The different delivery options when shopping online

If you have already found the product you were looking for in an online store, decided between alternatives, chosen a payment method… You may still need to make some choices, and on an issue that, as we will see, is important: shipping.

The delivery time, the delivery method, the type of pickup point and the transport company are four typical areas in which you may have to make decisions. In this article, we will explore the choices and their implications.

Delivery time

One of the most common choices in today's digital commerce is delivery speed. Many stores offer various options: from same-day delivery, or with varying levels of urgency, to longer delivery times. The question is: what are the trade-offs of opting for a shorter timeframe?

The most obvious downside is the price: in general, companies charge more for faster delivery, so unless there is urgency, most people prefer "standard" delivery.

Meanwhile, another important point should be mentioned in this regard. A shorter timeframe means more carbon emissions and damage to the environment. The issue of sustainability has become one of the most important for modern commerce, and the growth of pollution caused by deliveries in recent years is a problem that requires attention. Environmentally conscious consumers therefore have a strong added reason to avoid fast options when there is no need to use them.

Delivery method

Many stores, valuing their customers' flexibility and convenience, offer two delivery options: conventional home delivery and pickup-point delivery, in which InPost specializes.

The differences between these alternatives are many, and out-of-home delivery, although it remains the least used, has become increasingly popular in recent years, due to several advantages. Consolidating parcels, the fact that transport can be carried out at off-peak hours, and the use of repeated, well-studied routes increase process efficiency and reduce the risk of complications and delays.

Once again recalling the topic of sustainability, this option also means fewer carbon emissions per parcel.

Another key advantage is the convenience of being able to collect the parcel at a suitable time and in a location of your choice, instead of having to wait at home for delivery.

Explore our page to find out more about out-of-home delivery and, the next time you shop on a store like Vinted or Shein, experience these advantages for yourself by choosing InPost.

Type of pickup point

In addition to choosing the delivery method, whenever you receive parcels through InPost, you will find another “fork” between two types of pickup point.

The Pack Points are traditional retail stores that work in partnership with us. To collect a parcel from one of these points, simply go to the counter during the store's opening hours.

The other type of point is Lockers: automatic lockers that open using a keyword provided to you. One of the advantages of these points is that you can collect the parcel on any day and at any time, independently, without needing assistance.

Note that at both types of point you have a period of 8 days to collect the parcel, starting from the moment you receive notification that it is available at the point.

Carrier

Modern commerce has made competition between transport methods and companies more intense than ever, and the good news is that this has driven strong innovation and produced a wide range of alternatives. The last choice we need to mention is the carrier.

On many occasions, whether as buyers or when we need to make a shipment, this is a choice that does not always receive much attention, but it can greatly influence the price, the experience, the efficiency of the process, and even the way we affect the environment.

InPost's strategy is guided by three major focuses: customer experience, sustainability, and efficiency. The result is an approach especially suited to e-commerce and to the challenges of modern commerce.

Visit our page to find out more about us and why choose InPost.