Guide
How to Offer Same Day Delivery Without Hiring Drivers
You don't need drivers to offer same day delivery. Connect your store to on-demand courier networks, set your delivery area, cutoff and checkout price, and each order is booked with a nearby driver once it's packed. A car courier usually arrives in about 20 minutes. You pay per delivery, with nothing to hire and no vehicle to run. Getcho books the right vehicle for each order, watches it to the door and handles anything that goes wrong.
~20 min
typical wait for an on-demand car courier
57 min
average dispatch to delivery at Janovic, NYC
98%
on time at Janovic, with 0% loss in transit
$0
to start, no subscription required
Getting started
How can my store offer same day delivery without hiring drivers?
- Connect your store to on-demand courier networks through a delivery platform. You set the delivery area, cutoffs and what customers pay at checkout; when an order is packed, a nearby driver is booked in the right vehicle and picks it up from your counter. Getcho does this for stores, brands and 3PLs: it compares fleets on every order, books the driver, tracks the delivery to the door and handles anything that goes wrong.
Can a small store with one location do this?
- Yes. One store is enough. There is no fleet to hire, no minimum volume, and Getcho is free to start with no subscription required: you pay per delivery.
What do I need to set up?
- Your pickup address and hours, the area you deliver to, your order cutoff for same day, and what customers pay. On Shopify, Getcho adds same day delivery to checkout and POS. Orders from other systems, email or Slack work too.
How long does setup take?
- Shopify connects in minutes. Other systems are set up the same day, and Getcho runs a few test orders with you before you go live.
Do I need a contract with a courier company?
- No. Getcho books drivers across its network for you. If you already have courier or carrier accounts, you can bring them and run them through Getcho alongside the network.
Cost and pricing
How much does same day delivery cost without my own drivers?
- You pay per delivery. The price depends on distance, the vehicle, how soon it needs to go, and any extra stops or waiting. There is no salary, vehicle or insurance to carry, and nothing to pay on days with no orders.
What should I charge customers for same day delivery?
- Free above an order minimum, a flat fee, or a price by distance from live rates. A flat fee charges the same for a short run and a long one, so long orders can lose money. 67 Wine priced delivery to what each run costs and tripled orders in Brooklyn and Queens.
Is it cheaper than hiring a driver?
- For most stores, yes, because you only pay when an order goes out. A store with steady, full routes every day can justify its own driver, and Getcho can run in-house drivers and couriers together, sending overflow and peaks to the network.
Running deliveries
How fast does a driver arrive?
- An on-demand car courier usually arrives in about 20 minutes, and a bike courier in about 5 in dense cities. Janovic, a paint supplier in New York City, averages 57 minutes from dispatch to delivery.
Who watches the deliveries?
- Getcho does. Every order is watched to the doorstep, drivers get your delivery notes, and you only hear about a delivery when you need to. Customers get branded tracking by text and email, with no app.
What if a driver does not show up?
- The order goes to another fleet automatically, so the delivery still makes its window. Janovic runs 98% on time with 0% loss in transit.
How do I know the order was delivered?
- A photo on every delivery, plus signature, PIN or ID check at the door when you need it. Getcho checks the photos and GPS against the address and handles claims for you.
Can I deliver bulky or heavy orders?
- Yes. Getcho books the smallest vehicle that fits: a car for everyday orders, an SUV or van for bulky ones, and a box truck with a lift gate for furniture, appliances and pallets.
Can I deliver alcohol?
- Yes, through fleets licensed for it, with a 21+ ID check at the door.
Getting a quote
How do I find out what same day delivery would cost my store?
- Get a quote at getcho.app/get-a-quote/. Leave your website and a phone number or email, and a person prices your deliveries and gets back to you, usually the same day.
Have a question we didn't answer?
Most setups are custom, and most go live the same day. Tell us what you're building or shipping and we'll show you how it would run.
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By Evandro Nadal, COO, Getcho · Last updated: