Fast shipping converts. According to the Walker Sands Future of Retail report, fast and free shipping are the top purchase drivers when buying online. However, only 15% of online shoppers feel that retailers provide the delivery options that meet their speed needs. Fast shipping programs offer the perfect solution: delivery options that guarantee speed and convenience for consumers, while offering the ideal opportunity to increase conversions for retailers.

Major marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay all have their own versions of a fast shipping program.

What are fast shipping programs

A few decades ago, if you needed something you’d have to go to the store. Now, with a variety of fast shipping programs guaranteeing delivery within a few days, consumers can order the stores to come to them.

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is a subscription-based service that provides fast shipping options among other perks. Online shoppers pay a monthly or annual fee in return for free fast shipping that ranges from 3-days to as little as a few hours.

Walmart Free 2-Day Shipping

Walmart Free 2-Day Shipping is a Walmart program that offers guaranteed 2-day deliveries with no membership or minimum spend required when it comes to marketplace listings. They launched the program internally in 2017, and opened it to marketplace sellers in October 2018.

eBay Guaranteed Delivery

eBay’s fast shipping program is called eBay Guaranteed Delivery, and provides different guaranteed speed tiers for shipping options. Shoppers can filter for 4, 3, 2, and 1-day delivery.

Benefits of fast shipping programs

Fast shipping programs are clearly beneficial for shoppers, and guaranteed by marketplaces they trust. However, there are also plenty of fast shipping benefits for sellers. These include access to eye-catching fast shipping tags, higher placement in search, more visibility in filtered results, and greater chances of winning the buy box.

1. Fast shipping tags

Listings in fast shipping programs receive a fast shipping tag, highlighted in search results and on the product page. This includes an Amazon Prime badge on Amazon, a bright green 2-day shipping shipping tag on Walmart, and a “guaranteed by” tag on eBay.

2. Search result placement

Listings with fast shipping tags tend to rank better in search results, giving you an extra boost on top of your listing SEO. We saw one Walmart seller shoot to the top of search results after activating 2-day shipping.

3. Filtered search results

Online shoppers can filter their search results based on fast and free delivery options, removing any listings (including those of your competitors’) not on a fast shipping program.

4. Buy box

Finally, the strict eligibility requirements for fast shipping programs naturally put you in a better position to win the buy box.
We’ll get onto why these benefits result in higher conversions later, but first, more about how these fast shipping programs work.

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How fast shipping programs work

Amazon Prime

1. Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA): You ship products to an Amazon warehouse, where Amazon store, pick, pack, and fulfill all orders. Amazon is responsible for meeting the two-day delivery time, as well as customer service and returns. But this comes at a cost (both storage and shipping fees).
2. Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP): You manage the whole fulfillment process yourself. Your company assumes responsibility for expedited deliveries, and any refunds for late deliveries.

Walmart Free 2-Day Shipping

1. Seller-fulfilled: You manage the fulfillment process from start to finish, ensuring that you deliver items within the two-day limit. This gives you more control but also more responsibility for consistently meeting shipping deadlines. In addition, if you don’t have warehouses across the nation, fast shipping tags only appear to shoppers in limited regions.
2. Deliverr-fulfilled: You ship products to Walmart’s trusted fulfillment provider Deliverr. Deliverr is then responsible for storing, picking, packing, and shipping your products within the guaranteed timeframe. You’re not directly responsible for the fulfillment process, but you are guaranteed deliveries that arrive on time. This option will ensure fast shipping tags are shown to shoppers nationwide.

eBay Guaranteed Delivery

1. Handling time: You prepare orders within one day (using eBay labels and an eligible carrier service), and eBay calculates your delivery date and handles any returns and refunds. This is the convenient, yet restricted option, as not all of your carriers and items will qualify. Expect limited coverage if you choose this option.
2. Door-to-Door: You are responsible for calculating and meeting your own delivery dates, as well as returns and refunds for late items. This involves more responsibility for late deliveries but gives you more control over shipping carriers (and eBay fulfillment solutions) and which items you want to be included in the program. Deliverr sellers are automatically eligible for eBay Guaranteed Delivery under the Door-to-Door method.

How to qualify for fast shipping programs

Promising fast shipping puts Amazon’s, eBay’s, and Walmart’s reputations on the line. As a result, all three programs have strict eligibility requirements. Conversely, these eligibility requirements are waived when using Deliverr to get on Walmart Free 2-Day Shipping and eBay Guaranteed Delivery.

Amazon Prime

FBA customers automatically qualify for Amazon Prime. SFP sellers wanting to qualify must have:

• A Professional Seller Account;
• Fulfilled at least 30 Premium Shipping orders in the past 30 days;
• An on-time delivery rate of more than 96% (99% during your trial);
• A cancellation rate of  less than 1%; and
• Tracking IDs on more than 94% of orders.

Following acceptance onto Amazon Prime, sellers must maintain a rolling 30-day 4.5+ feedback rating and work with only approved Buy Shipping Service carriers.

Walmart Free 2-Day Shipping

Online sellers qualifying for Walmart’s seller-fulfilled free 2-day shipping must have been on the marketplace for at least 90 days, have a generous returns policy and meet strict speed metrics, measured over 30 days:

• On time shipping 95% or above;
• On time delivery 95% or above;
• Accurate products shipped 99.5% or above;
• Valid tracking rate 95% or above; and
• Cancellation rate 1.5% or lower.

Sellers who fulfill with Deliverr are automatically approved when they fulfill with Deliverr. Consequently, they don’t have to worry about these account metrics.

eBay Guaranteed Delivery

eBay’s Guaranteed Delivery program requires sellers to be an eBay Store subscriber, processing more than 100 transactions per year, with:

• A late shipping rate of 5% or less;
• A same or 1-day handling time;
• A minimum of 97% on-time handling once on the program; and
• A minimum of 95% on-time tracking upload once on the program.

eBay sellers using Deliverr to fulfill their orders automatically qualify for eBay Guaranteed Delivery.

Why fast shipping programs are successful

Customer satisfaction: Online shoppers prefer free and fast delivery, so offering speedy and affordable delivery options through online marketplaces naturally leads to increased conversions and less cart abandonment.

Trust: Amazon, Walmart, and eBay are all brand names built on customer satisfaction and trust. Humans are naturally averse to risk, so when shoppers need an item quickly, they are more likely to trust a big brand name to deliver on time.

Visibility:With fast shipping tags, higher search ranking, and buy box prominence, your listings will be seen more, increasing your visibility against competitors, improving your traffic, and, in turn, increasing your conversions.

Positive reviews: Finally, appearing and delivering on fast shipping programs can lead to more positive reviews and five-star ratings. Quick shipping, free delivery, accurate estimations, and tracking information all contribute to a positive customer journey that will reflect well in reviews online. Incidentally, this will influences future customers to trust and buy from you.

We’ve seen online sellers triple sales, increase conversions, and reach the top of the search results by appearing on and delivering on fast shipping programs.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, why do fast shipping programs get eCommerce conversions? Because they offer customers what they want (fast shipping) at an affordable price. Why do fast shipping programs improve eCommerce conversions? Because they increase your visibility, improve your ratings, and associate you with a brand name that people trust. Happy converting.