March 25, 2026
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Has Same-Day Delivery Become an Expectation Across Retail?
Foot Locker recently announced a partnership with DoorDash to become the latest retailer to prioritize same-day delivery.
The deal allows shoppers to order sneakers, apparel, and accessories from nearly 1,300 Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, and Champs Sports U.S. locations through DoorDash.
“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re always looking for new ways to make their shopping experience for sneakers, apparel, and accessories seamless and accessible,” said Melissa Krauss, VP of strategy at Foot Locker.
Doordash, best known for restaurant delivery, said that in 2025 it became the leading third-party marketplace in order volume across grocery and retail in the U.S. More than 30% of DoorDash’s monthly active users in the U.S. shop across grocery and retail categories — and retailers such as Kroger, Old Navy, Ace Hardware, and Home Depot have partnered with the on-demand platform in recent months.
Many of those retailers also work with other third-party platforms, such as Uber Eats and Instacart.
Foot Locker Joins Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Others in Same-Day Delivery Standards
Amazon, which uses an internal squad of Amazon Flex drivers for delivery, last year expanded same- or next-day delivery to more than 4,000 smaller cities, towns, and rural communities across the country — while last week rolling out 3-hour and 1-hour delivery options.
Walmart, which supports delivery through independent contractors within its Spark Driver platform as well as third-party platforms, saw 35% of store-fulfilled orders delivered in under three hours in the recent fourth quarter.
Target offers same-day delivery to more than 80% of the U.S. population through Shipt, its delivery subsidiary.
FedEx most recently announced its own same-day shipping service, in partnership with last-mile operator OneRail.
A McKinsey study from late 2023 found that same-day delivery hadn’t lived up to expectations seen in 2016 due in part to capacity constraints caused by the pandemic, a slowdown of funding for new same-day delivery models, and the sluggish rollout of automated guided vehicles and drones.
However, McKinsey cited a number of conditions supporting the potential for same-day delivery services, including a higher likelihood of success in cities with dense populations and within the grocery category.
The consultancy also noted that “very few retailers are likely to operate at a scale that enables them to build their own logistics networks — let alone for same-day delivery,” and much depends on consumers’ willingness to a pay a same-day premium. McKinsey wrote, “Overall, to the consumer, reliability could be more important than delivery speed.”
Younger Consumers May Not Mind Paying Extra for Ultra-Fast Delivery
Recent surveys show younger adults are open to paying that premium.
AlixPartners 2025 Home Delivery Report found more than 60% of Gen Z will pay extra for same-day delivery, nearly double that of boomers. PwC’s Holiday Outlook 2025 survey found same-day delivery is most popular among Gen Z and millennials, with about 30% of each group saying that’s their preferred option for receiving items when shopping online.
In a column for Gifts & Decorative Accessories, Warren Shoulberg — senior contributor for The Robin Report and a RetailWire BrainTrust panelist — noted that many independent stores were late to embrace e-commerce in its early days and urged them not to shortchange investments in same-day delivery. He wrote, “Same-day delivery is the new e-commerce and it can’t be ignored.”
BrainTrust
Georganne Bender
Principal, KIZER & BENDER Speaking
Gene Detroyer
Professor, International Business, Guizhou University of Finance & Economics and University of Sanya, China.
Jeff Sward
Founding Partner, Merchandising Metrics
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Has same-day delivery has become an expectation for retailers well beyond grocers?
Is working with third-party platforms the optimal path to supporting same-day delivery?
What are the most common headaches in executing same-day delivery for retailers?
Poll
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It is something consumers value and like, at least to have as an option. But it is not a universal expectation. Of course, it largely depends on what consumers are buying – most online purchases are not needed same day, so consumers are happy to wait for next day or two-day. That said, if you don’t have same-day as an option then you lose out on a chunk of the fast commerce market.
Agree. Same-day delivery is mostly unnecessary. But, if retailers can provide it, they will be able to satisfy two groups of consumers: those that really ‘must’ have something today for a good reason, and obsessive compulsive consumers who just ‘want’ to have it today.
Only EVs doing the deliveries? Or gas bill subsidies?
