some have extra charges such as administrative, or account management fees. Also, not all work with every sales channel, and some might charge more for integration.
Outsourced fulfillment is an ideal choice for online retailers aiming to ensure rapid shipping no matter how many orders they have or where their customers are.
No wonder, any business can see the huge benefits of 2-day shipping; three major companies leading the 2-day shipping game including USPS, Amazon, and FedEx are no exception.
Let’s take a closer look at how they execute their 2-day shipping services and what they achieve.
USPS offers 2-day shipping through its Priority Mail Express service - a unique postal service that individuals and businesses can access via the United States Postal Service or USPS.
According to Statista, in 2021, Priority Mail Express brought in over $14 billion, making it the leading USPS service and contributing half of the total revenue. This highlights the growing norm of next-day or 2-day shipping in the logistics industry.
Priority Mail Express features
Priority Mail Express prices
The cost of sending a parcel via USPS Priority Mail Express varies with size and weight.
| Priority Mail Express (Domestic) | Priority Mail Express International | ||
| Retail | Commercial | From $51.98 | |
| From $28.75 | From $24.90 | ||
For example, if you send a 5lb parcel within the United States, from New York to Angeles on November 30, here is the cost with 3 different options calculated by USPS.
There are downsides. The assurance of on-time delivery with Priority Mail Express comes with an additional fee. The same goes for other extra features. For example, getting a delivery on a holiday is convenient, but it costs more and might disrupt customers' celebrations.
Amazon's 2-day shipping has become a hit among consumers. It's part of Amazon Prime, guaranteeing two-day shipping for products sold on Amazon.
Meanwhile, fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is designed for sellers on the platform and is a key component of Amazon Prime to offer two-day shipping to customers on Amazon.
The latest data indicates that there are around 200 million Amazon Prime members around the world.
Prime membership subscription fee
Amazon offers a 30-day trial of Prime. After that, customers need to pay a subscription fee. Here are four different subscription plans of the Prime program.
| Prime Monthly | Prim Annual | Prime Student Monthly | Qualified Gov. Assistance |
| $14.99 | $139 | $7.49 | $6.99 |
Prime membership benefits
Prime members receive a range of user advantages for all aspects of online shopping on Amazon. Here are some key delivery benefits:
While Amazon Prime brings considerable benefits to customers, utilizing FBA involves seller fees, reducing the profit sellers make on each sale compared to selling on their website.
Furthermore, the use of FBA means sellers forfeit the chance to highlight their brand. All customer interactions and communication are conducted through Amazon, and shipments arrive in Amazon-branded boxes, depriving sellers of the opportunity to showcase their brand identity.
FedEx offers 2-day shipping through its FedEx 2Day service, catering to businesses and individuals.
FedEx 2Day features
FedEx 2Day prices
The shipping cost is calculated by the weight of the package sent. This includes both the weight of the packaging used for shipment and the weight of the actual content inside.
We take the above example: Send a 5lb package from New York to Angeles on November 30, here is the cost calculated by FedEx.
Compared to Priority Mail Express, FedEx 2Day is much more expensive. Besides, keep in mind that Saturday deliveries and pickups are offered at a cost.
Typically, FedEx 2Day delivers packages by 4:30 pm on the second business day in most U.S. areas, extending to 7 pm for residential deliveries. Nevertheless, deliveries to more distant places like Alaska and Hawaii could take up to three days.
Unlocking efficient 2-day shipping for your business doesn't have to break the bank. EFEX offers a smart and cost-effective solution, living up to our motto: “Wherever you are. In minutes”.
In EFEX, we ensure the fastest door-to-door delivery time on the same day or within 2 days, enhancing customer overall shopping experience and satisfaction.
Our cutting-edge software goes beyond speed; it automatically suggests the most economical routes, minimizing shipping costs to their lowest.
Venturing into the Vietnamese market? Whether you have a physical store or run a business on Shopee or Lazada, partnering with EFEX will give you a full solution for order fulfillment.
With access to numerous strategically placed fulfillment centers across Vietnam, we take care of everything – from picking and packing to shipping your products directly to your customers. We've got your back, ensuring you stay ahead in the competitive e-commerce landscape.
Interested in understanding our process for optimizing order processing and guaranteeing 2-day shipping? Come take a tour of our warehouse through the video below.
Typically, 2-day shipping means the package will take 2 days to be delivered, starting once the order is shipped. However, sellers vary in their approach, and sometimes it refers to 2 business days, excluding weekends.
2-day shipping services differ among carriers. Some carriers count only business days while others like UPS include non-business days. Some companies will give a refund if your order is not delivered on time. However, guarantees and refund policies often depend on the chosen shipping method and have daily cutoff times.
Despite guarantees, external factors like weather, disasters, or equipment issues can impact delivery times.
The price of 2-day shipping depends on factors of origin, destination, carrier, shipping method, and volume discounts. High-volume shippers get bulk discounts from carriers, while others can partner with third-party logistics for savings.
2-day shipping isn't just a transaction. Businesses can use quick delivery not only to satisfy customers, and reduce abandoned carts but also as a strong marketing tool to stand out in a busy market.
Keep in mind that the future of e-commerce relies on fast, efficient, and reliable delivery. 2-day shipping, next-day shipping, and same-day shipping will be game changers in this competitive e-commerce arena.
Need help improving your delivery game? Reach out to us now! EFEX will give a key to happy customers and the success of your e-commerce business.
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