RIP to Fast and Free Shipping
It was good while it lasted, but it was a costly service that was more of a marketing ploy than a long-term business strategy.
It was fun while it lasted.
Photographer: Victor J. Blue/BloombergThis year might go down in history as the end of free and fast shipping. The good old days were sweet. Nearly any online good — big or small — could arrive at your door within a couple of days for free and often could be sent back at no cost. It was exhilarating.
For a time, businesses were willing to eat the cost of shipping, which can take as much as 10% to 15% of a company’s profits, because they were in a fierce fight for e-commerce dollars. But over the last year, retailers have been quietly rolling back options that would get orders to your front door within days as their operating margins suffered.