Survey of U.S. and U.K. consumers finds speed alone is no longer enough, as reliability and communication play a growing role in delivery expectations
Locus, a leading logistics technology company, released a new consumer survey examining new delivery standards, based on responses from 1,000 U.S. and 2,000 U.K. shoppers. The survey revealed consumer expectations for speed, reliability, communication, the post-purchase experience and more. It was conducted in November 2025, with U.S. responses collected by Dynata and U.K. responses collected by Censuswide.
Released on Returns Day, a peak moment for post-holiday returns in the U.S., the survey points to returns as one of several areas where consumer expectations are tightening. Among U.S. respondents, 25% said paying for return shipping is the most frustrating part of the process. Other cited pain points in the U.S. included finding time to drop off items and waiting for refunds. Similar results were observed in the U.K., where return shipping fees also ranked as the top source of frustration, followed by refund delays and process-related challenges.
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Additional key findings from the report include:
- Fast delivery is now the baseline — 65% of U.S. consumers say 2-3 days should be the standard for online orders, while more than 80% of U.K. consumers expect delivery within four days
- Delivery performance directly shapes brand perception — 93% of U.S. consumers say a company’s delivery performance directly impacts their overall view of a brand
- Consumers don’t trust fast delivery promises — Fewer than 1 in 10 consumers in both the U.S. (9%) and U.K. (7%) believe retailers always meet fast or guaranteed delivery commitments
- Upfront communications help offset delays — More than 9 in 10 (93%) U.S. consumers say proactive updates help offset the negative experience of late deliveries
- Delivery reliability failures frustrate consumers across markets — Nearly all (94%) U.K. consumers ranked false “delivered” notifications as the most frustrating delivery experience, while in the U.S., missed delivery windows (21%) ranked as the top last-mile complaint
- Consumers don’t lower expectations during peak season — 51% of U.S. shoppers expect holiday shipping to be as fast or faster than normal, signaling limited tolerance for seasonal delays
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“For years, the industry has focused on speed as the ultimate goal,” said Nishith Rastogi, founder and CEO of Locus. “While our data shows speed remains important to consumers, the real challenge is reliability at scale. When deliveries fail, the cost isn’t just customer frustration; it’s reattempts, extra miles and avoidable waste across the network. Brands that set realistic expectations and keep customers informed will earn more trust than those that simply promise faster delivery, while running more efficient delivery operations overall.”
As delivery networks grow more complex, logistics providers are under pressure to respond in real time when disruptions occur. As an agentic transportation management system (TMS) for all-mile, all-channel delivery, Locus supports real-time decision-making across complex delivery networks.
