Radial Uncovers 66% of Holiday Shoppers Would Give Up Discounts for Guaranteed Delivery

Fast shipping expectations also soar with 62% saying it's a must-have this season

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Radial, Inc., a bpostgroup company, the leader in eCommerce solutions, today announced findings from its annual Peak Season Consumer Survey, uncovering shifts in what drives holiday shopping decisions. While economic pressures persist, this year, consumers are clear about what they want: certainty in delivery, flexibility in service, and trust beyond the checkout button. Radial's research provides a strategic blueprint for brands and retailers as they navigate a peak season shaped by trade disruption and heightened consumer expectations.

"This holiday peak season, consumers aren't just buying products, they're buying confidence," said Tom Schmitt, CEO of Radial. "Brands and retailers who stand out this season will be the ones who can scale quickly, fulfill and deliver with reliability, and eliminate friction at every step of the click to delivery experience. Meeting demands around speed, transparency, and responsiveness isn't a nice-to-have anymore; it's the foundation for long-term loyalty."

Certainty is the New Currency

Speed alone is no longer enough; consumers now expect fast, predictable delivery as a baseline. When choosing between similarly priced, in-stock retailers, 62% of shoppers say faster shipping is the deciding factor, aside from price.

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. Meanwhile, tolerance for weeklong waits dropped to 23%, and 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. For retailers, this means operational excellence isn't just an efficiency play; it's what wins the cart.

Trust is Built After the Click

As urgency-driven marketing loses effectiveness, service-based trust signals are rising in importance. While 74% say they believe claims like "ships in 1-2 business days," only 53% believe stock scarcity messaging.

What shoppers do trust is clear, transparent communication after they've clicked "buy." Real-time tracking, seamless returns, and consistent updates are essential. Eighty-five percent 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.

Trust must also extend through checkout. Nearly half of consumers have abandoned purchases due to a complicated checkout process. Another 31% walk away when preferred payment options like PayPal or BNPL aren't available. And 49% say they abandon carts when a site doesn't feel secure, highlighting how trust is built not only through fulfillment, but through every click that leads there.

Flexibility is No Longer a Perk, It's the Baseline

Consumers aren't pulling back, they're pivoting. In fact, 58% say they're tightening their holiday budgets, up from 38% in 2024. While this shift is largely driven by broader economic pressure, tariffs are also having an impact, as 35% of shoppers are planning to spend less, specifically in response to tariff-related concerns, followed closely by a greater focus on deals and promotions (34%), and shopping earlier to avoid shipping delays (22%).

Where and how consumers are buying is also stabilizing. Online purchases through major retailers like Amazon and Target continue to dominate, growing from 69% to 72% year-over-year. At the same time, custom marketplaces like Etsy and local boutiques saw modest increases, up to 12% and 11%, respectively, as consumers seek more curated, flexible options.

This holiday season, brands that succeed won't be the ones offering the biggest discounts, but the ones delivering the most seamless, confidence-inspiring experience. In a landscape shaped by elevated consumer demands and tight timelines, execution is everything. The brands and retailers that triumph will be those that operate with speed and certainty at scale, offering flexibility in payment and delivery, and the transparency and service that shoppers now expect across every touchpoint.

To learn more about how brands can scale operations and flexibility to meet peak season demand, visit radial.com/fast-track.

Methodology

Radial conducted the survey with Dynata in August 2025, targeting 1,000 general U.S.-based consumers over 18 years of age.

About Radial

Radial is the largest 3PL fulfillment provider also offering integrated payment, fraud detection, and omnichannel solutions to modern and enterprise brands. Leveraging over 30 years of industry expertise, Radial tailors its services and solutions to align strategically with each brand's unique needs.

Our team supports brands in tackling common eCommerce challenges, from scalable, flexible fulfillment enabling delivery consistency to ensuring secure transactions. With a commitment to fulfilling promises from click to delivery, Radial empowers brands to navigate the dynamic digital landscape with the confidence and capability to deliver a seamless, secure, and superior eCommerce experience.

Contacts

Press ContactDaysi Robles LopezPAN [email protected]