Findings show consumers are twice as likely to experience delayed or inconsistent deliveries from TikTok Shop compared with Amazon and Walmart Marketplace
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. — Radial, Inc., a leading 3PL set to become Paxon later this year, today released the findings from a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers to understand the pain points shoppers experience throughout the eCommerce journey as brands scale and expand across channels.
The findings show that while consumers increasingly reward brands for expanding across multiple shopping channels, they expect the experience to remain consistent regardless of where they buy. As retailers add marketplaces, social commerce platforms and other digital touchpoints, the research highlights a distinct tension where brands must scale operations without sacrificing customer trust.
“Consumers are telling brands they want choice in where and how they shop, but that flexibility comes with higher expectations for consistency,” said Shauna Bowen, Chief Digital & Transformation Officer at Radial. “Marketplaces have become the predominant channel for first-time buyers, but customers don’t lower their expectations once they get there. They still expect accurate inventory, reliable delivery and responsive service. As brands scale, operational excellence becomes a critical driver of customer trust and long-term loyalty. There is often only one or two chances to get it right.”
Marketplace Growth Continues to Reshape Consumer Shopping Behavior
Marketplaces are becoming the first stop for brand discovery and purchase, according to the research. Nearly half of consumers (44%) first buy from a new brand on marketplaces like Amazon or Walmart, compared to 10% who shop on an online retail website like Target or Macy’s and 3% who turn to social shopping channels like TikTok Shop. Marketplace momentum is also growing more generally, with 38% of consumers shopping there more often year-over-year, led by Millennials (45%) and Gen Z (44%). In contrast, 19% said they shop more on retailer websites, and 13% said the same for social commerce.
As consumers encounter brands across more shopping channels, their confidence in them grows. Nearly four in ten (39%) consumers – and 56% of Gen Z – say they trust a brand more when it becomes available across multiple shopping destinations, while only 5% say they trust a brand less. Brands are keeping pace with this shift per previous Radial research, which noted 67% were building their B2B capabilities to add new channels and 53% indicated building a marketplace presence was their top priority.
For brands and retailers, the data shows the importance of an omnichannel strategy that is cohesive and consistent. Inventory, fulfillment, transportation, payments, and returns must operate as a connected ecosystem to reduce customer friction.
Operational Consistency Becomes More Important as Brands Scale
Consumers want the shopping experience to feel the same across channels, but Radial’s findings show that is not always the reality.
The gaps are most visible around delivery, pricing and inventory. TikTok Shop saw the highest rate of slower or less reliable delivery at 16%, which is more than double the rate reported for both Walmart Marketplace and Amazon at 7%. Consumers were also most likely to find different prices for the same product on Amazon at 17%, and stockouts were most commonly reported on Walmart Marketplace (16%).
Consumers may not see the operational complexities behind omnichannel retail, but they notice the outcomes. The risk for retailers is that consumers will blame the brand, not the channel. Brands need business-to-business (B2B) fulfillment strategies capable of unifying inventory, transportation and customer communications to avoid costly disconnects that lead to canceled orders or poor customer interactions.
The Real Cost of B2B Fulfillment Failure
Consumers are willing to forgive the occasional delay, but repeated operational failures quickly erode loyalty. More than half (53%) of consumers would stop purchasing from a brand after paying for expedited shipping that failed to arrive faster, while 37% would walk away after a single canceled order and 27% after receiving the wrong item. Even seemingly smaller disruptions such as tracking visibility issues or delayed shipments become significant risks when they happen repeatedly.
The damage doesn’t stop at lost sales. When consumers experience B2B fulfillment problems, poor customer service is the issue most likely to drive public complaints, with 31% saying it would prompt them to post about a brand on social media or leave a review. This far exceeds operational issues like paying for expedited shipping that wasn’t delivered (14%), receiving the wrong item (12%), or a late delivery (7%).
The research shows that consumers are willing to reward brands for growth and accessibility, but they are also prepared to walk away when those expectations are not met. In a world where one poor experience can result in lost revenue, negative reviews, and public criticism, consistent execution is equally important as the products themselves.
Uncover more about these survey findings and the implications for scaling, modern brands by visiting, radial.com/lp/b2b-fulfillment.
To learn more about Radial, visit radial.com.
Methodology
This survey was commissioned by Radial and conducted by Dynata, the world’s largest first-party data company. The data was collected in March 2026 of 1,000 U.S. consumers 18 years and older.
About Radial
Radial, becoming Paxon, is North America’s largest 3PL fulfillment provider also offering integrated payment, fraud detection, and omnichannel solutions to modern and enterprise brands. The company is a division of Bnode, a digital expert in parcel size logistics, operating across Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region. Leveraging over 40 years of industry expertise, Radial tailors its services and solutions to align strategically with each brand’s unique needs. Our team supports brands in tackling common eCommerce challenges, from scalable, flexible fulfillment enabling delivery consistency to ensuring secure transactions. With a commitment to fulfilling promises from click to delivery, Radial empowers brands to navigate the dynamic digital landscape with the confidence and capability to deliver a seamless, secure, and superior eCommerce experience.
Contacts
Press Contact:
Sophie Tolsdorf
PAN Communications
Radial@pancomm.com
