Research from tech logistics company Stuart has revealed that, despite the cost-of-living crisis, demand for online delivery services looks set to increase in the UK in 2023.
The survey was carried out by market research company YouGov and polled over 2,100 adults and over 2,000 business representatives. It showed that far from diminishing, the appetite for delivery services will likely grow, but that businesses will have to face up to key challenges to meet the demand. Despite the current economic difficulties, nearly two-thirds (63%) of businesses reported seeing demand for delivery services increase in October, November and December 2022.
The survey found that alongside an expected increase in demand, businesses will also face rising expectations from their customers. Businesses report that consumers will look for improved levels of service in the coming year: almost two out of five (38%) said that they want faster delivery times; nearly a third (30%) said that they would look for more precise time slot offerings with their deliveries; and 1 in 4 (26%) said they are expecting advanced tracking with their delivery service.
Consumers do not seem to just be focused on customer service levels, however. Almost a third (30%) of business representatives also reported that they believe their customers want more sustainable options for deliveries. This was proven in Metapack’s 2023 Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark report, which showed that 28% more consumers considered green delivery options more important compared to 2022.
These trends are also reflected in the consumers polled. Of the 2,100 adults surveyed, nearly two-thirds of consumers (65%) intend to order takeaways and grocery delivery at least as often in 2023 as they did in 2022.
Additionally, around a quarter (24%) of 18 to 24-year-olds said that they intended on ordering even more products this year than they did in 2022. As the demographic that already uses delivery services more than any other, this means even more demand for delivery services and the businesses they work with. If these trends continue throughout the year, it will mean sustained demand for a higher volume of quick, efficient and sustainable delivery solutions in 2023 and beyond.
John Gillan, general manager of Stuart UK, commented, “2022 saw robust demand from retailers for delivery services, and that only looks set to grow in 2023. The challenge, however, is that businesses will have to step up to the plate to offer fast, sustainable and data-driven services, all against a backdrop of rising expectations on customer service. Stuart is proudly at the forefront of cutting-edge innovation in this space, working with businesses to provide customized and entirely sustainable delivery solutions to meet their customers’ needs.”
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