It was a time when catalog retailers like Sears and JC Penney ruled via their mail-order business models, in addition to their retail store networks:
Mail-order business, also called direct-mail marketing, was the method of merchandising in which the seller’s offer is made through mass mailing of a circular or catalog or through an advertisement placed in a newspaper or magazine and in which the buyer placed an order by mail. It was not uncommon for delivery to take up to 2 weeks or even longer, as consumer transit time expectations were low. Unbelievably, a small number of legacy retailers still supplement their on-line marketing/purchasing models via mailed catalogs.
Back in 2016, AT Kearney, surveyed internet users in North America on what the acceptable timeframe was for ecommerce order delivery:
- 24% of respondents—also the largest share—said that three days was the acceptable timeframe.
- 19% of respondents were happy with 2-day delivery.
- 9%, said that four days was the acceptable delivery window.
- 16% of respondents said five days was acceptable.
- 13% said they preferred same-day delivery.
- 12% wanted one day/next-day delivery.
(Source: eMarketer)
Fast forward to 2021, and we see consumers migrating towards faster delivery transit time expectations, with free 2-day delivery reigning as the most popular delivery option for consumers:
- 42% of shoppers expect a 2-day shipping option for every online purchase they make. (Source: Ware2Go)
Dean Maciuba is the Co-founding partner of Crossroads Parcel Consulting and contributing editor to the Newegg Logistics blog. This content has been republished with the permission of the author and Newegg Logistics, where the article originally appeared.
Photo: Tdorante10, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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