Same-Day and Next-Day Delivery in Australia: Is It Worth It?

Same-day and next-day delivery are growing in Australia, led by large marketplaces and younger shoppers, but they are not yet what most customers expect by default. About a quarter of shoppers expect same-day or next-day delivery for urgent or special-occasion purchases, and 43% will pay extra for it. For most retailers, the profitable approach is to offer fast delivery where it matters (metro areas, urgent categories, paid upgrades) while making standard delivery fast and dependable through quicker dispatch.

How fast is "fast" in Australia now?

Delivery speeds have improved noticeably. Shippit's 2025 analysis found the average delivery took 1.7 days in 2025, down from 2.6 days in 2023, and carrier delays fell from 15.7% to 7.7% over the same period.

Large marketplaces are setting the pace. Amazon Australia said more than 40 million items arrived same-day or next-day for Prime members in 2024, a more than 40% increase on the year before. In 2025 it extended free same-day delivery to Perth, with eligible orders placed by midday delivered before 10pm, on orders over $49 for Prime members.

Who actually wants it?

Demand is real but uneven. Australia Post's eCommerce Report 2026 found:

• 26% of consumers expect same-day or next-day delivery when the purchase is time-sensitive or for a special occasion.
• 43% are willing to pay extra for same-day or next-day delivery, rising to 59% of Gen Z and 59% of Millennials.
• Older shoppers lean towards certainty over speed: 87% of Baby Boomers prefer delivery certainty.

Other research shows cost still dominates for many. ShipStation research reported by Power Retail found only 11% of Australian shoppers expect next-day delivery and 17% say speed is a key factor in their purchases. The two findings fit together: most shoppers do not demand speed every time, but a large minority will pay for it when it matters.

Category matters too. Australia Post's 2025 report found shoppers want the fastest delivery in Health and Wellness, Liquor, Consumer Electronics and Fashion.

Does delivery speed lift conversion?

The best Australian evidence comes from retailers measuring their own data. In the 2026 Australia Post report, THE ICONIC said it observes a 3 to 10% decrease in conversion for every additional day added to the delivery time shown at checkout, depending on product and day of the week. Shippit's survey found retailers offering same-day or next-day delivery grew 3.5 to 4% faster during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and 27.6% of retailers named fast delivery as the biggest driver of cart conversion and loyalty.

That does not mean every retailer needs same-day delivery. It does mean the delivery date displayed at checkout influences sales, so shortening and showing it accurately is worth effort.

What does fast delivery cost?

Costs are falling as delivery density grows. Shippit found the average cost of same-day delivery dropped from $31.00 in 2018 to $17.39 in 2025. Shoppers are willing to cover part of that: the Grant Thornton and Power Retail survey found 40% of Australian consumers would pay $5 to $10 for express shipping, 27% would pay $1 to $5 and 23% would pay $10 to $15.

Australia Post suggests deciding a delivery cost strategy up front: absorb it, build it into product prices, subsidise it, or pass it on. A paid upgrade with an optional free threshold is a common middle ground; see our guide to free shipping thresholds.

Fulfilment is usually the bottleneck

Carriers can often move a parcel overnight, but orders that wait 24 to 48 hours to be picked and packed lose that advantage. Shippit found retailer-promised delivery times averaged 5.2 days while actual deliveries averaged 1.7, which suggests many retailers are underpromising because their dispatch is not dependable. Australia Post recommends considering evening pick-and-pack shifts, because many shoppers order in the evening, and testing free next-day delivery above a threshold while monitoring conversion against margin.

A practical sequence:

1. Get same-day dispatch working for orders before a fixed cut-off.
2. Show accurate delivery dates by postcode.
3. Add a paid express or next-day option in metro areas.
4. Trial same-day only where order density and margins support it.

Key figures

• 43% of Australian consumers will pay extra for same-day or next-day delivery; 59% of Gen Z and Millennials (Australia Post, 2026).
• THE ICONIC sees a 3 to 10% drop in conversion for each extra day shown at checkout (Australia Post, 2026).
• Average same-day delivery cost fell from $31.00 in 2018 to $17.39 in 2025 (Shippit, 2025).
• More than 40 million Amazon items arrived same-day or next-day for Australian Prime members in 2024, up over 40% (Amazon Australia, 2025).
• Only 11% of Australian shoppers expect next-day delivery, compared with 19% globally (Power Retail, 2025).

How eComChannels helps

Fast delivery depends on fast, accurate dispatch. Order management pulls orders from your webstore and every marketplace into one queue with stock already synced, so staff pick and pack without switching between seller portals. AI auto shipping then books the right service for each order across Australia Post, StarTrack, CouriersPlease and Allied Express, including express and courier services where you offer them, creates labels and manifests in one step, and sends tracking back to the sales channel. Removing manual booking and data entry shortens the time from order to dispatch, which is often the cheapest way to deliver faster.

To test faster delivery with your own carriers, book a demo or start a 30-day free trial.

FAQ

Do I need to offer same-day delivery to compete?

Not for most categories. Focus first on same-day dispatch and accurate delivery dates. Add paid express or same-day options in metro areas where customers want them and density keeps costs down.

Which shoppers care most about fast delivery?

Younger shoppers. Australia Post found 59% of Gen Z and Millennials will pay extra for same-day or next-day delivery, while most Baby Boomers and Builders prefer certainty over speed.

How much will Australians pay for express shipping?

A 2025 Grant Thornton and Power Retail survey found the most common range is $5 to $10, chosen by 40% of consumers.