2-Day Shipping: The Perfect Strategy To Expand Your eCommerce Business in 2024

Online shopping has found its place in the fundamentals of the common man ever since the pandemic unraveled minute obstructions in their daily lives. But with a little convenience comes the expectation of a bit more, so much so that the free 2 day shipping introduced by Amazon prime in 2004 is the new competitive benchmark for all e-commerce businesses. 

Studies backed up by data give us a rather clever view of trendy consumer behavior. About 26% of shoppers online tend to give up at the last stage of the buying process because of slow shipping, and almost 53% of shoppers consider the delivery time an important deciding factor. The interesting part is; shoppers not only expect a faster delivery system, but 75% of shoppers in the US also want free deliveries on their orders. 

The bigger question arises when we think about small to medium-sized businesses that struggle with their order volumes and the ever-rising shipping costs. How are these businesses ever going to compete with giants like Amazon or Walmart in upping their delivery game?

The 2 day shipping facility has created big pressure points for businesses who cannot afford to have large infrastructural and shipping strategies every now and then, but they can get back in the game and offer expedited free delivery to retain their customers and grow their brand perception. Let us find out more. 

What is 2 Day Delivery?

The 2 day shipping in eCommerce and delivery refers to the TAT or Turn Around Time of 2 days for an online order to be sent from the fulfillment center to the customer’s doorstep. Based on the seller’s internal operation, this TAT can also mean 2 whole days or 2 business days, which is counted from the time of checkout.  The 2 day shipping time required by e-commerce brands to complete an order was first introduced by Amazon Prime in 2004 and has now become the standard norm for any fulfillment center to be considered as efficient. 

Why Do You Need 2 Day Delivery?

eCommerce has been driving the largest part of the revenue for several countries since the pandemic hit the world. In the US alone, about $4.2 trillion in 2020 was driven as more and more shoppers shop online. As the market grows, so does the competitiveness of the environment, and brands are battling head-to-head to provide the best customer experience.  

Shoppers value faster deliveries and shipping times; around 84% of consumers do not return to a certain retailer after having a bad delivery experience, and 54% of these shoppers tend to switch retailers when they don’t get a fast delivery option. 73% of consumers want to go for the ultimate delivery experience from giants like Amazon rather than trusting an independent retailer for the same. 

Therefore, 2 day shipping is not an option anymore, it is a necessary tool for sellers to survive in a competitive market and enhance their overall customer experience. 

How Does 2 Day Shipping Work?

The countdown for shipping starts the moment an order is placed, and based on the company’s internal operation, it can either be counted as 2 whole days or 2 business days. To execute a 2-days sipping in e-commerce, the seller has to dispatch the package via air or ground.

1. Ground Shipping

With this method, the package is sent to the customer via roads in cars, trucks, or vans. This method works, and 2 day delivery can only be availed by the customer if their address is in proximity to the warehouse. To perfectly execute a fast delivery system using ground shipping, the seller has to partner with a 3PL service provider which has fulfillment centers in several parts of the country. 

2. Air Shipping

Ai shipping occurs when the packages are sent to the customers via airplanes or cargo jets. This mode of transit is mostly used for international and express shipments. Sending packages by air usually is a much more expensive way of logistics. However, this is the only way to execute 2-day deliveries to customers whose addresses are very far away from the warehouses. 

3. Combine Ground and Air for Cost-Effective Reliability

A combination of both ground and air shipping methods can prove to be a cost-effective logistical solution. If you can partner with a reliable and large-scale 3PL service provider that has several warehouses distributed across the country and stores data based on past consumer transactions and purchase patterns, you can come up with the most effective shipping method to reach your buyers.

Should You Offer 2 Day Shipping?

Offering 2 day shipping to the customers is a reliable way to improve and enhance customer satisfaction and maintain retention. It reduces the chances of cart abandonment and order cancellations as well. But sometimes, offering free and expedited shipping to customers can prove to be detrimental to the budget of smaller enterprises, especially if they choose to offer such shipping plans at low cost. 

