Two-thirds of holiday shoppers would give up price discounts for a guaranteed delivery date, according to market research from third party logistics (3PL) fulfillment provider Radial.
While economic pressures persist, consumers are clear about what they want: certainty in delivery, flexibility in service, and trust beyond the checkout button. Those results come from the Pennsylvania firm’s annual “Peak Season Consumer Survey,” which was conducted with Dynata in August, targeting 1,000 general U.S.-based consumers over 18 years of age.
According to Radial, brands and retailers can use this research as a blueprint to help navigate a peak season shaped by trade disruption and heightened consumer expectations.
Survey results showed that consumer expectations have tightened sharply. The percentage of shoppers expecting 2–3-day delivery increased from 19% in 2023 to 30% in 2025. While only 7% say same- or next-day delivery is a reasonable expectation, that figure underscores the influence of Amazon Prime and Walmart+ in setting new standards for speed, even if most brands can’t meet them consistently, Radial said.
Meanwhile, tolerance for weeklong waits dropped to 23%, and only 3% of shoppers are willing to wait longer than that. In fact, 66% of consumers say they would give up a 5% discount to guarantee their delivery window, proof that reliability is now a greater driver than cost. Among younger shoppers, nearly one in three would still choose certainty even at a 20% discount.
Shoppers also want greater visibility of the delivery process itself; demanding clear, transparent communication after they’ve clicked the “buy” button on an e-commerce site. That means retailers will find it essential to offer features like real-time tracking, seamless returns, and consistent updates.
As proof, 85% of consumers say they track their packages at least every few days, with one in four checking multiple times a day, especially young shoppers. These behaviors reflect a demand for reassurance and control throughout the delivery journey and are expectations across all brands and retailers, Radial said.
