With all the emphasis on keeping commerce running in this technological age, you'd think Monday delivery would be a simple thing. It's not, at least if you're dealing with baked goods.
Shipping companies promise the world on time or to get the business of shipping done, just as long as you don't ask them to do it on a Sunday. Here lies one of the last bottlenecks between the business world as it was and the always-open retailing environment of the Web.
We used to have these things called "weekends" when stores closed early and people didn't shop. E-commerce may have changed our buying habits, but the shippers still like their Sundays off. Not a problem if you're throwing books or software in a box. Big problem if you're trying to ship birthday cakes or deliver something for a Sunday holiday like Father's Day or Mother's Day.
Because we ship some of our products overnight to ensure freshness, and because UPS and FedEx are closed on Sunday, we can't deliver those products on Monday. That's reality for everyone in e-commerce land, but it hits us a little harder.
The U.S. Postal Service has stepped into the breech somewhat, offering Sunday delivery from regional sorting centers. If one of our partner bakeries happens to be near one of these, it's a great deal, but most of them aren't. I think it's a matter of time before UPS or FedEx steps up and adds Sunday drop-off and delivery to their schedule. With an increasing number of perishables appearing in online stores, and with customers clamoring for faster delivery, we could see those extended shipping hours within two years.
Until then, we can't deliver some products on Monday.
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