I do not find that customers expect same day delivery for everything, everywhere, and all at once. The problem is that CEOs and corporate managers have come to believe their jobs depend on the retailer having same day delivery. Their belief is encouraged by investors and consultants who expect they “should” have this service whether it matters to the business or not. Fortunately, retailers only need to set it up if it MATTERS to their customers. That means only some retailers need it.
Unfortunately, tremendous waste in retail is driven by these lists of “shoulds” which are developed without care for whether that tells retailers to do things which matter to their business.
Is it the most important or effective add-on a retailer can make?
Or, the never ending race to the bottom, as nothing more interesting can be thought of?
Same-day delivery has clearly become an expectation in grocery, where purchases are often mission-driven and time-sensitive. Consumers shopping for fresh food, meal ingredients, or household essentials increasingly view same-day fulfillment as part of the core value proposition. Beyond grocery, however, expectations are still evolving. In many discretionary categories—apparel, electronics, home goods—next-day delivery, particularly from a local store, may ultimately become the more sustainable standard. It strikes a balance between speed, cost, and operational complexity while still meeting customer expectations for convenience.
Third-party platforms have played an important role in accelerating same-day delivery capabilities, especially for retailers looking to scale quickly. These partners offer access to delivery networks, technology, and customer reach without the need for heavy upfront investment. However, they also introduce trade-offs around margin pressure, brand control, and customer ownership. Over time, many retailers are likely to pursue hybrid models, using third-party providers to extend coverage while developing their own capabilities in key markets or for high-value customers.
The operational headaches of same-day delivery are significant. Inventory accuracy at the store level, labor availability for picking and packing, delivery routing efficiency, and managing customer expectations around timing all present challenges. Even small execution gaps can quickly erode the customer experience. That’s why many retailers may find that next-day delivery from local stores offers a more reliable and scalable solution. It still delivers speed and convenience while reducing operational friction and allowing retailers to maintain service consistency across their networks.
Glad for the people with no money issues… “clearly become an expectation”
I have in-laws in remote rural locations. It makes no sense to offer same-day delivery to all customers, regardless of added fees. It will be a drain on margin and a cause of customer friction.
Not every customer expects same-day delivery on everything, but when they do and are willing to pay for the privilege, why not make it happen? And let’s be real here, DoorDash and Uber Eats have been dropping off far more than dinner for years. Customers are already conditioned to click, pay, and get it fast.
As for independent retailers needing to “catch up” or risk being left behind, let’s not forget that indies like Ace Hardware have been offering same-day solutions forever. They just call it great customer service.
Amazon made us love fast delivery, which eventually came to same-day and then one-hour. They set a standard and an expectation. Retailers need to consider the consumer mindset, shaped by their best experiences. Even if it’s not same-day delivery, customers expect fast delivery.
A way for Amazon to justify higher Prime fees- speed.
But billionaires are not the ones driving in traffic & creating more traffic.
Does corporate give bonuses for speeding tickets?
I disagree on commentary around independent stores being late to embrace e-commerce and same-day delivery because ownership are simply short-changing an investment opportunity. There’s much more to the story with what I hear frequently in the field:
- Some independents don’t want to give up control of food/product experiences to delivery companies, who claim they own the customer relationship, not the retailer.
- Some don’t want their food to get cold in a box/bag sliding around in a delivery trunk before it gets to the customer, because taste matters.
- Some don’t want to play a comparative online price game against competitors, because their product offering/experience is meant to be differentiated or enjoyed in person.
- Some have learned from other independents, or done the math, and don’t agree the ranges of 5% to 30% of added sales upside in same-day or overnight delivery yields a healthy ROI when all is said and done.
The other morning, we ordered something from Amazon. It arrived by the evening. We didn’t request it and didn’t need it. This was not the first time we have experienced this. It appears this was an Amazon decision that made sense for Amazon.
As I have written many times, I don’t understand quick delivery. Food? Yes! Or something in the midst of a project? Yes! But, sneakers?
If I can buy something online and “next day” becomes the norm, are we just encouraging shoppers to never go to the store?
I love this expample. It was neither requested nor needed, but it happened anyway. Which means it was efficient for Amazon. They certainly didn’t go out of their way for one customer. Their well-oiled machine simply went into motion and poof, same day delivery. What is missing from this whole conversation is cost and environmental efficiency at scale.
