How to Offer Fast 2-Day Shipping For Your Ecommerce Business

With millions of items being purchased at the click of a button and customers expecting items to arrive in a matter of days, the customer journey is constantly moving towards speed, quality, and higher demands of satisfaction. 

With 22.6% of purchases estimated to be made online by 2027, maximizing ecommerce efforts, including delivery options available is going to be something for all businesses to consider.

Offering 2 day shipping can be a great way to provide customers with a positive experience and enticing them to purchase.

Table of contents

• What is 2 day shipping?

• How does 2 day shipping work?

• Why do businesses need to consider 2 day shipping?

• What are the benefits of 2 day shipping? 

• Is 2 day shipping guaranteed? 

• How can businesses offer 2 day shipping?

• How much does 2 day shipping cost? 

• Tips for a smooth 2 day shipping process 

What is 2 day shipping? 

2 day shipping can sound a bit confusing to both customers and businesses alike, but simply put, it is the process of a product being sent from manufacturer/seller to the customer within 2 days. 

Because of Amazon Prime, customers are used to expecting their delivery within 2 days. As a result, businesses and manufacturers all over the U.S. are looking to launch their own alternative speedy shipping to keep up the pace. 

There are different timeframes and windows for the 2 day shipping depending on where you order.

For example, some manufacturers can deliver a product the next business day so long as it was placed before 12pm.

In other cases 2 day shipping refers to 2 business days…in which case a customer might purchase on the Friday evening and receive their purchase on Tuesday.

How does 2 day shipping work?

Getting a product from the manufacturer to the customer can bring a whole host of logistics beyond the picking, packing, sending stage, even when automating the shipping process.

Depending on locations and how wide across the globe the products can be sent, businesses typically send via 3 shipping solutions: Ground, Air, or a combination of both. 

Shipping via Ground

With Ground, packages are sent via trucks, vans, and cars to go from manufacturer to customer.

Some businesses may have their own ground transportation system, and others might find a third party service to partner with.

Because ground shipping is the cheapest delivery option, some businesses offer free 2 day delivery to customers as a way to entice and maintain their custom. 

The down side of ground shipping however, is that it is limited with regards to which addresses goods can be sent to, and in cases of bad weather, routes and timings are subject to delay - which might frustrate your customer if they are not aware of this. 

Shipping via Air

The fastest shipping solution, businesses opting to use Air shipping benefit from sending parcels to more expansive customer addresses.

Though this option is more expensive, it reduces the chance for businesses to offer free 2 day shipping if using this method of transportation. 

Shipping via Ground + Air 

A combination of both, some deliveries will be sent from manufacturer to customer via Ground and Air.

This cost-effective means of transportation is beneficial for reaching customers in different areas, as well as being more efficient than perhaps choosing one option alone.

Just as every customer is different, their delivery preferences might be too.

For example - one person might want free delivery but is not as hot on it arriving in less than 2 days. Another person might need their order the next day, more urgently, but will not mind paying more for it to do so. 

Therefore, weighing up the different delivery options are essential when fulfilling customer orders. 

In the US, there are a number of providers that offer 2 day shipping. Look for popular options such as USPS Priority Mail Express, UPS 2nd Day Air, FedEx 2Day. 

In the U.S. there are a number of providers that offer 2 day shipping so it is worth weighing up UPS 2nd Day Air vs FedEx 2Day and comparing USPS and FedEx before getting started.

Why do businesses need to consider 2 day shipping?

Coined, “the Amazon Prime'' effect, 2 day shipping has become a customer expectation ever since Amazon first launched their speedy delivery service.

And with a Shopify report finding 45% of consumers said they want to see clearly anticipated delivery times, listing clear and tangible shipping options is crucial for ecommerce businesses operating today. 

There are many benefits to offering 2 day shipping. Offering 2 day shipping can help boost sales, conversions, and the overall success rate of the purchase.

Whilst it is a cost-factor to consider, offering 2 day shipping to customers can help encourage repeat buys and purchases, which in turn could work out cheaper if your current strategy is relying on acquiring new customers constantly. 

What are the benefits of 2 day shipping? 

• Greater customer satisfaction - customers can receive the product they require, when they expect to. Perfect for last minute birthday party celebrations or car-related items ahead of long journeys. 

• Reduce cart abandonment - customers often fall at the final hurdle if shipping times are not fast enough for what they need. 

• Increase return customers and repeat order placement - when customers are satisfied with both the product and the time in which they receive it, they are more likely to return-buy from your business than risk a lesser experience via another. 

Is 2 day shipping guaranteed? 

While everything can be done to send problem-free deliveries, things might not always go to plan. Packages can get lost, stolen, or damaged during transit, or bad weather could hinder the deliveries if they’re being delivered via air. 

For some carriers, there are strict cut-off times and points which might alter the customer’s 2 day window, for example - if an order is placed too late when the website clearly says to place orders by 2pm that day, or if the 2 day shipping refers to business days. 

Some 2 day policies and providers offer money back to customers if their item does not arrive in time, though this is not a given for all.

