Next day delivery: getting to the finish line fastest

Picking up the pace of deliveries

67% of Gen Z (18-26) and 57% of Gen Y (27-43) feel the need for speed and are ready to switch retailers for faster shipping.¹ And these days, the definition of ‘faster’ could mean under 24 hours. In fact, 29% of Australian shoppers expect their deliveries to arrive faster than they did in 2019.²

Where does this need for speed come from? For starters, technological innovations have made various aspects of work and life faster and more convenient, and consumers now expect the same from their online shopping experience.

It’s all about instant gratification—shoppers impatiently anticipate the arrival of their new purchase, and if it takes too long, then the buzz diminishes.

This trend towards instant gratification is especially true for younger customers. Australia Post Key Account Manager, Nathan Browning, says delivery speed is a regular conversation topic among clients like Princess Polly. And recently, more of them have been expressing interest in Australia Post Metro.

“It’s not just delivery speed but also speed of order fulfilment,” Nathan says. “Customers expect their order to be shipped within the next business day from the time of purchase.”

“The critical thing for delivery is offering that customer choice in how quickly it arrives, whether that be in a few days or next day. You’ll also be judged on your delivery commitment so it’s equally important to deliver on the expectation you set.”

Of course, not every customer wants or needs the speediest delivery every time they buy something. But when they do, it can make all the difference to whether they order from you or your competitor.

And they’re willing to pay for it with 79% of consumers saying they’d pay up to an extra $5 to get an item they really need delivered the next day.³

Responding to shoppers’ changing expectations

Whether your brand targets a younger demographic, or you simply want to deliver on customers’ expectations for faster shipping, a good place to start is with your online checkout options.

This is what Aussie icon Myer did. “At Myer, we aim to provide the best possible online shopping experience for customers,” says Tony Carr, Executive General Manager of Supply Chain, Myer.

“But we’ve seen shoppers’ behaviour change over the past few years. People need things delivered sooner and want a wider range of delivery options available to them.”

“We needed a partner that can deliver the complete package for us and our customers. Someone to help us offer an online shopping experience that delivers for modern-day customers who want things now, not later.”

Myer is now experiencing the benefits of our next day delivery service which consists of two key products - Australia Post Metro and Express Post.

Bought today, delivered tomorrow

To help brands deliver at the speed today’s customers expect, Australia Post offers a range of faster delivery options for next day delivery. There’s our Express Post service, which covers all addresses in Australia and can deliver to many interstate locations on the next day.

And now, there’s also the option of Australia Post Metro service for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane brands that want a cost-effective, reliable next day delivery service within the same state. Plans are also in place to expand this service to Adelaide and Perth by the end of this financial year.

The service includes later pick-ups to give online shoppers extra time in the day to browse and buy, knowing they’ll still get their items the next day.

For Myer, the later pick-up time is golden. “Thanks to Australia Post late pick-up, we can get more orders out for delivery every single day. Plus, most customers can choose to have packages delivered to convenient Australia Post parcel lockers, offering them a flexible experience,” explains Tony.

Recently, the Australia Post Metro service started offering Saturday deliveries to most residential addresses and Australia Post Parcel Lockers within its Melbourne network.

As the service expands, the same level of reliability and quality will remain in place to give brands and end customers the reassurance that if an item needs to be delivered fast, it will be. Currently, Australia Post Metro boasts a DIFOT score of 98%, with Express Post close behind at 95%.

“We strive to always stay competitive and relevant when it comes to eCommerce, and next day delivery with Australia Post helps with that. Seeing the huge amount of positive feedback customers are delivering back to us has been really rewarding.” Tony says.