Delivery management platform MetaPack has published the results of its 2018 State of eCommerce Delivery Consumer Research Report, which found that customers would eventually reward e-tailers with increased loyalty if allowed to curate their own deliveries.
The research, which surveyed nearly 3,600 consumers of all ages in Canada, France, Germany, Spain, the USA, the UK, and the Netherlands, examined how the delivery choices encountered by shoppers influenced the purchasing decisions they made.
According to the findings, 61% said a positive delivery experience incentivized them to shop with an e-commerce retailer again, while 49% said they would prioritize shopping with one online provider over another if it offered a loyalty program featuring free next-day delivery. It was also important for 54% of customers to choose which carrier delivered their online purchases.
Most consumers expected free delivery for their everyday purchases with 62% saying free delivery is the top consideration for the majority of purchases they make.
As a result, 49% said they did not expect to pay for standard delivery any longer. In contrast, 70% are prepared to pay extra to ensure speed and convenience, such as one-hour, same day or Sunday delivery.
Cross-border deliveries
Results showed that international e-commerce is growing in popularity with nearly half (49%) of respondents making between one and five purchases overseas this year.
However, retailers must ensure they can meet the demand for quality cross-border services, including providing transparent delivery costs. The top barriers to cross-border shopping were cited as expensive delivery (45%), slow delivery (28%) and having to pay for delivery (25%).
North American shoppers are most diligent about extra charges with 83% of US and 80% of Canadian consumers checking if these will be applied to the goods they order. French (43%), German (38%) and Dutch (38%) shoppers are most likely to abandon their basket if there is an unexpected charge for taxes.
Green deliveries
Over a quarter (26%) of consumers said they cared a great deal about how their online deliveries contributed to increased carbon emissions and traffic congestion. This was particularly important to US consumers, with 41% citing it as a key concern. When asked why they preferred a consolidated delivery option – that is, having all their items delivered at once – over a third (35%) said it was because multiple deliveries made them concerned about the environment.
To download a copy of the full report, click here.