How Delivery Speed is Transforming Retail

Fast fulfillment ≠ fast delivery. When we think about speed in ecommerce, a lot of brands focus on how fast they can get an order out the door — click-to-ship (CTS). But what actually drives conversions and matters to consumers is how fast that order arrives — click-to-delivery (CTD). That’s why Spreetail has built a nationwide network of 7 fulfillment centers, helping our brand partners reach an average CTD of just 42 hours. The mistake I see is that brands view CTS as the piece they can control and CTD as something others manage. But shoppers don’t view things the same way. Even if an order leaves your FC within a couple of hours, if the delivery takes 6-7 days, that sluggishness is all they see. Winning brands aren’t just optimizing fulfillment speed, they’re building supply chain networks that shorten the time from click to doorstep. That means ⦁Smarter inventory distribution ⦁Strategic fulfillment partners ⦁Relentless focus on delivery experience Because when delivery is faster, conversions rise, customer satisfaction improves, and brands can truly grow.

Home Depot just teamed up with DoorDash and Uber Eats to push same-day delivery even further—on top of their existing Instacart partnership. It’s a clear signal that the retail race for speed and convenience isn’t slowing down. Customers are demanding quick turnaround, and big-box stores are stepping up. The question is: how can other businesses compete? Here are a few thoughts: • Fulfilling faster: Same-day shipping can boost sales, but it also racks up overhead. Knowing your shipping data—where it’s going, how fast, and how often—helps you refine processes and manage costs. • Balancing customer expectations: Consumers expect near-instant delivery. While big players can afford new partnerships, smaller brands might look to consolidate carriers or explore regional delivery networks. • Staying agile: We’ve seen firsthand at ShipScience how creative shipping strategies—like leveraging local couriers or analyzing zone data—can level the field. More retailers will partner with on-demand services to stay competitive. If you’re shipping parcels, get prepared to meet (or beat) same-day expectations. Organizing your data, optimizing routes, and negotiating smart carrier deals can help you compete with the big guys. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gVP-nnGg #HomeDepot #DoorDash #UberEats #SameDayDelivery #Shipping #Logistics #Retail #Ecommerce #SupplyChain #BusinessInsights

Walmart is making strides in last-mile delivery. Take a look at these Q3 numbers: -40% reduction in net delivery cost per order in the U.S. - the third consecutive quarter it has done so -30% share of orders from customers who paid more to have items delivered in sub-3 hours -20% increase in orders per store-fulfilled delivery, boosting route density -$2.5B monthly run rate in store-fulfilled delivery sales Walmart's delivery operations are getting more efficient as volume grows. But trimming costs isn't the only priority for the company. Further investments in delivery speed could be on the horizon, even if that delays its e-commerce channel from becoming profitable. “If investments in delivery speed cause us to reach profitability a little later, that’s fine too,” CFO John David Rainey said. “We want to deliver faster. So I think we are very confident that we’re going to make money in e-commerce.” Walmart and rival Amazon have highlighted gains in faster delivery (same-day or next-day) and increased investments in that area. I've heard mixed opinions on the actual consumer need for rapid delivery, but if shoppers get comfortable with Walmart/Amazon speeds, will that pressure other companies to keep up? Let me hear your thoughts on Walmart's delivery gains and the need for speed! #supplychain #ecommerce

Big-box retailers are pushing the boundaries of fulfillment strategies to meet growing consumer demand for faster delivery. Walmart is expanding its use of “dark stores,” locations that stock popular items but are not open to the public, to speed up online order fulfillment. The goal is to reach 95% of Americans with delivery in under three hours by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, Target is testing direct shipping from factories to customers, bypassing warehouses to offer more low-cost items online. Both strategies could have a major impact on real estate footprints and supply chain operations, especially as retailers rethink their distribution models to stay competitive. These shifts will continue to shape industrial site selection and the future of retail logistics. Read more via Bisnow: https://bit.ly/4liUx4H.