APAC delivery costs jump 19% YoY as fuel, wages and failed drops squeeze margins

FarEye's survey of 500+ firms finds APAC last-mile costs up 18.9% YoY, with India battling 20-30% first-attempt failure rates. Notably, 41% of shoppers prize predictable delivery over speed (22%), and 70% of businesses say customers will pay a premium — hinting quick-commerce capex on speed may be misallocated.

— Filed Sun, 24 May, 2026, 16:33 IST · Source The Hindu BusinessLine · Updated

FarEye report finds APAC delivery costs rose 19% YoY, with India hit by fuel, wages, and 20-30% first-attempt failure rates. Customers prefer predictable over fastest delivery, suggesting quick commerce capital may be misdirected toward speed over reliability.

Why this matters

FarEye's data challenges quick-commerce orthodoxy: speed-focused capex may be misallocated when shoppers and margins both reward predictability over rapid delivery in APAC markets.

Omni-channel signals steady at 115 in last 90 days, reflecting sustained focus on fulfillment economics.

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