Need something right away but don’t want to brave the crowds at the store, or have a hectic schedule and can’t make a run to the store?
For those of us who crave instant gratification, these five same-day delivery services have combined the ease of online ordering with the immediacy of brick-and-mortar shopping.
Whether it’s a special occasion gift you’re looking for or you just need to restock your pantry, these 5 same-day delivery providers deliver near you and have you covered with quick and efficient same-day delivery service.
Note: If you’re an FMCG merchant, this article offers valuable insights and includes a separate section on how to empower customers with the convenience of same-day delivery in a business-friendly way while boosting sales conversions and increasing customer satisfaction.
Before We Begin, What Exactly is Same-Day Delivery?
It’s an e-commerce service that delivers a wide range of products, including tech gadgets and personal care items, within 24 hours. Same-day delivery is a popular trend in the industry, with over half of retailers currently offering it and many more planning to do so in the near future.
In fact, over half (51%) of retailers currently offer same-day delivery, and 65% intend to do so in the upcoming 12 months. (source)
Top 5 Places Shoppers Can Get Same-Day Delivery in the US
1. Instacart
If you regularly order groceries online, you’re probably already familiar with Instacart. It partners with several large grocery store chains and offers same-day delivery in a number of cities.
The company has a network of personal shoppers who will shop for you from more than 500 stores across the nation and deliver your purchases. You can have Instacart deliver to you from any number of grocery stores in your area, like Shop Rite or Tops Markets, or from other retailers such as Michaels, Bed Bath & Beyond, Whole Foods, Costco, Petco, etc.
Once you’ve placed your order, you can select when you would like it delivered by choosing a specific time that day or having your order delivered within a range of hours.
i. Perks for Shoppers
Membership Fee: Instacart+ members get free delivery on orders over $35 or more per retailer.
Delivery Fee: Instacart delivery starts at $3.99 for same-day orders over $35.
Fees vary for one-hour deliveries, club store deliveries, and deliveries under $35. There will be a clear indication of the delivery fee when you choose your delivery window at checkout.
All orders must be at least $10 to be eligible for delivery.
ii. Perks for Retailers
By jumping on the Instacart bandwagon, online or omnichannel merchants can reach a wider audience of customers who would not otherwise make purchases from their retailer-branded websites.
With Instacart, retailers can get their products to market quickly, save on costs, and expand their customer base.
Once you integrate your inventory into the Instacart platform, customers will be able to place orders for same-day delivery from the retailer’s inventory through the Instacart app or website.
Here’s something to be wary of:
- Instacart receives a commission every time a product is sold through its platform. It does so through a revenue-sharing agreement it has with its retailers. The actual amount is determined by the agreement reached with the retailer.
Learn more about partnering with Instacart here.
2. Amazon
Amazon has forever changed the way we shop online, becoming a necessary part of our daily lives. If you’re looking to get your items delivered the same day, you can enjoy the Amazon Prime service, which is available in select cities and regions across the US.
However, to be eligible for same-day delivery, you have to have an Amazon Prime membership and place your order before the specified cutoff time for your area.
i. Perks for Shoppers
Membership fee: Orders over $35 that include items marked “FREE Same-Day” are delivered free to Prime members; orders under $35 are charged a $2.99 delivery fee.
The cost of a monthly Prime membership is $12.99 ($6.49 for students), while an annual Prime membership costs $119 ($59 for students).
Non-Prime members have to pay $9.99 to $12.99 per order.
ii. Perks for Retailers
Selling on Amazon automatically gives you credibility as a seller. You also get free promotional ad clicks, free shipping to fulfillment centers, free storage, free liquidation, and free return processing.
One of the biggest advantages of having a presence on Amazon is the vast customer base it offers. By selling on Amazon, companies can reach a much larger audience than they would be able to on their own.
3. Ohi
Ohi is an instant delivery platform that enables same-day delivery by working with a diverse category of brands. Customers can place an order with a partner brand and receive it the same day, or within two hours if it’s urgent.
i. Perks for Shoppers
‘Fast, free, and flexible’: One of the most significant benefits for shoppers is the availability of “fast, free, and flexible” shipping options on e-commerce platforms, which include 2-hour delivery, scheduled same-day delivery, next-day delivery, and nationwide delivery through a vast network of last-mile delivery partners and DSPs.
The cost for same-day delivery varies by brand, but, in general, many brands offer it for free. At the minimum, brands will offer it free over a cart threshold (usually $50-60).
ii. Perks for Retailers
Unlike other models mentioned here, with Ohi, merchants don’t have to have a physical store to be able to enable same-day delivery. That’s the beauty of Ohi’s plug-and-play instant delivery model and technology. It easily integrates with your e-commerce website on a smorgasbord of platforms, including Shopify, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, etc.
The Ohi platform offers cost-efficient same-day delivery in as little as two hours by integrating the advantages of micro-fulfillment, omnichannel e-commerce, and technology. This solution can improve your conversion rates and provide a positive customer experience.
If you want to learn more about Ohi, get in touch here.
4. Walmart
Walmart offers same-day delivery on a wide range of products, including groceries, household essentials, and electronics. Customers can place their orders online or through the Walmart app and choose from several delivery options, including same-day delivery. The service is available in select areas and is subject to availability.
