New research commissioned by CouriersPlease has found that almost nine in ten Australian retailers have made significant updates to their shipping services. The findings paint a clear picture of an industry racing to meet consumer expectations around speed, flexibility and convenience.
Key Findings
The research reveals that the vast majority of retailers are no longer treating shipping as an afterthought. Instead, delivery options have become a competitive differentiator:
- Almost 90% of Australian retailers have made major updates to their shipping services
- 82% plan to offer customers even more shipping options throughout 2025
- 30% have introduced same-day or next-day shipping, responding to rising shopper demand for immediate delivery
- A growing number of retailers now offer alternative delivery choices, including after-hours delivery, redirect to secure collection points, and delivery to a neighbour’s address
These numbers underscore a structural shift in how Australian retailers approach fulfilment. Shipping is no longer a back-office function — it is a front-line customer experience decision.
Speed as the New Standard
The standout statistic is the 30 percent of retailers that have already rolled out same-day or next-day delivery. This reflects a broader trend across Australian ecommerce where speed has become a baseline expectation rather than a premium offering.
Retailers are also broadening the range of delivery windows and methods available at checkout. After-hours delivery slots, secure locker collection points and neighbour-drop options are all gaining traction as businesses look to reduce failed delivery attempts and improve first-time success rates.
For context, CouriersPlease operates a network of more than 1,200 franchise and delivery partners across 15 major depots and 850 active territories, covering approximately 95 percent of Australia. That national footprint positions the carrier to support the kind of flexible, multi-option delivery services retailers are increasingly demanding.
What This Means for Carriers and 3PLs
The research carries important implications for the broader logistics sector. When 82 percent of retailers say they intend to expand shipping options further, that translates directly into increased demand for carrier integration, flexible routing, and last-mile innovation.
For third-party logistics providers and warehouse operators, the message is straightforward: the retailers you service are under pressure to offer more delivery choices, faster turnaround times, and greater visibility. Fulfilment operations that cannot support multi-carrier selection, real-time tracking, and rapid dispatch risk falling behind.
Carriers that invest in technology-driven flexibility — including API-first integration, dynamic routing, and collection-point networks — will be best positioned to capture this growing demand.
Looking Ahead
The trajectory is clear. Australian retailers are investing heavily in delivery as a competitive lever, and the pace of change shows no sign of slowing. For logistics businesses, staying ahead means building the operational agility and carrier partnerships needed to support an increasingly diverse set of shipping options.
Read the full media release from CouriersPlease here.