In 2022, only 35% of retailers said they were capable of offering same-day delivery services, but a whopping 99% said they planned to be able to do so by 2025. Fast forward just one year, and same-day delivery is now available from 57% of retailers, according to Bringg’s 2023 delivery and fulfillment survey.
But while the same-day delivery gap is narrowing, Amazon recently reported that it plans to double its same-day delivery facilities in the coming years. That’s reason enough for more retailers to pick up the pace toward their ultrafast delivery goals — and crowdsourcing can help get them there.
Fast delivery is a consumer demand
Shoppers are busy, and while stopping in a store to pick up a few things isn’t difficult, having those items brought directly to your doorstep is a lot easier.
Consumer research from July 2023 shows just how important fast delivery really is. According to a Digital Commerce 360 survey, 68% of shoppers said speed of delivery was among the most important factors when choosing a company to purchase from, second only to free shipping availability.
Moreover, 49% of those surveyed said in the previous six months they had abandoned online shopping carts when they realized their orders wouldn’t arrive in time or they simply felt the delivery was too slow. An additional 7% specified that they left a retailer’s site because same-day delivery wasn’t available.
Where does this demand for ultrafast deliveries come from? Most retailers would agree that Amazon itself has conditioned shoppers to expect ultrafast delivery. And while competing with the megaretailer is daunting enough, other companies have a secret weapon that will give them an edge as Amazon itself doubles down on delivery speed: their very own stores.
Storefronts + crowdsourcing = same-day success
No specific timeline was given for Amazon’s same-day delivery expansion, but the company did report that it delivered more than 1.8 billion units same-day or next-day to Prime members in the U.S. so far this year — up nearly fourfold from the same period in 2019.
How can other brands work toward a fourfold increase in same-day deliveries? By leveraging their existing stores and supply chain hubs.
What most retailers have that Amazon doesn’t are store footprints that can double as fulfillment centers for buy online, deliver from store (BODFS) orders. From small businesses with one or two locations to regional or national brands on hundreds of street corners, brick-and-mortar stores are just one stop on a larger supply chain that includes manufacturing floors, warehouses and distribution centers. Your products already touch each of these hubs on the way to your customers, and your delivery capabilities should, too.
Tractor Supply Co. (TSC) is just one of many brands that has found success by using its stores as same-day fulfillment centers. With help from Roadie, TSC grew its same-day delivery capabilities from just 20% of its stores to 100% of its 1,800-plus locations in a matter of weeks. CEO Hal Lawton says the rapid rollout of this BODFS model, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, was key to helping TSC meet its customers’ needs while simultaneously differentiating the brand.
How crowdsourcing connects stores & shoppers
The key to Tractor Supply’s success came from bolstering its last-mile delivery with Roadie. TSC’s partnerships with traditional carriers keep warehouses, distribution centers and stores well-stocked with inventory. But for ultrafast BODFS delivery to customers’ homes and businesses — even in rural locations — the Roadie solution fills an immediate need for flexible, on-demand logistics.
The process is simple:
- Online shoppers fill their carts with products in stock at their local store.
- In-store staff members fill orders as they come in.
- Filled orders are sent to Roadie via API, where a national network of 200,000 drivers can accept the gigs.
- Orders are delivered to customers’ doorsteps, with orders in a 100-mile radius arriving same-day.
Using crowdsourced delivery with Roadie to connect stores and shoppers isn’t just easy — it’s a boon to customer loyalty. Instead of waiting for orders to be sent from a far-flung warehouse in a few days, customers can receive their BODFS orders same-day (often within hours). Not only have you delivered the products they need and trust, but you’ve saved them a trip to the store and all but guaranteed customers will shop with you again.
BODFS success with Roadie keeps you competing with the big guys
Tractor Supply is just one company building customer lifetime value by offering same-day delivery. Let’s not forget, Amazon created the ultrafast delivery paradigm in the first place, and will be putting even more time and effort into it over the coming years.
With the easy-to-use Roadie platform and processes, any retailer can feel confident in their ability to bring customers the products they want fast. Reach out today and have your same-day delivery plan in place within weeks.
