« Back to articles
Hidden Costs of Bad Delivery Routes & How to Fix Them
Inefficient delivery routes are costly for SMBs. Discover the hidden expenses they cause and how route optimization software like EasyRoutes can fix them.
Inefficient delivery routes are costly for SMBs. Discover the hidden expenses they cause and how route optimization software like EasyRoutes can fix them.
Running a delivery-based business can feel like spinning plates on a moving truck—especially when your routes are inefficient. Bad delivery routes don’t just mean a few extra minutes on the road; they snowball into higher fuel costs, wasted labor, poor customer satisfaction, and missed growth opportunities. And yet, many small and mid-sized businesses still rely on manual routing or basic tools that fail to scale.
Whether you’re delivering baked goods, fresh produce, or flower delivery orders, the path your drivers take makes a direct impact on your margins and your customer relationships. This article breaks down the true cost of inefficient routes and explains how businesses can fix the problem—without overhauling their entire operation.
Inefficient delivery routes might not seem catastrophic at first—until you realize how quickly they eat into your profits. Each extra mile driven means more fuel, more vehicle maintenance, and more driver time. And when multiplied over dozens or hundreds of deliveries per week, the cost escalates fast.
For businesses managing meal kit delivery, pizza delivery, or grocery delivery, this inefficiency becomes even more dangerous because deliveries are frequent, time-sensitive, and often geographically dispersed. In fact, studies have shown that companies using route optimization tools can cut total mileage by up to 20%. That’s a serious savings opportunity many SMBs overlook until they feel the squeeze.
Let’s talk money. Poor route planning increases variable costs across the board. You’ll see more overtime, higher fuel bills, and quicker wear-and-tear on your vehicles. Worse, if you're using contract drivers, every extra mile might come with a surcharge—meaning your per-order delivery cost climbs without any added value.
Companies operating in niches like auto parts delivery, butcher delivery, or firewood delivery often underestimate the recurring nature of these hidden expenses. Each inefficient route isn’t just a one-time hiccup—it’s a recurring loss.
More subtly, inefficient routing can limit how many orders you’re able to fulfill each day. That’s revenue left on the table. If you're struggling to scale your bookstore delivery or clothing delivery operations, optimizing routes might be the unlock you need.
We all know customers are more demanding than ever (and they’re not shy about letting you know on Yelp). Delayed deliveries, missed windows, or lack of order tracking features can turn an otherwise happy customer into a one-star review.
The problem gets worse in businesses that rely on precise timing—like catering, medical supply delivery, or coffee shop delivery. If your route inefficiencies make a driver show up late or confused, the result isn’t just frustration. It’s lost trust.
73% of customers say delivery is the most important part of their online shopping experience. That means if you're blowing deliveries, you're damaging your brand—no matter how good your product is.
If your team is spending an hour (or more) each morning dragging pins around on Google Maps or wrestling with spreadsheets, that’s time you’re not spending on growing your business. Manual routing is time-consuming, error-prone, and totally unnecessary in 2025.
Businesses offering garden center delivery, pet supply delivery, or hardware delivery know that as delivery volume grows, manual systems collapse under their own weight. You need a repeatable, scalable system that keeps your operations tight and your drivers informed.
Without it, customer service gets swamped with ETA calls, drivers backtrack unnecessarily, and your operations become reactive instead of proactive.
Modern route planning software automates everything from driver assignment to ETA updates. Tools like EasyRoutes take your incoming orders and instantly generate optimized routes—factoring in traffic, time windows, and delivery zones.
The result? More deliveries per route, less time on the road, and fewer headaches for everyone. Plus, you can send delivery notifications to customers automatically, reducing support tickets and boosting satisfaction.
For small businesses running on Shopify, EasyRoutes integrates directly, syncing order data and helping you manage deliveries without switching platforms. It’s perfect for subscription box delivery, laundry delivery, or produce deliverybusinesses looking to stay lean while growing fast.
Uproot Food Collective, a growing Canadian food hub, needed to deliver a variety of products from different vendors to retail and residential customers. Their previous manual system wasn’t cutting it—routes were inefficient, communication was inconsistent, and managing changes was a nightmare.
By switching to EasyRoutes, Uproot slashed their planning time and gained real-time visibility into driver progress. With built-in driver app support and smart tracking and notifications, they elevated both internal efficiency and customer satisfaction. Their experience is a great example of how fixing bad delivery routes pays off quickly and consistently.
Fixing poor routing starts with choosing the right tools. Look for a delivery management solution that includes:
And make sure your tool supports your industry’s unique needs. Whether you're managing furniture delivery, seafood delivery, or a mobile cleaning team, the best software adapts to you—not the other way around.
Need help deciding between delivery models? Check out the deeper comparison between in-house fleets vs third-party couriers to see what fits best for your operation.
Bad delivery routes aren’t just inefficient—they’re expensive, risky, and completely fixable. If you’re feeling the strain of constant delays, rising costs, and customer complaints, your routes are probably to blame.
The good news is, you don’t need to overhaul your business to fix the problem. Smart tools like EasyRoutes offer immediate, measurable improvements that help small businesses thrive—no logistics degree required.
If you’re ready to cut costs, boost customer satisfaction, and make deliveries something you’re proud of (instead of dreading), Roundtrip.ai is ready to help you take the wheel—and take control.
Trusted by 5,000+ Businesses
Roundtrip.ai's mission is to equip every business with the software tools they need to deliver products to their customers in a delightful way. Thousands of worldwide choose EasyRoutes to power their local deliveries across dozens of product categories, from meal kits and groceries to coffee, cupcakes, kibble, and so much more. Our easy-to-use route planning and delivery optimization app is certified Built for Shopify, a two-time Shopify staff pick, and the top rated local delivery app on the Shopify App Store.