How can businesses offer 2 day shipping? 

If you are looking to offer 2 day shipping, the most important thing is to be clear and transparent on your shipping policies. Customers look for clear options and communication when purchasing a product, so being up front helps reduce the risk of disappointing them later. 

In-house

For businesses looking to keep complete tabs on the delivery process, cost, and fulfillment, opting for shipping in-house is a way to keep control of costs and timings. 

But as your business scales, there are more orders to fulfill, and if customers are all waiting on 2 day shipping, in-house is not going to be feasible during busy or peak periods. This is why businesses opt for a 3PL or Marketplace to help instead. 

3PL

Partnering with a 3PL outsources the picking, packaging, and delivery of inventory within the 2 day window. 

The benefit of working with a 3PL is that they have a streamlined and efficient process for shipping regardless of how busy the period is or how big your company scales.

The downside is that there are often some hidden fees for the privilege - so it is well worth doing your research as to whether your choice of 3PL has these. 

Shipping software can help automate the process from purchase-to-delivery, which includes integrating with your favorite carriers out in the U.S. 

When you ship with Veeqo, you can keep any negotiated rates you have with your preferred suppliers at no extra cost, as well as gain the benefits of A-to-z account protection on your Amazon orders when you ship on time. That’s what we’d call a win-win. 

Whichever avenue your business goes down, some things to communicate to your customers should include:

• Your estimated delivery times 

• Clear conditions for 2 day shipping (e.g. business days/order time cut offs) 

• Your shipping policies 

• Any extra shipping costs (for certain goods, weights of product etc.) 

By doing this upfront, it helps prevent any customer-and-manufacturer disputes and encourage the customer to have a great experience with your business and their product. 

Marketplace

When looking at marketplaces, a lot of businesses look no further than Amazon.

But unlike Amazon’s SFP program (seller fulfilled prime), Amazon offers an FBA service (fulfillment by Amazon) for those selling on Amazon.

This offering covers guaranteed 2 day shipping to customers buying their products on Amazon.com. FBA is handled by Amazon within their fulfillment centers, but be aware that it also incurs seller fees as a price to pay for Amazon taking over the entire customer experience and communication via Amazon as opposed to the seller. 

How much does 2 day shipping cost? 

Depending on whether you ship yourself or work with carriers or a 3PL, the price of 2 day shipping for businesses will widely differ. Costs can vary on the following factors:

• Carrier/service used

• Location of where the package is coming from

• Location of where the package is going to

• Weight and size of the package 

• Type of product being sent

• Time and date the package is being sent 

Some tips to keep things more cost-efficient include: 

• Sign-up to Veeqo and access the lowest commercially available rates, based on our pre-negotiated pricing from UPS, USPS, FedEx, and DHL and up to 5% back with Veeqo Credits.

• If your business is looking to keep costs low, consider only offering 2 day shipping for customers who spend over a certain amount. Check out cost calculators such as this one from FedEx to get a rough idea. 

• Limit 2 day shipping availability to addresses and locations close to the warehouses - this can reduce the cost of shipping to further to reach places 

• When looking to work with 3PLs, look for small business shipping discounts 

• Look to negotiate rates with your chosen carrier to supercharge your chances of competitive pricing for 2 day shipping. Some carriers offer bulk shipping volume or better rates for long-term contracts. 

Further reading: Negotiate better shipping rates with FedEx and UPS 

Tips for a smooth 2 day shipping process 

Some tips to help streamline the process can include ensuring your inventory is well-managed and strategically located in fulfillment centers closest to your audience. By doing so, the shipping time and cost can be minimized. 

For example, if you are looking to send via a carrier such as UPS or FedEx, there are guides to help you choose the right FedEx box size for your order before you send.

Packaging up the product to ensure it arrives not only on time within the 2 day window, but undamaged, secure, and in the condition the customer expected is the best way to retain customers and prevent any disputes. 

Further reading: How Do You Package Items for Shipping and How To Prepare and Ship a DHL package 

Have clear and efficient order processing systems in place to fulfill customer orders quickly. This is especially important when the shipping window is smaller, such as 2 days.

These might look like optimizing the layout of warehouses, automation tools, and training staff to pick-and-pack quickly, efficiently, and accurately. Our guide on the best business shipping software has some additional tips too. 

Nearly a quarter of customers track their packages via text alerts. Providing customers with tracking information for their orders so they can keep up to date with the update and status of their purchase helps instill trust and security in your business and its shipping process.

They can be super clear on when to expect their order within the 2 day shipping window, and reduce any uncertainty or frustrations on not knowing when to expect their order. 

By continuously looking to gather feedback from customers about their experience, you can use information to make improvements, assess areas for growth, and make amends where applicable.

With so many different providers and solutions out there, it is crucial to stay informed about new shipping technologies and providers to make sure your business stays ahead of others out there. 

Sign-up to Veeqo and access the lowest commercially available rates, based on our pre-negotiated pricing from UPS, USPS, FedEx, and DHL and up to 5% back with Veeqo Credits.