Is overnight delivery a thing of the past?
Yes and no.
Prior to the pandemic, it was common to order goods and receive them the next day or even the same day. Then COVID hit and wait times blew out. If you had Christmas gifts on order last December and November, you’ll remember parcels taking weeks rather than days to arrive.
Where an express parcel was almost certain to arrive within 24 hours, next-business-day delivery is now less of a sure thing. Regular post and commercial deliveries often require a couple of extra sleeps as well.
In some cases, rapid turnaround on parcel delivery is still possible, but you will probably pay a premium for it.
If you’re B2C, even if you have previously offered free shipping, the people who need goods urgently may have to start paying a premium for the convenience. If you communicate this clearly, you shouldn’t receive much resistance.
Otherwise, it’s all about managing expectations and making sure people have a clear idea of when their delivery will show up.
In these times of changing benchmarks, this is something we encourage our clients to make a habit of. Keep in touch, let people know what’s going on and they will be more likely to stay loyal to your brand.
