7+1 Ways To Use Same-day Delivery For Your Small Business

Same-day Delivery is quickly becoming the standard for delivery, just like second-day is today. Amazon made second-day delivery the industry standard and it’s putting the pressure on retailers to follow suit. In recent studies, one-third of consumers indicated feeling “frustrated” when a company doesn’t offer same day delivery. 74% of US Consumers say it made them more likely to purchase from a retailer again if they offer same-day delivery. So is your business ready to provide same-day delivery?

Let’s take a look at 7 ways your business could incorporate same-day delivery into your business model and give consumers what they are now expecting…fast delivery. Plus one more way you may need it in your personal life. Every business has some reason to use same-day delivery and make customers happier, their day easier, and pad your bottom line.

Business to Business Same-day Delivery

While Direct to Store delivery (DSD) doesn’t receive the fanfare and headlines that consumer-facing delivery does, Consumer Packed Goods (CPG) brands have relied on the practice to fulfill products to grocers for decades. With the increased availability of fulfillment services, DSD has become an increasingly popular solution for manufacturers and distribution centers to do product fulfillment.

As businesses further up the supply chain begin to use same day delivery for fulfillment, it enables companies to be responsive to their inventory fluctuations and customer purchasing habits. Rather than having to wait for the next weekly delivery, or send a truck out to replace a few cases of product, suppliers quickly replenish out of stocks using same-day delivery. This dynamic process keeps the right amount of product in stock for retailers—and ensures there will be product for the consumer.

Out of Stock Delivery

Don’t let customers leave your store because they want to make a purchase but you don’t have the right item, size, or color in stock. If you have multiple locations around town then why not make the sale and deliver the item to the customer the same day.

Don’t make them wait for days to get the product…or they may take their business elsewhere. If another one of your locations has the item then get it to them using same-day delivery.

Inventory Balancing

Just like the above out of stock delivery, use same day delivery to balance your inventory between stores before you run out. If one store has too much of an item and another is low then use same day delivery to balance the inventory so that you don’t lose a sale because something is not in stock.

Returns Pickup

In some business models, it makes sense to allow someone to pick up an item from the customer and have the person bring the return back to your place of business. This type of service gives the customer a great sense of relief, not having to pack the item, drive to a shipping store and send it back. Returns pickup allows for a lower probability of the item getting damaged or lost and decreases packaging costs. For the customer, same-day pick up can save them the hassle, time, money, and risk of the item being damaged in shipping.

Round-trip Delivery

Whether it's an exchange or document signature that is needed, same-day delivery can simplify exchanges by delivering the correct item and picking up the original purchase.

In the same manner, sometimes original documents need to be signed and returned. With round-trip same-day delivery, the process can be made fast and painless. The normal process can take 2-4 days to get those documents back…a minimum of one day to send and another 1-2 days for the client to sign and return the documents by mail.

When time is of the essence, same-day delivery can speed up that process and have the documents signed, sealed, and delivered within hours not days.

Last Minute Supplies

Have you ever run out of supplies that are absolutely necessary for the functioning of your business? It’s all to0 common to run out of toner, ink, paper, medical supplies, etc.

Either you or an employee will have to drop what you’re doing, leave the team short-staffed to go pick up supplies. Not exactly efficient.

Why don’t you just place the order and allow a same-day delivery service pick up the supplies? Eliminate the hassle, don’t leave your business unattended, and lose the liability of employees “driving for you”.

Forgotten Items

Hotels, restaurants, and even stores have items consistently forgotten at the place of business. That famous call “Did you find a [Blank] in the room or booth?”. Now what? Either they come back and pickup or you mail the item. Or you can offer the service to have their item delivered directly to their location within a few hours.

Consumer Delivery/Pickup

Finally, if you have ever forgotten something at home or work and don’t have time to go back and pick it up, you know much of a hassle it can be. It could be something as simple as your workout bag or as critical as the presentation materials you need to keep you job. Or it could be the keys to your car that your husband accidentally took with him to work….and now you have no way of going anywhere without using Uber. For the cost of less than an Uber or Lyft you could have the keys in your hands and go wherever you please.

Conclusion

There are many ways to implement same-day delivery into your business model. No matter how you use it, the benefits seem to outweigh the downside. There are a number of things to consider before incorporating same-day delivery for your business. Take a look at “Should Same Day Delivery Be a Priority for Your Business?” for more information.