Shoppers don’t care about same-day delivery, despite the efforts of companies like eBay, Amazon and, reportedly, Google to offer the service.
In a survey by The Boston Consulting Group, only 9 percent of 1,500 U.S. respondents said same-day delivery was a big draw for them when it came to buying. About 74 percent said free delivery was a top incentive and 50 percent noted that lower prices attracted them.
Same-day delivery seems to work best for “affluent millennials,” or people ages 18 to 24 who make more than $150,000 and live in urban areas, the study finds. These consumers don’t account for a larger buyer base, making up only 2 percent of all shoppers.
However, they do spend more than twice what the average American does, so same-day delivery could be a niche service for them, says Rob Souza, a partner at BCG.
“Retailers may choose to offer it to build customers loyalty, enhance brand awareness or keep up with the completion,” he adds. “But [same-day delivery] is unlikely to generate significant revenues for either retailers or carriers.”
Same-day delivery would generate between $425 million and $850 million a year if 2 percent of online purchases were delivered this way. Affluent millennials say they would pay up to $10 for the service. Other buyers say they would pay up to $6, according to the survey.
