When online shoppers reach checkout, they’re looking for options. From multiple delivery speeds to easy pickup locations to wide-ranging delivery price points, Trust Payments says online retailers boost customer convenience, confidence and retention by broadening their checkout options.
We already know that 68% of shoppers want shorter delivery windows, but they’re increasingly expecting ultrafast delivery, too. With mega-retailers like Amazon growing their same-day capabilities, customers are coming to expect their order confirmations and delivery confirmations to arrive within hours of each other.
That means retailers can’t put off adding same-day delivery options any longer — and consumer demand is just one reason. Here are seven of the most impactful changes same-day delivery can bring to businesses of any size, and how crowdsourced delivery makes implementing same-day seamless.
Meeting expectations and gaining a competitive edge
Current market conditions put retailers in a sweet spot when they offer same-day delivery. Mega-retailers like Amazon are doubling down on same-day to the point that consumers are beginning to expect it as an option at checkout. At the same time, smaller retailers don’t always have the resources to invest in offering same-day.
But e-commerce businesses that put the right logistics mix in place can thread that needle. With same-day delivery capabilities through crowdsourcing, you can go toe-to-toe with retail giants while setting your business apart from midsized competition. And as customers recognize the new benefit you’re offering, crowdsourcing can scale up as your business grows.
Reducing cart abandonment
Timely delivery is just one element in the alchemy that converts shoppers into buyers — but it’s an important one. According to Shopify, nearly a quarter of shoppers abandon their carts when they discover delivery times are too slow. Considering there’s almost nothing faster than same-day delivery, offering this option at checkout effectively eliminates one more obstacle between your customer and that Buy Now button.
Eliminated cut-off times
What’s faster than same-day, you ask? Ultrafast delivery within as little as two hours. Whether your customers need their items immediately or just sometime within the next 24 hours, crowdsourcing can fill both of these needs. While 2 p.m. is generally considered the cut-off time to deliver orders same-day, the Roadie network connects retailers to an on-demand cohort of drivers that can pick up and deliver items anywhere, anytime. As long as your team can fill an order and hand it to a driver, Roadie can enable fast delivery.
Market expansion opportunities
Same-day delivery doesn’t just appeal to your existing customers. It makes your business available to untapped audiences you couldn’t reach before, especially for small businesses. Your logistics relationship is key here: By offering same-day delivery through crowdsourcing, you can expand your service area and still reach customers fast.
Drivers using Roadie can help you achieve same-day delivery within 100 miles of the order pickup point. The more pickup points you have (say, your brick-and-mortar store plus a separate warehouse), the wider your footprint spreads. Even without storefronts, direct-to-consumer businesses offering same-day delivery directly from strategically located warehouses can gain attention and market share.
Micro-fulfillment centers and inventory optimization
Speaking of stores, warehouses and distribution centers, your fulfillment and inventory strategy can benefit from same-day delivery as much as your customers can. Inventory repositioning is a smart, strategic use of crowdsourced delivery that lets you optimize the amount of stock you have in each location. Shelves looking bare at your brick-and-mortar store? Business heating up near your newest warehouse? Simply set up a Roadie gig to reposition your inventory where you need it most.
The potential for bigger baskets
Once customers know they can get their orders fast, there’s almost no stopping them from shopping with you — and potentially spending more. Numerous retail industry firms tie the consumer psychology of impulse purchases to the availability of fast shipping. Faster Capital says the combination of same-day availability and limited-time offers can inspire shoppers to act on purchases they might otherwise put off. Attention Insight adds that seeing same-day delivery increases shoppers’ excitement over a purchase, making that Add to Cart button even more attractive.
Better returns — and fewer of them
In the same way ultrafast delivery reduces the barriers to conversion, it also reduces the reasons consumers have for returning an item. As many as 25% of shoppers say they’ve returned items because they arrived too late, but that’s almost never the case when your order shows up the same day.
If something does go wrong, however (or if buyers’ remorse sets in from those impulse purchases), same-day delivery with crowdsourcing can come to the rescue of your returns process. Reverse logistics is a unique feature of crowdsourced delivery with Roadie wherein retailers can set up a gig with the customer’s address as the pickup point and their store, warehouse or other inventory location as the drop-off. Just as quickly as your driver delivered the same-day item, they can pick it up and get it back in the hands of your team. Speeding up the returns process means you get salable items back in your inventory stream as soon as possible. It also builds customer loyalty because they know they can trust your positive ordering and returns process.
Get same-day off the ground faster with crowdsourcing
The list of reasons to start offering same-day delivery is long, and consumer demand is right at the top. When your customers are clamoring for increased delivery speed, it’s up to you and your logistics team to find a way to make it happen. For next-day, same-day and ultrafast delivery, crowdsourcing with Roadie is the solution that does so much more than broaden your customers’ options and checkout.
Whether your goal is to cast a wider net, increase conversions or boost customer satisfaction, crowdsourced same-day delivery can make it happen. Reach out to Roadie today to see how quickly and affordably you can build your business with these new offerings and opportunities.
