The time it takes for your customers to receive their items from your courier service can impact the reputation of your business and increase (or decrease) your overall sales. This is because the happier your customers are, the more likely they are to buy again from you.

A recent survey on delivery times found that most customers buying online in the United Kingdom expect a maximum delivery time of three to five days. If your competition is high, then you may need even shorter delivery times – especially when selling on marketplaces.

Therefore, it can be a good idea to explore your opportunities with inventory management software, which can automate many different tasks and maximize the efficiency of your order fulfillment processes.

Take the time to research what your competitors are doing and send out a survey or social media poll to see what your customers expect from online deliveries.

After all, the more research you do, then the more likely you are to get the shipping experience right for your customers.

If next day delivery or same day delivery is essential for your industry and business, you may not necessarily need to pay more for a faster courier service. You can factor these extra costs into the shipping fees your customers pay you.

But won’t that reduce sales for your business?

While offering free shipping certainly has its advantages, a recent survey found most online shoppers in the United Kingdom are willing to pay extra fees for faster delivery times. This trend is being driven by younger generations.This is great news for smaller online business owners, as you can reduce the overall costs for selling products online and use the profits and savings to scale your business.