A great topic, gets into Amazon’s assumptions in market share gains. They believe the hassle factor of getting in the car and going to the store holds enough uncertainty or pain while certainty in Amazon having the exact color and size arriving at home on that same day wins.
This discussion makes the rounds every now and then. That decision is both a personal preference and a product driven necessity. Unless its food which needs to maintain freshness, same day is not a must for many. Other angles for same day other than consumer expectations are: the ability to quickly capture the impulse purchase AND the economies of scale to delivering full trucks worth of deliveries. These may play into Amazon’s decision to deliver same day.
It would be great to see the whole delivery conversation elevated beyond customer ‘convienience’ or retailers battling for market share. By that I mean one highly energy efficient vehicle making eleventeen deliveries instead of eleventeen inefficient vehicles making individual pick-up trips. Where is the real cost efficiency at scale? Where is the real environmental efficiency at scale? How many different delivery services are really needed in any given market?
Timing for food delivery is important. Timing for hot, prepared food is critical. Sneakers, and a billion other assorted items…not so critical, most of the time. This is probably something that only market dynamics can sort out over time, but until then this seems like a reeeaaallly expensive battle to be fighting.
Re: inefficient vehicles/individual trips
I wonder about the efficiency for Walmart.
When I purposely buy as “Shipping”, Walmart changes the order to delivery despite no Walmart nearby (15mi/ 30 min in midday).
It’s a problem, as the individual drivers do not have access into my building.
Whereas UPS, FedEx, USPS, Amazon do.
Same-day delivery is becoming more common, but it is not a universal expectation across all retail. Customers value speed, but cost still matters more in most cases. Same-day delivery is highly relevant in categories like grocery and pharmacy, but it is not the default for every purchase.
For many retailers, third-party platforms are a practical way to offer this capability without building their own logistics network. The challenge is maintaining consistency in execution and protecting the customer experience. Retailers that can balance speed, cost and reliability while keeping control over service quality will be better positioned as demand for faster delivery continues to grow.
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It is something consumers value and like, at least to have as an option. But it is not a universal expectation. Of course, it largely depends on what consumers are buying – most online purchases are not needed same day, so consumers are happy to wait for next day or two-day. That said, if you don’t have same-day as an option then you lose out on a chunk of the fast commerce market.
Agree. Same-day delivery is mostly unnecessary. But, if retailers can provide it, they will be able to satisfy two groups of consumers: those that really ‘must’ have something today for a good reason, and obsessive compulsive consumers who just ‘want’ to have it today.
Only EVs doing the deliveries? Or gas bill subsidies?
I do not find that customers expect same day delivery for everything, everywhere, and all at once. The problem is that CEOs and corporate managers have come to believe their jobs depend on the retailer having same day delivery. Their belief is encouraged by investors and consultants who expect they “should” have this service whether it matters to the business or not. Fortunately, retailers only need to set it up if it MATTERS to their customers. That means only some retailers need it.
Unfortunately, tremendous waste in retail is driven by these lists of “shoulds” which are developed without care for whether that tells retailers to do things which matter to their business.
Is it the most important or effective add-on a retailer can make?
Or, the never ending race to the bottom, as nothing more interesting can be thought of?
Same-day delivery has clearly become an expectation in grocery, where purchases are often mission-driven and time-sensitive. Consumers shopping for fresh food, meal ingredients, or household essentials increasingly view same-day fulfillment as part of the core value proposition. Beyond grocery, however, expectations are still evolving. In many discretionary categories—apparel, electronics, home goods—next-day delivery, particularly from a local store, may ultimately become the more sustainable standard. It strikes a balance between speed, cost, and operational complexity while still meeting customer expectations for convenience.
Third-party platforms have played an important role in accelerating same-day delivery capabilities, especially for retailers looking to scale quickly. These partners offer access to delivery networks, technology, and customer reach without the need for heavy upfront investment. However, they also introduce trade-offs around margin pressure, brand control, and customer ownership. Over time, many retailers are likely to pursue hybrid models, using third-party providers to extend coverage while developing their own capabilities in key markets or for high-value customers.
