The e-commerce race to be the fastest to the front door is cooling down says The Wall Street Journal. Retailers this holiday season are increasingly focused on delivering packages to customers on specific dates, rather than competing on speed of delivery.

The shift comes as companies and consumers alike are getting more cost-conscious, and merchants are stepping back from competition over who can deliver within a day or even hours after an online order is placed.

The last mile in home delivery has always been the most expensive to complete but retailers pressed for the advantage as demand skyrocketed during the pandemic. Retailers have been building other options to preserve profit margins, however, including having buyers pick up goods in stores. Several now are pushing date-specific deliveries. 

Apparel merchant Saks Off Fifth just rolled out such a service, signaling that certainty is as important as speed.