The data: Convenience remains important to consumers, but they’re increasingly unwilling to pay extra for it. A majority (61%) of US shoppers say lower cost matters more than convenience when buying online, and 90% would accept slower shipping in exchange for savings, per an ICSC survey of 1,000 US consumers conducted in May 2026.

That shift is showing up more broadly, as delivery cost is the single most important aspect of the online delivery experience, cited by 36% of global consumers in 2026, ahead of speed (23%) and convenience (17%), per Metapack and Retail Economics.

Yet shoppers still expect retailers to deliver both speed and savings, a tension that has become more visible as delivery fees and return costs come under greater scrutiny.

Zooming in: The ICSC survey shows shipping and return costs are now central to whether shoppers complete a purchase or come back to a retailer, per these findings:

• 70% of online shoppers have abandoned a cart because of shipping costs.
• 67% say return fees make them less likely to purchase online.
• 65% have stopped, or would consider stopping, shopping with a retailer because of delivery fees, slow shipping, or inconvenient returns.
• 70% agree retailers should offer shipping that is both free and fast, even as 60% say they'd accept slower delivery for savings.

Why this matters: Consumers still value convenience but don’t consider it a premium feature worth paying extra for. That’s why Amazon and Walmart’s membership programs are so powerful. More than three quarters (76%) of US households belong to Amazon Prime, and 21.2% belong to Walmart+, per our forecasts. Both bundle free delivery and returns into a flat fee, removing the tradeoff the survey highlights for millions of shoppers. And both companies are also continuing to invest in faster fulfillment, raising the bar for the rest of the market.

Implications for retailers and brands: ICSC’s findings suggest membership programs act as a retention moat as much as a growth engine. Retailers without bundled free shipping and returns force shoppers to choose between paying more for speed or accepting more friction to save money. Amazon and Walmart have removed that choice, making it harder for competitors to win back price-sensitive customers once they join.

Retailers without comparable programs should focus on making pricing more transparent. ICSC found 56% of consumers say retailers are not upfront about return fees, while 71% would accept those fees more readily if they were disclosed before purchase.