Following recent unprecedented delivery and parcel disruptions affecting consumers up and down the country, Shipup, post-purchase experts, has found that the average order delivery is 4.5 days – or 107 hours, with the quickest UK city almost one day faster than the slowest. So, unless you’re using Amazon Prime or other next day delivery services, it’s likely shoppers will be waiting a full working week for their deliveries.
Bristol emerged as the city experiencing the slowest order delivery times, averaging 117 hours or roughly 4.9 days. This pace is significantly slower, almost an entire day, compared to cities at the opposite end of the spectrum. Surprisingly, London ranked second slowest at 4.6 days, suggesting that deliveries tend to take longer the further south you go.
On the other hand, Glasgow set the standard for efficiency, boasting the speediest delivery times – one day quicker than Bristol and 10 hours faster than the national average (107 hours). Notably, Glasgow maintained this leading position in five out of the 13 months examined and was half a day quicker on average than the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.
Agop Ashjian, CEO of Shipup, said:“Our data underscores the regional nuances in delivery times across the UK’s major cities. Factors like road connections, carrier networks and distribution hubs all play an important role in determining when and where a package will be delivered. It’s so important that retailers understand the geographical differences at play and why a delivery might be affected and that they’re communicating realistic delivery times with their customers, as well as updates on delays.”
Shipup also revealed the extreme cases of delivery times. The city of Liverpool faced the longest delivery time in December 2023, with one order taking 216 hours or nine days to arrive. On the brighter side, the shortest delivery time recorded in the UK was 61 hours or 2.5 days, achieved in Sheffield during July 2023. These instances show the fluctuating pressures on carrier services, especially evident during the transition from summer to peak season.
The last week of September 2023, marking the onset of peak season, witnessed the longest order delivery time for all UK cities, averaging six days or 144 hours. What’s more, Glasgow was the city with the quickest delivery time in September, clocking an average of 106 hours. This is only one hour quicker than the annual average, demonstrating the pressure on retailers and carriers during this period.
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