New research from Australian, agnostic parcel-collection network Hubbed has revealed that 58% of Australians worry their parcels could be stolen when delivered in their absence, and 41% believe they are not provided enough delivery options to ensure security.
According to the findings, which come from an independent, nationally representative panel of 1,010 Australian shoppers commissioned by Hubbed, the younger the shopper, the more likely they are to worry over the security of their deliveries: 68% of 18-30-year-olds fear their parcel will be stolen if delivered when they are not home, compared with 45% of over-50s.
The Hubbed survey indicated that fears of parcel theft are also affecting how and where Australians choose to have their parcels delivered if they are not at home. Nearly half (45%) admitted they do not have a safe spot outside their home for parcel deliveries. To ensure the security of their items, one quarter (23%) of respondents said they request signature-on-delivery or re-delivery to the post office. A fifth (18%) choose to have some parcels delivered directly to their post office, while 15% would prefer to pick up parcels from a local collection point, such as a retail outlet, and 14% opt for delivery to their workplace.
Despite signature-on-delivery being cited as the most popular delivery choice to secure parcels, many courier services across Australia have had to remove the service this year due to social restrictions. When asked if they would prefer for parcels to be delivered to a secure 24-hour location instead of their home, in the absence of signature-on-delivery options, 54% of Australians said yes. Three-quarters (75%) of younger shoppers aged 18-30 also said the same, compared with just 37% of over 50s. An equal 61% of West Australians and South Australians also favor a collection point as a delivery option, compared with 52% of New South Wales residents and 41% of Australian Capital Territory residents.
CEO and founder of Hubbed David McLean said, “It is understandable that many Australians are concerned about the security of their parcels this year, given many have shifted their spending habits and turned to online shopping. It is interesting to see a significant portion of shoppers believe there aren’t enough options available to them to ensure the safety of their parcels. With this in mind, retailers should consider offering multiple delivery choices such as collection points and parcel lockers to alleviate fears around the security of deliveries. This is particularly important given ‘authority to leave’ became the default delivery method for many carriers this year amid social restrictions.
“When given the option, Australians could choose alternative delivery methods at checkout, particularly if they know they won’t be home to receive a parcel. Click and collect is a great delivery option for consumers who worry about parcel security and are also looking for a more convenient way to receive online orders.”