Manchester has emerged as one of the UK’s leading markets for same-day delivery, according to Zippd’s new Instant Commerce Index – the UK’s first study to combine consumer demand with operational readiness to identify the cities best placed for rapid retail delivery. The research suggests Manchester is becoming one of the strongest commercial opportunities for retail brands investing in faster delivery, with consumers among the most receptive to same-day services, prompting brands to rethink London-first delivery strategies.
The findings, from logistics technology business Zippd’s Instant Commerce City Index, show that more than a third of Manchester consumers (36%) are more likely to buy from a retailer offering same-day delivery, the highest level recorded among the UK’s largest cities. Manchester also ranked second for consumers’ willingness to pay for same-day and rapid delivery, underlining the city’s strong demand for speed and convenience.
Together, the findings suggest Manchester is becoming one of the UK’s strongest growth markets for retailers investing in faster delivery. Nearly one in five Manchester consumers (18%) say they would switch retailers if another brand could deliver significantly faster, reinforcing the commercial opportunity for brands able to offer quicker delivery in the region.
The findings also point to the growing role of AI in the shopping journey, with more than half of consumers (53%) already using AI tools to help research products. As digital discovery evolves, delivery speed is becoming increasingly important for visibility and conversion, giving brands that can offer faster delivery a stronger opportunity to turn interest into sales.
Demand is also moving beyond traditional convenience categories. More than a third of Manchester consumers (35%) say they would order electronics with delivery in under two hours. Fashion follows closely behind, with almost one in three (31%) keen to use sub-two-hour delivery, while more than a quarter (27%) would use the service for beauty products.
While London remains the highest-ranked city overall, Manchester recorded the strongest same-day purchase intent of any major UK city, reinforcing its position as one of the country’s most attractive locations for retailers expanding faster delivery services. Together with Birmingham and Leeds, the findings suggest some of the UK’s biggest growth opportunities for delivery now lie beyond the capital.
The Instant Commerce City Index combines consumer demand with operational factors such as population density and geographic accessibility to identify the UK cities best placed for rapid delivery.
Gemma Taylor, co-founder of Zippd, commented: “Retailers have traditionally looked to London first when investing in faster delivery, but our research suggests the landscape is changing. As consumers increasingly expect faster, more flexible delivery and discover products through AI, social platforms and marketplaces, some of the UK’s strongest opportunities are now emerging across major regional cities, where consumer demand and the conditions needed to support rapid delivery are increasingly coming together.”
The findings come as retailers and marketplaces face growing pressure to compete on delivery speed as well as product and price, with rapid delivery increasingly influencing where consumers choose to shop.
