What: Forrester’s research shows that free delivery is more important than speed of delivery for e-commerce consumers.

Why this is important: It can give an edge to department stores that make them still relevant in front of larger operators.

A Forrester report suggests that while same-day and next-day delivery options are costly for retailers and not highly valued by most consumers, free shipping remains a key factor for online shoppers. Nearly half of consumers are indifferent to same-day delivery, and many prefer in-store shopping for groceries. Instead, options like buy online, pick up in store, curbside, and drive-thru pickups are seen as more appealing and cost-effective. Despite this, major retailers like Target, Walmart, and Amazon continue to invest in same-day delivery, with Amazon achieving its fastest Prime delivery speeds due to investments in regional operations and same-day delivery facilities. Overall delivery times have decreased, partly due to a variety of carriers and reduced pandemic-related barriers.

Free shipping is more important to shoppers than same-day delivery