New research using unique methods finds that clear predictive delivery dates and seven-day-a-week logistics consistently lead to more sales and repeat customers. The study, called The State of Speed, moves past simple surveys to uncover the real reasons shoppers buy or leave.

We released The State of Speed today. This research uses special ‘Decision Mirror’ methods designed to find the hidden reasons customers complete a purchase. By connecting actual shopper behavior with retailer results, the study shows that tools like predictive delivery dates, seven-day carrier services, and weekend fulfillment are consistently linked to higher sales and loyalty. However, most brands are still not using these tools in their shipping plans.

Unlike old-fashioned surveys, the predictive delivery dates use behavioral prompts, peer comparisons, and performance groups to show what really drives shopping decisions and business results. By matching consumer choices against real retailer performance, the study avoids the common problem where people say one thing but do another. This reveals which delivery practices actually increase sales, loyalty, and customer value.

The findings show where delivery makes the biggest difference for online stores, and how many retailers are missing out on revenue.

Delivery Defaults and Missed Opportunities

• Eighty-eight percent of retailers still show unhelpful delivery ranges like “4 to 6 business days” when customers check out. Shoppers are twice as likely to leave their cart when they see vague timing like this.
• Eighty-four percent of consumers have paid for faster shipping in the last six months, and thirty-seven percent have specifically looked for weekend delivery. This shows that delivery flexibility is now what people expect.
• Sixty-five percent of retailers say their standard delivery speed has not changed in two years. Fifty-nine percent are not expanding their warehouse networks, while twenty-three percent are actually making them smaller.
• Thirty-seven percent of consumers plan to spend less overall this year, which makes the fight for every online dollar even tougher.

What Top Performing Brands Are Doing Differently

• More than half of retailers using a seven-day-a-week delivery carrier saw their customer satisfaction scores go up, their customers became more valuable, and their cart abandonment rate went down.
• Brands in the top half for sales conversion, repeat purchases, and customer satisfaction were twice as likely to use predictive delivery dates. They were also over three times more likely to run their warehouses on a seven-day schedule, either all year or during busy seasons.
• Retailers who started using predictive delivery dates were half as likely to need bigger fulfillment networks. They were also only one-third as likely to create new expensive shipping options.

“This important study confirms what many retailers have suspected but could not prove. It shows that standard delivery options often reflect what is easiest for the company, not what the customer actually wants,” said the VP of Marketing, Product Strategy & Marketplaces. “The research shows where old ideas about speed and shopper intent are wrong, and where successful brands are now treating delivery as a way to grow revenue, not just as a cost.”

The predictive delivery dates identify four main reasons people buy things online: Urgent, Appointment Driven, Opportunistic, and Discretionary. These categories capture the different delivery needs shoppers have. This change is guiding how we work with merchants by helping them support all of these shopper priorities, not just one. We are announcing new services to help stores serve all these different customer needs.

Our new Express service adds a faster, more cost-effective delivery option for time-sensitive orders, reaching shoppers coast-to-coast with two and three-day speeds.

Our Ground Essentials service offers a lower-cost delivery option for discretionary and promotional purchases. This is ideal for shoppers who do not mind waiting in exchange for free or discounted shipping offers at lower thresholds.

Our 7-Day Play program combines predictive delivery dates, seven-day-a-week carrier service, and weekend fulfillment options. This gives retailers more control over when orders arrive and more ways to convert shoppers throughout the entire week.

“Retailers have known delivery impacts growth, but until now, the drivers behind that impact weren’t always clear. This research gave us the structure to act, and we’re using it to bring new capabilities to market that align with how shoppers actually buy, not just how delivery used to work.”

The full State of Speed report is available now on our website. Our company is providing private briefings on the research and our new service announcements at Parcel Forum, September 8-10. Shippers interested in a briefing at the event are welcome to reach out to us directly.

About Us

We are the parcel carrier of choice for the final step of an online order, helping retailers build an advantage through faster delivery times, lower costs, and nationwide coverage. Our delivery network reaches more than seventy percent of the United States population across thirty-five states and Washington, D.C. We provide retailers with a reliable alternative to traditional shipping services. With over sixty-five years of experience, we are a trusted partner for leading online brands that want more flexibility and efficiency in their supply chains. For more information, visit our website.