Radial, Inc., a leading 3PL set to become Paxon later this year, today announced findings from its annual Peak Season Consumer Survey, revealing that holiday shoppers are balancing the traditional hunt for deals with a growing desire for certainty, visibility and reliable fulfillment.

“Shoppers have not stopped caring about prices, but the research shows retailers can win customers by instilling confidence in fulfillment expectations and timelines,” said Tom Schmitt, CEO of Radial. “In the face of higher prices, variable customer loyalty and macro factors impacting supply chains, peak success increasingly depends on aligning promotions with the operational ability to deliver against the promises made at checkout. This research can serve as a framework for brands and retailers as they try to win over and maintain peak season customers.”

Delivery Certainty Competes with the Holiday Deal

Discounts remain the strongest individual trigger for encouraging earlier holiday purchases, but shoppers are also assigning meaningful value to fulfillment certainty. More than half (59%) of consumers would purchase earlier for a discount or promotion, but guaranteed delivery before the holidays (38%), guaranteed product availability (35%), and flexible returns (32%) also inspire earlier holiday shopping.

Shoppers are also willing to put a dollar value on delivery certainty. Seventy percent would forgo a 5% discount for guaranteed delivery on a specified date, 54% would give up a 10% discount, and 37% would even give up a 20% discount. Younger consumers are more likely to value delivery accuracy than incentives. At the 20% discount threshold, 48% of Gen Z and 45% of Millennials would still choose guaranteed delivery, compared with 33% of Gen X and 22% of Baby Boomers.

For brands and retailers, reliable fulfillment should be viewed as more than an operational requirement. During peak, delivery speed and certainty can become competitive conversion levers that complement promotions and potentially reduce dependence on discounting as consumers look for peace of mind and fulfillment certainty.

Holiday Delivery Promises Must Be Proven

The majority (67%) of consumers trust retailers when they say a delivery ordered by a specific date will arrive before the holidays, but nearly one-third still have significant reservations. Consumers want concrete signals that retailer delivery claims are credible, with 48% wanting a money-back or guaranteed shipping rate, frequent tracking updates (43%), a specific delivery date rather than a range (42%), and real-time inventory confirmation (36%). Even after checkout, 56% of consumers monitor tracking updates at least once a day, including 24% who check multiple times a day, to ensure retailers are upholding their end of the fulfillment promise.

Trust in delivery is built through accountability and visibility. This means that the value of fulfillment extends beyond physical delivery. The operational data supporting inventory status, shipment progress and delivery accuracy are also part of the customer experience.

When Visibility Breaks Down, Retailers Put the Next Purchase at Risk

For too long, retailers have considered tracking updates as merely a customer-service offering, but Radial’s research shows that a lack of information can cause consumers to make another purchase before an order is officially late. While 12% would purchase a backup gift within 24 hours without a tracking update, 27% would do so after 2 or 3 days and another 21% would act after one week without an update. When consumers do look elsewhere, marketplaces have the advantage. More than one-fourth (28%) would turn to a marketplace like Amazon or Walmart for a backup, 16% would shop online with a competing retailer, and 22% would go to the same retailer’s physical store.

Peak is inherently omnichannel, and retailers need inventory, fulfillment, and customer-service execution to remain consistent wherever consumers purchase. They also need visibility across channels to help keep a fulfillment problem from becoming a lost customer or lost sale.

See how Radial helps brands scale fulfillment and maintain reliable customer experiences during peak season at: Radial.com

Methodology

Radial conducted the survey with Dynata in August 2026, targeting 1,000 general U.S.-based consumers over 18 years of age.

About Radial

Radial, becoming Paxon, is North America’s largest 3PL fulfillment provider also offering integrated payment, fraud detection, and omnichannel solutions to modern and enterprise brands. The company is a division of Bnode, a digital expert in parcel size logistics, operating across Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region.

Backed by more than 40 years of commerce expertise, Radial provides the technology, operations, and scale brands need to compete in an increasingly complex retail landscape. Its integrated solutions help brands deliver consistent customer experiences, drive profitable growth, and adapt quickly as their business evolves.

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