One-day delivery has become a common part of online shopping in India, especially in metro cities where people expect quick and smooth service. Many ecommerce sellers now offer One Day Delivery Services to stay competitive. Platforms like Shipdaak help businesses choose the fastest courier partners and streamline shipping so that customers receive their orders within 24 hours. But behind this fast promise lies a long chain of operations, technology, planning, and coordination. Let’s understand how it all works step by step.
- The Role of Local Warehouses and Micro-Fulfilment Centres
The first step begins even before a customer places the order. Big ecommerce companies and growing online sellers store products in local warehouses or micro-fulfilment centres across major cities. These small, city-based storage points help reduce travel distance and make fast delivery possible.
Instead of shipping from one big national warehouse, sellers keep stock closer to demand areas.
For example:
- Shoes with high demand in Bengaluru are stored in local Bengaluru fulfilment hubs.
- Electronics that sell quickly in Delhi are stocked in Delhi or nearby NCR zones.
This “near-customer storage model” cuts travel time and is the main reason one-day delivery is realistic.
- Real-Time Order Processing
The moment a customer clicks “Buy Now,” multiple systems start working at the same time.
Here is what usually happens in the backend:
- The order details reach the seller’s warehouse or micro-hub.
- Inventory is checked automatically to confirm availability.
- The order gets assigned to a picker.
- The packed product is labelled and sorted based on delivery zone.
All of this happens within minutes. Automation and barcode systems help reduce errors and save time. Many Indian warehouses now use handheld scanners, smart shelves, and automated sorting lines to speed up these tasks.
- Choosing the Fastest Courier Partner
Once the order is packed, the next question is: Which courier can deliver fastest to that pin code?
This is where courier selection technology comes in. Most sellers use AI-based allocation tools or courier aggregators that automatically pick the best carrier based on:
- Distance
- Delivery performance
- Traffic trends
- Availability of riders
- Delivery cut-off times
Different couriers have different strengths.
One may be better for Delhi NCR, another may be faster in Mumbai suburbs. Using smart selection tools ensures that the customer receives the parcel within 24 hours without delays.
- First-Mile Pickup
After courier selection, the rider arrives for pickup. For one-day delivery, the timing of pickup is extremely important. Most couriers have strict cut-off times, usually between 12 PM to 5 PM depending on the city.
If a seller misses the cut-off:
- The parcel may get delayed by a full day.
- It may not reach the city distribution centre on time.
To avoid this, warehouses prepare orders in advance and keep “priority parcels” ready for fast pickup.
- Movement to City Distribution Centres
Once the pickup happens, parcels go to the local distribution centre. This is where sorting and routing decisions happen.
At the centre, orders are grouped based on delivery location:
- South zone
- Central zone
- East zone
- Outskirts
- High-priority zones
Advanced conveyor belts and scanners push parcels into the correct bins. Everything is done quickly because same-day or next-day parcels are handled on priority.
Most large cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Delhi have multiple distribution hubs to reduce travel time and manage heavy parcel load.
- Line-Haul Transport
For some orders, even one-day delivery may involve short-distance travel between nearby cities. For example:
- A product stored in Gurugram may need to reach Noida.
- A warehouse in Navi Mumbai may ship to Thane or Pune.
In such cases, the courier moves parcels through express line-haul transport. These are high-speed trucks or vans that run fixed overnight routes to ensure parcels reach city hubs early morning.
This part of the process is extremely time-sensitive.
If the vehicle leaves late, the entire chain gets delayed.
- Final Sorting and Route Planning for Delivery
Early morning, the parcel reaches the last-mile distribution centre. Here the final checks take place:
- Scanning
- Route optimisation
- Rider assignment
Delivery partners use mobile apps that show the shortest delivery route. The app decides:
- Which order should be delivered first
- Which localities have the least traffic
- How to group nearby deliveries
This optimisation helps couriers complete more deliveries in fewer hours.
- Last-Mile Delivery with Real-Time Tracking
Last-mile is the most challenging part of One Day Delivery Services in India. Traffic, weather, roadblocks, or incorrect addresses can slow down the delivery. Couriers rely on:
- GPS tracking
- Map integrations
- Customer calling options
- Navigation alerts
The customer receives SMS or app notifications about:
- Out-for-delivery status
- Rider details
- Expected arrival time
This transparency builds trust and reduces failed delivery attempts.
Many couriers now use electric bikes in metro cities to navigate traffic and reduce fuel costs. EVs are becoming more common in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai for last-mile runs.
- Handling Delays and Exceptions
Even with fast systems, delays can happen. In India, common issues include:
- Traffic jams
- Weather disruptions
- Incorrect addresses
- Remote areas
- Festival season load
Courier companies handle these through backup riders, multiple shifts, re-attempt scheduling, and customer support teams. AI-tools also predict delay chances and help couriers plan better routes.
- Why One-Day Delivery Works Well in India
India has a few unique strengths that make one-day delivery scalable:
- Large number of courier companies
- Growing network of fulfilment centres
- High density of urban populations
- Strong demand for quick delivery
- Technology adoption by small and big sellers
With 5G, better routing systems, and more micro-warehouses, one-day delivery will become even faster and more reliable over the next few years.
Conclusion
One-day delivery in India may look simple to customers, but it depends on strong planning, fast warehouses, smart courier selection, and smooth last-mile operations. Every parcel travel through a well-designed chain that works day and night. Platforms like Shipdaak help sellers manage this entire process by letting them choose the best One Day Delivery Services, track performance, and deliver parcels faster. As more businesses join the online market, one-day delivery will continue to grow and become a standard service across India.
