On average, parcels are transported from Sweden to Finland in 5.6 days. After crossing the border, the average delivery time is 1.8 days. These average times are indicated by a survey Posti has commissioned from IRO Research. The objective of the survey was to assess the duration of the order and delivery process into Finland for foreign online stores, Swedish online stores in particular.
The actual delivery times were researched with mystery shopping: purchases were made from online stores and their total delivery time from order to delivery was measured. Based on the survey, Posti typically processed start-to-end deliveries faster than the other researched transport companies, on average in less than 3 days (excluding express deliveries). Furthermore, the last mile of a delivery, i.e. a parcel’s journey from Posti’s distribution-fulfillment center to the consumer, was faster when performed by Posti: 1.4 days on average. The overall delivery time of parcels during the last mile is influenced by online store collection and warehouse processes and transport across the border from the country of origin into Finland.
A similar survey was conducted earlier this year in Finland. The results were similar to those of the recent survey. Posti made deliveries faster than the other researched transport companies: the average overall delivery time for online purchases was 3.1 days, of which Posti’s transport services accounted for less than 1 day on average.
According to an online shopping survey conducted by the International Post Corporation (IPC), 21% of all Finns who made online purchases did their shopping in Swedish online stores. Richard Walburn, Director of Posti’s parcel and online sales in the Nordics, believes that Finnish online customers would make a great target market for many Swedish online stores.
– A number of the bigger Swedish e-commerce operators have already recognized the sales potential among Finnish customers. If the collection of purchased items is efficient (taking place on the day of purchase at best) and with optimized transport, deliveries to Finland may take as little as a couple of days.
More information on the survey:
The mystery shopping comprised 100 purchases of approximately EUR 50 in value in predefined, mainly Swedish online stores, taking place on April 29, May 6 and May 13. However, the occurrence of May Day during the survey period clearly delayed delivery times for some of the purchases. The average order and delivery time of purchases made before May Day was 6.8 days, while the average delivery time for purchases made after May Day was 4.3 days.
The order and delivery time was calculated as the time period between an order being placed and a notice of arrival being received. The last mile of a delivery was calculated as the time period between the consumer receiving the first domestic registration event from the logistics operator and the time upon which the delivery became available for pick-up.