To avoid such an instance, you can provide options to the customers along with 2 day delivery, add an expedited delivery charge, or only let this option be available to selected customers like Amazon Prime. 

Free expedited deliveries, however, are not an appropriate option for all brands and product types. It must be adopted by those products that are considered among the most competitive categories, such as cosmetics, apparel, tech, home decor, etc. These categories are defined by the impulsive buying behavior of consumers and how easily replaceable they are by some other brand that would offer a slightly better deal. 

Benefits of Offering 2 Day Shipping

A seller that decides to opt for 2 day shipping in e-commerce enjoys a lot of benefits. Let’s find out how.

Low Purchase Blockers 

Most customers refrain from buying the product at final checkout because they see a longer delivery option on their order. Per Deliverr’s data, a merchant saw a 300% increase in their regular conversions soon after they opted for 2 day shipping and delivery.

Enhance Customer Experience 

Shopping online is all about the experience, which starts from the moment you order till the time you unbox. A fast delivery mechanism enhances this experience for the customer and boosts their satisfaction with a brand which ultimately enables them to return and shop from your site. 

Smooth Marketing Tool

More than an expected norm, a 2-day shopping option is a smart marketing tool for brands to stand out from the crowd. This can be added as offers on all your marketing materials, such as ads, banners, posts, tags, stores, emails, websites, etc. 69% of customers are more likely to click on a display ad if it has fast and free shipping as a hook. 

How Does 2-Day Shipping Grow eCommerce Businesses?

To stay on top of your game, you must strive to achieve the expectations of your customers and the market. Here is how 2 day shipping in eCommerce can help you expand your business. 

Resonate with Customer Expectations

On average, customers look at three days of shipping as the most acceptable waiting time. Beyond three days, especially after a seller promises a timeline and fails to deliver, the customers are most likely not to come and shop from the site in the future. Hence, committing and providing 2 day shipping and delivery can help you exceed customers’ expectations. 

More and More Sales

Having an expedited delivery option can be a great addition to your marketing strategy. These can be used as offers and mentioned in all your display and banner ads, product tags, etc, which will ultimately grand customers’ attention and help you increase your sales revenue.

Remarkable Retention Rates

The first impression is always and most certainly the last impression. Once the customer is ensured that your brand provides fast and timely deliveries, no one can stop you from excelling in the retention game. 

Defeat The Giants

It is much easier to turn to trusted and popular sellers like Amazon in case small businesses fail to deliver the packages within 2 days or don’t have the vast number of options a large seller like Amazon would have. Therefore, if you have to defeat the giants, you must adopt certain techniques that allow you to execute faster deliveries without pinching your budget. You can also learn about Amazon’s pricing strategy here.

How Much is the Cost of 2-Day Shipping?

How much will a 2 day shipping cost will depend on certain factors like – 

• The mailability of the items that are up for shipping
• Popular and peak dates on the calendar
• The time, day, and date of the shipping schedule
• Shipping method and the delivery carrier facility
• Zip code of the origin and destination
• DIM weight
• The characteristics of the cargo, such as fragility, hazardousness, etc. 

It is to be noted that the cost that a seller may incur upon the customers for a particular order may also depend on the fulfillment fees and channel costs. The packaging, processing, stocking, and shipping charges all come under fulfillment fees. This fee is also affected based on the pricing models and other services that are opted for by the customers.

How to Keep 2-Day Shipping Costs Low?

2-Day Delivery With a Minimum Order Value

A minimum order value imposed b the seller ensures that there is no loss on orders that are lower in value. A minimum order threshold to activate 2-day free shipping is one of the most popular incentives provided to customers because of which nearly two-thirds of them actually add extra items to the cart to meet the purchase value. 

2 Day Delivery on Specific Zip Codes

Transporting packages in a 2 day delivery system can be extremely expensive, especially if you are choosing an air freight carrier. Because of this, certain brands offer free expedited deliveries only to customers who live in the destination zip closer to the seller’s warehouse. When the customers place their orders, they will be informed whether or not they qualify for 2 day delivery based on their location. 

Outsource Your Fulfillment Partner

3PL service providers often have access to discounted and negotiated shipping rates that can help you keep your logistics costs low while enabling fast deliveries to your customers. However, you must choose the right provider for the operation, especially the one whose e-commerce fulfillment services aligns with your sales channels. 

Customer Membership Plans

Instead of providing free and fast deliveries to all the customers, you can play your cards strategically and allow only premium members of your platform to get the benefits. This helps you cover all the extra transit costs, makes your valuable customers feel special, and enables them to only shop from you. 

The loyalty paid memberships to charge a small and recurring subscription fee from the customers in exchange for certain exclusive benefits such as 2 day shipping, same-day shipping, discounts, etc. By doing so, the customer is also ready to make up for shipping costs way ahead of time and, at the same time, make frequent purchases from your site. 

Ground Shipping 

One of the cheapest ways to execute 2-day deliveries is through ground shipping. All you need to do is distribute your network of fulfillment centers across areas of a major purchase or throughout the city. This will ensure that the distance between the items and the destination, along with the travel time, is reduced, therefore allowing you to ship customer orders within 2 days or less. 

Examples of 2 Day Shipping! 

If you are handling fulfillment in-house, you can subscribe to shipping plans offered by certain carriers and negotiate with them for discounts. Sometimes these carriers also pick up your packages from your warehouse or offices. 

If you are an online seller who requires a third-party inventory, partnering with a 3PL can help you easily execute 2 day shipping and deliveries to your customers. Let us look at a few carrier services that provide affordable and fast shipping to small businesses. 

Suggested Read: How to choose Best 3PL for Small Business?

USPS

If you are a small business with small and irregular order volumes that does in-house fulfillment, USPS is the best option for your business. It provides pre-made boxes for parcels, and the flat-rate shipping option will help you estimate your shipping costs beforehand. USPS picks up your orders for free, either from home or the office, tracks shipment, and provides insurance up to $50 for most parcels. 

DHL

Suitable for international deliveries and serving in 220 countries and territories, DHL can help you estimate the best shipping rate and time based on the service that you choose. They estimate these costs based on the destination country and the DIM weight of the cargo. They provide insurance on certain items and also help you with customs clearance. 

Suggested Read: Top 10 Fastest and Cheapest International Courier Services in India

UPS

With no size limit and suitable for small businesses that want to send large packages, UPS is the most cost-effective option. UPS can pick up your shipment from the warehouse or office at an additional cost, provide 2 day delivery shipments, and guarantee one-day deliveries and international shipping in 220 countries. 

Why you Should Partner With a 3PL For An Affordable 2 Day Shipping Strategy?

Partnering with an experienced 3PL can pose to be extremely beneficial for businesses. Know how. 

Optimize Shipping Rates

3PL assists businesses when it comes to comparing speed versus cost. It is very important to constantly compare the rates across air and ground shipping to ensure that you are not paying above the line.

Low Shipping Rates

Due to the high shipping volumes and network distributions, 3PLs can ensure businesses from option for a smooth 2 day delivery system without fear of losing profits on expensive shipping rates.

Fulfillment Capacity Increases

Most businesses cannot afford to have multiple fulfillment centers across the target country. This creates what is known as the last mile problem that hampers the customers’ expectations and creates hindrances in the company’s commitment to providing 2-day deliveries. However, 3Pls has a superior infrastructure and multiple fulfillment centers that can increase the shipping radius by decreasing the distance between the warehouse and the destination. 

2 Day Shipping: Wrapping Up

Speed has become the mantra for shipping and commercial transportation. To consistently have a competitive edge, businesses need to expand their infrastructure and become more efficient. They can also partner with third-party providers like 3PLs or goods carriers. Outsourcing can help you tremendously cut down costs on shipping and enhance customer experience by fulfilling all your commitments to free 2-day deliveries.

WareIQ is one such eCommerce fulfillment company that enables same day and next day delivery to its clients with its 2 day shipping or same-day shipping offerings.

2 Day Shipping: FAQs

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