Note that Walmart delivery is different from regular shipping, as items are filled and delivered from local stores—that’s how they get them to you the same day.
i. Perks for Shoppers
Membership Fee: Walmart+ membership costs $98 per year or about $13 a month.
With a Walmart+ membership, you’ll be eligible for free delivery on orders over $35.
Delivery Fee: $7.95 to $9.95, but if you’re a Walmart+ member, you get free delivery on orders over $35. For orders under $35, there is a flat delivery fee of $5.99.
They let you try it for free, for 30 days.
ii. Perks for Retailers
Despite the fact that the Walmart Marketplace did not launch until 2009, Walmart.com has long been a virtual extension of the well-known physical Walmart stores. This allowed third-party sellers to sell on the Walmart.com platform, supplementing the existing offerings from first-party brands.
Walmart Marketplace uses a straightforward, simple pricing structure and charges no setup or monthly fees.
- You can select the carriers, shipping price, and shipping method when you set up your seller profile in Seller Center.
- And enjoy ZERO monthly or set-up fees for Walmart Marketplace.
Check it out here.
5. Shipt
Founded in 2014, Shipt has become a household name, bringing all your local stores to your doorstep. Similar to Instacart, Shipt is a one-stop shop for all your shopping needs. It is an independently operated, wholly owned subsidiary of Target Corp.
With Shipt, you will have access to a variety of stores and product categories, including fresh foods, household essentials, wellness products, and office and pet supplies.
i. Perks for Shoppers
Delivery Fee: If you have a monthly or annual Shipt Everyday membership, you get free delivery on orders over $35!
Orders under $35 for these memberships will have a flat $7 delivery fee added to your total to assist with picking, packaging, and processing your order.
Shipt membership: $10.99/month or $99/year
ii. Perks for Retailers
Shipt Marketplace has added more than 1,000 stores to its same-day delivery service and 2 million more households to its coverage area providing retailers with a convenient way to expand their customer base and increase sales.
Learn more about partnering with Shipt here.
Bonus: Shopping plug-ins to help you save money on your next haul
1. Honey – automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout with a single click.
2. Piggy – offers coupon codes and cash back for your purchases, so you can double up on the savings.
3. Checkmate – Coupons from your email inbox and the Web are automatically applied.
4. Ibotta – The Ibotta browser extension will calculate and show you the net price of an item after earning cash back.
5. Waldo – AI that gets you money back when prices drop. Waldo works with over 100+ brands, including Amazon, Patagonia, Best Buy, and Nordstrom
How can online retailers enable same-day delivery?
Retailers can offer same-day delivery to their customers by using a variety of strategies, such as:
1. Setting up fulfillment centers in key locations to facilitate quick delivery and utilizing their own fleet of vehicles for delivery.
Retailers can set up fulfillment using their own resources to provide same-day delivery in several ways, such as:
- Setting up a micro-fulfillment center: Retailers can set up a small warehouse or fulfillment center close to their customers, which can be used to store products and fulfill same-day delivery orders.
- Utilizing existing stores: Retailers can use their existing stores as fulfillment centers, which can help them to fulfill same-day delivery orders quickly and efficiently.
- Utilizing a fleet of delivery vehicles: Retailers can use their own delivery vehicles to deliver products to customers on the same day.
- Optimizing inventory: Retailers can optimize their inventory by keeping fast-moving products close to customers, which can help them to fulfill same-day delivery orders quickly.
- Training staff: Retailers need to train their staff to handle same-day delivery orders. This includes training employees on how to pick, pack, and ship orders quickly, and how to handle any issues that may arise during the delivery process.
- Automating processes: Retailers can automate processes like order processing, inventory management, and delivery tracking to make same-day delivery more efficient.
- Partnering with local carriers: Retailers can partner with local carriers for delivery, which can help them to reduce delivery costs and improve delivery times.
- Implementing technology: Retailers can use technology like automated warehouse management systems, route optimization software, and real-time delivery tracking to streamline their same-day delivery operations.
If you do the math, this method is obviously not without costs. So, is there a more cost-effective way to enable same-day delivery to drive incremental sales?
2. Partnering with technology platform providers such as Ohi
By teaming up with technology platform providers like Ohi, you can unlock the full potential of your business, improve customer satisfaction, boost conversion rates, and increase customer retention.
How is this strategy more business-friendly?
- Not only will it spare you the costly and tedious process of setting up your own fulfillment centers, but it also frees you from the various expenses and responsibilities of the first option.
- Technology providers like Ohi rely on modern-day fulfillment solutions that use multiple small-scale warehouses called micro-fulfillment centers.
- These micro-fulfillment centers are set up in metro areas and rely on automation to cater to customers’ needs and fulfill the goals of faster and more sustainable delivery across different geographic locations.
Same-day delivery stats
- 56% of online consumers between the age of 18-34 years expect to have same-day delivery. Whereas 61% of consumers are willing to pay more for same-day delivery. (source)
- 96% of customers consider “fast delivery” to mean same-day delivery. (source)
- More than 25% of shoppers would abandon a cart online if same-day shipping wasn’t available. (source)
About Ohi
At Ohi, we’ve flipped the script for e-commerce fulfillment, transforming it from what is traditionally seen as a cost center into a growth engine. Brands join the Ohi platform to deliver powerfully fast, brand-focused, and memorable post-purchase experiences that enable them to grow. Want to learn more about how Ohi enables instant commerce? Get in touch today.