Over the last decade, delivery methods have undergone fundamental changes driven by technological advancements, increasing competition, and rising consumer expectations. Many apparel retailers have been quick to re-strategize and restructure their logistics to find new ways to provide a convenient shopping experience to customers and gain their loyalty, while others have been slow to react and have fallen behind.

Though a handful of players started offering convenient delivery services in the late twentieth century, these services gained traction following the launch of Amazon Prime in 2005, which raised shopper expectations of fast and free delivery. The success of Amazon Prime has led to the introduction of similar delivery saver schemes such as ASOS Premier, Next Unlimited, JD X Unlimited, and boohoo Premier. Across the apparel landscape, this is a rapidly growing trend amid younger consumers, who generally shop more frequently for lower basket sizes. As with online delivery, retailers must maintain an awareness of their competitors’ offers and should look to be a first mover if there is limited activity from rivals.