Fast delivery sells more – the numbers that prove it
Online shops no longer compete on price and range alone. Delivery speed has become a deciding factor in whether a customer finishes checkout or abandons their basket. Here are the numbers.
Nordic customers expect more than "3–5 working days"
PostNord publishes its E-commerce in the Nordics report every six months. The Spring 2025 report shows that 84 per cent of Nordic consumers shop online at least once a month, and 62 per cent paid for delivery on their last purchase.
Norway stands out as the country with the highest willingness to pay for fast, sustainable delivery in the whole of the Nordics. The trend is clear: Nordic customers are willing to pay to get their order faster – but they also expect the shop to offer that option.
Delivery choices at checkout affect conversion directly
The Nordic company nShift (formerly Unifaun and Consignor) has documented the effect among its customers:
Flying Tiger Copenhagen
20 per cent increase in conversion rate after improving delivery options at checkout. 70 per cent of customers preferred the new option.
Sportsdeal
8 per cent higher conversion and a 20 per cent increase in average order value after introducing flexible delivery options.
GetInspired.no
"Customers have never cared more about delivery options than they do now." – Sindre Landevåg, Managing Director.
The numbers show it isn't about offering free shipping – it's about offering the right delivery option at the moment the customer is ready to pay.
10 per cent higher conversion with fast delivery
An industry survey by Jitsu and Coresight Research analysed the link between delivery speed and buying behaviour:
- –Online shops offering delivery within two days see 10.5 per cent higher conversion.
- –Repeat purchase rates rise by 8.9 per cent.
- –45 per cent drop a purchase if delivery takes too long.
Delivery speed doesn't just affect a single transaction – it affects the customer's whole lifetime value.
Academic research confirms the link
The American Marketing Association published a peer-reviewed study of an omnichannel retailer that cut its delivery time. Each working day faster delivery gave a 1.5 per cent sales increase online and a 0.6 per cent increase in physical stores. Online sales rose 3.8 per cent overall in the region with faster delivery.
The study is particularly interesting because it shows fast online delivery doesn't cannibalise physical retail – it reinforces it.
Fast delivery doesn't have to cost the environment
The Institute of Transport Economics (TØI), in its report Can fast e-commerce deliveries also be efficient?, analysed dedicated home delivery in the Oslo area. The conclusion: with enough volume, dedicated distribution creates a lower traffic and emissions burden than customers driving to a pick-up point themselves.
The condition is that logistics are smartly organised – using existing capacity rather than putting more vans on the road.
What does this mean for your online shop?
- 1.Customers who can choose fast delivery at checkout complete their purchase more often.
- 2.Delivery speed increases repeat purchases – not just single sales.
- 3.Norwegian customers are especially willing to pay for fast delivery.
- 4.It doesn't have to cost the environment – provided the logistics are smart.
The question isn't whether your customers want fast delivery. The question is whether you offer it.
Sources
- PostNord – E-commerce in the Nordics 2025, Spring
- nShift – Why smarter delivery options at checkout improve conversion (2026)
- Jitsu & Coresight Research (2024) via Supply & Demand Chain Executive
- American Marketing Association – Is Faster Delivery Worth It for Your Firm's Bottom Line?
- TØI report 1796/2020 – Can fast e-commerce deliveries also be efficient?