Amazon Continues to Entice Consumers with Free Shipping, Even for Simple Toiletries

Most consumers want a product delivered the second they order it, and Amazon is betting on that behavior to drive more sales by offering free one-day shipping on Prime-eligible products. An October 2019 CivicScience survey found that a plurality of US internet users would rather order a low-cost item (less than $5) via Amazon than buy it in-store.

As expected, younger consumers were more likely to do this. More than half (56%) of 18- to- 24-year-olds said they were at least somewhat likely to order an individual low-cost item via Amazon than buy it in-store, and slightly more respondents (63%) ages 25 to 34 agreed.

Older respondents—those ages 55 and older—were split. Nearly half (49%) said they were at least somewhat likely to buy a cheap item if shipping were free, while 51% said they would not likely do this, per CivicScience.

For many Amazon Prime members, free shipping is king. While they get a variety of use out of the membership—ranging from a video streaming service to exclusive deals at Whole Foods—the largest share of respondents surveyed by Feedvisor said they like free two-day shipping most of all.

By and large, delivery speed can make or break a customer experience. In a January 2019 Avionos survey, more than six in 10 US digital shoppers said they define a positive experience with digital brands and retailers by how quickly they receive their order.