We’ve all heard “it takes money to make money,” but are the potential results worth the price? For e-commerce businesses, adopting new technologies and processes can be a big investment — but it’s also the stakes for claiming your slice of a $1.3 billion pie. 

And what if you want a bigger slice? Results like that call for practices that won’t just bring in new customers, but will make the most of the ones already visiting your online shop. As more retailers are learning, investing in delivery speed is the key to maximizing your bottom line and reclaiming sales you otherwise might have lost. 

Whether you’re a retail logistics pro running same-day delivery up the flagpole or a small business owner looking to help your brand stand out, we’ve got three convincing reasons to make ultrafast delivery your next smart business investment. 

Encouraging new & repeat business

One of the biggest financial benefits of implementing same-day and next-day delivery options is the world of new business you make available to your shop. In valuable new research from Roadie, more than three-quarters of business leaders (77%) reported an increase in sales after introducing same-day delivery options. Additionally, 80% of companies saw an increase in repeat business. 

With new customers coming in and existing customers shopping more frequently, you’ve got the makings of a brand-building endeavor simply by making ultrafast delivery options available. In fact, 66% of surveyed business owners credited same-day delivery with high customer retention rates.

Download the Roadie research here.

Increasing revenue per order

It’s one thing to say ultrafast delivery can grow your customer base, but what if it could grow your revenue per order too? A whopping 80% of survey respondents said this was the case after implementing same-day delivery, with about a third of those reporting sales surges between 6% and 10%. There are a number of possible reasons behind this correlation including:

• Charging same-day delivery fees.
• Increasing product prices to offset delivery fees.
• Implementing order minimums to qualify for faster delivery.

Whatever the approach, each of these options helps offset your same-day delivery investment and can effectively turn it into a profit center rather than a cost. Digital Commerce 360 research shows that 62% of shoppers are willing to pay for standard or expedited shipping. More to the point, nearly a third of shoppers (30%) will abandon their carts if orders don’t arrive in time. 

Reclaiming sales from abandoned carts

Moving the needle on cart abandonment may be one of the biggest opportunities for ultrafast delivery to help your business grow. Consumers spent a record-breaking $1.3 trillion online in 2023, and once you wrap your head around that figure, remember this: That number could be 20% higher if not for abandoned purchases.

Research shows that 70% of online shopping carts are left abandoned. While many consumers complete those purchases later on, either online or in-store, Shopify estimates that cart abandonment costs e-commerce stores $260 billion in recoverable revenue annually — and shoppers have shared what keeps them from clicking the “Buy” button:

• 46% of cart abandonment happens at the payment stage.
• 60% of shoppers fail to purchase because of unexpected fees.
• 18% abandon the purchase process when there’s no express shipping option.

Together, these stats make a strong case for adding ultrafast delivery options to your e-commerce strategy. In doing so, especially when investment recovery plans are in place, you simultaneously streamline the shopping experience for your customers and boost your bottom line with reclaimed sales. 

Invest in speed to grow your bottom line

Imagine turning every abandoned cart into a completed sale and every new visitor into a loyal customer. Ultrafast delivery does exactly that, offering a trifecta of bottom-line benefits that can help turn your e-commerce strategy into real, bottom-line results. Whether you focus on attracting new customers, upping the ante on revenue per order or corralling — and converting — abandoned online carts, the evidence is undeniable: Improving your delivery speed is worth the investment in ultrafast logistics. 

Don’t wait any longer to get started. Reach out to Roadie to learn how easily you can introduce same-day and next-day delivery to your customers and start reaping the rewards.