Everything you need to know about Priority delivery, including what it is, how to get set up, and key tips for smooth operations.
❝Priority (next day) services rebounded [in 2024] with a 38% increase in orders after a weaker 2023, indicating targeted use for high-value or time-sensitive purchases.❞
📚 Read more in the State of Shipping report
Your customers increasingly expect rapid delivery, and a priority service level can help you meet that demand by ensuring orders are delivered quickly.
This article covers what Priority delivery involves, and what you need to do to get set up for success. It also discusses the major on demand carriers available.
For more information about how carriers are allocated based on the service level you require, see the carrier allocation article.
For a list of which carriers offer which service level, see the carrier matrix on the Shippit website.
What is priority delivery?
While standard delivery typically takes two or more business days, priority delivery is a faster service that aims to deliver orders either on the same day or, more commonly, by the next business day. The exact delivery timeframe depends on the carrier, your location, and when the order was booked.
Deliveries with a priority service level have a specific day and time that delivery is expected within. In most cases, priority orders are delivered the next day, however priority orders can fall into any one of these categories:
Priority same day guarantees delivery before close of business on the day of booking, and must be booked before 2 PM.
Priority now is similar to the on demand service level, with delivery expected within two to four hours after booking.
Priority time slot is for items that can be delivered within a three hour window, on a specified date. This is useful for when the recipient wants to nominate a time when they are available for delivery.
It's important to understand the distinction between priority delivery and on demand delivery. Priority delivery aims for delivery by the end of the business day if booked before the cut-off time for same-day service, or by the next business day. On the other hand, on demand is a more immediate service designed for delivery within a shorter, specified timeframe, often within three hours of booking.
For more information about on demand delivery, see the Understanding on demand article.
Get started with priority delivery
If you're thinking about offering priority delivery as an option for your customers, here are the things you need to do to get set up with priority on Shippit.
The first step is to pick a carrier to partner with. The easiest way to do this is to choose a Shippit integrated carrier and take advantage of our negotiated rates. However, if you already have an existing agreement with a priority provider, you can integrate your own account with Shippit. For an up to date list of carriers that support priority delivery, see the carrier matrix on the Shippit website.
Consider how you want to integrate priority delivery into your online checkout. You might need to change or introduce internal processes on the fulfilment side to allow this. If you use use a warehouse management system or an online checkout platform, find specific information for your integration in the Integrations collection.
Plan how to communicate your new priority delivery option with your customers. Make sure your messaging on this is clear: depending on the size and location of your delivery partner's network, as well as your own business, your delivery area might be limited. If you have a national network of brick-and-mortar stores and can ship from store, you can probably offer priority delivery in metro areas across the country. If you’re online-only, you might be restricted to the city where your warehouse is based.
Best practice for priority operations
Pack and label promptly: Priority deliveries are time-critical. To avoid futile or wait-time charges when the driver arrives, make sure your goods are packed and ready for pickup quickly.
Prioritise priority orders: Review your pick and pack process to ensure priiority orders are prioritised over standard orders.
Ensure carriers can access your parcels easily: Once packed, make sure the parcel is labelled and left in a place that can be easily reached by the driver. If possible, keep a parking spot near your loading dock or pick-up area available for easy collection.
Priority carriers
This section contains an overview of the major priority carriers. For more information about the carriers that Shippit supports, see the Carrier information collection, or get in touch with your Shippit account manager.
Bonds Couriers
Access fast deliveries across metro cities Australia wide with Bonds Couriers through Shippit with point-to-point delivery.
Bonds Couriers cater to a wide range of freight:
Small and bulky freight
Palletised freight and tailgate deliveries
Alcohol
Dangerous goods (with prior approval)
To learn more about Bonds Couriers, see our Get to know Bonds article.
Allied Express
Gain access to Allied’s same day delivery options through Shippit. Fast deliveries across metro cities Australia wide.
Priority delivery options through Allied Express includes:
Scheduled delivery
Same day delivery
Three hour delivery window
After hours delivery
To learn more about Allied Express, see our Get to know Allied Express article.
Australia Post OnDemand
Australia Post OnDemand allows you to have parcels delivered by the end of the day, after hours, or on Saturdays.
The service levels are:
Australia Post OnDemand Afternoon, for delivery same day between 1pm and 5pm
Australia Post OnDemand Tonight, for delivery after hours
Australia Post OnDemand Saturday, for delivery on Saturdays
Connect your Australia Post account through Shippit. For more information about Australia Post On Demand, see our Get to know Australia Post OnDemand article.
You can also integrate Australia Post OnDemand using the Shippit APIs, however there are some important differences to take note of. For more information about integrating Australia Post OnDemand with the Shippit APIs, see the Developer guide in the Shippit Developer centre.