The operational headaches of same-day delivery are significant. Inventory accuracy at the store level, labor availability for picking and packing, delivery routing efficiency, and managing customer expectations around timing all present challenges. Even small execution gaps can quickly erode the customer experience. That’s why many retailers may find that next-day delivery from local stores offers a more reliable and scalable solution. It still delivers speed and convenience while reducing operational friction and allowing retailers to maintain service consistency across their networks.
Glad for the people with no money issues… “clearly become an expectation”
I have in-laws in remote rural locations. It makes no sense to offer same-day delivery to all customers, regardless of added fees. It will be a drain on margin and a cause of customer friction.
Not every customer expects same-day delivery on everything, but when they do and are willing to pay for the privilege, why not make it happen? And let’s be real here, DoorDash and Uber Eats have been dropping off far more than dinner for years. Customers are already conditioned to click, pay, and get it fast.
As for independent retailers needing to “catch up” or risk being left behind, let’s not forget that indies like Ace Hardware have been offering same-day solutions forever. They just call it great customer service.
Amazon made us love fast delivery, which eventually came to same-day and then one-hour. They set a standard and an expectation. Retailers need to consider the consumer mindset, shaped by their best experiences. Even if it’s not same-day delivery, customers expect fast delivery.
A way for Amazon to justify higher Prime fees- speed.
But billionaires are not the ones driving in traffic & creating more traffic.
Does corporate give bonuses for speeding tickets?
I disagree on commentary around independent stores being late to embrace e-commerce and same-day delivery because ownership are simply short-changing an investment opportunity. There’s much more to the story with what I hear frequently in the field:
The other morning, we ordered something from Amazon. It arrived by the evening. We didn’t request it and didn’t need it. This was not the first time we have experienced this. It appears this was an Amazon decision that made sense for Amazon.
As I have written many times, I don’t understand quick delivery. Food? Yes! Or something in the midst of a project? Yes! But, sneakers?
If I can buy something online and “next day” becomes the norm, are we just encouraging shoppers to never go to the store?
I love this expample. It was neither requested nor needed, but it happened anyway. Which means it was efficient for Amazon. They certainly didn’t go out of their way for one customer. Their well-oiled machine simply went into motion and poof, same day delivery. What is missing from this whole conversation is cost and environmental efficiency at scale.
A great topic, gets into Amazon’s assumptions in market share gains. They believe the hassle factor of getting in the car and going to the store holds enough uncertainty or pain while certainty in Amazon having the exact color and size arriving at home on that same day wins.
This discussion makes the rounds every now and then. That decision is both a personal preference and a product driven necessity. Unless its food which needs to maintain freshness, same day is not a must for many. Other angles for same day other than consumer expectations are: the ability to quickly capture the impulse purchase AND the economies of scale to delivering full trucks worth of deliveries. These may play into Amazon’s decision to deliver same day.
It would be great to see the whole delivery conversation elevated beyond customer ‘convienience’ or retailers battling for market share. By that I mean one highly energy efficient vehicle making eleventeen deliveries instead of eleventeen inefficient vehicles making individual pick-up trips. Where is the real cost efficiency at scale? Where is the real environmental efficiency at scale? How many different delivery services are really needed in any given market?
Timing for food delivery is important. Timing for hot, prepared food is critical. Sneakers, and a billion other assorted items…not so critical, most of the time. This is probably something that only market dynamics can sort out over time, but until then this seems like a reeeaaallly expensive battle to be fighting.
Re: inefficient vehicles/individual trips
I wonder about the efficiency for Walmart.
When I purposely buy as “Shipping”, Walmart changes the order to delivery despite no Walmart nearby (15mi/ 30 min in midday).
It’s a problem, as the individual drivers do not have access into my building.
Whereas UPS, FedEx, USPS, Amazon do.
Same-day delivery is becoming more common, but it is not a universal expectation across all retail. Customers value speed, but cost still matters more in most cases. Same-day delivery is highly relevant in categories like grocery and pharmacy, but it is not the default for every purchase.
For many retailers, third-party platforms are a practical way to offer this capability without building their own logistics network. The challenge is maintaining consistency in execution and protecting the customer experience. Retailers that can balance speed, cost and reliability while keeping control over service quality will be better positioned as demand for faster delivery continues to grow.