New research from delivery expert ParcelHero has revealed a significant demand for deliveries on Christmas Day. The research found that 20% of shoppers would pay up to £5 (US$6) extra for a December 25 delivery.
ParcelHero’s head of consumer research, David Jinks, said, “Last year Brits spent £1bn (US$1.3bn) online on Christmas Day. For the first time a number of online retailers reported taking more orders on Christmas Day than Boxing Day, the traditional start of the sales season. How great would it be if shoppers could get their goods same day?
“Food delivery companies such as Uber Eats and Just Eat are already offering Christmas Day deliveries, so the next obvious step is online same-day deliveries on the 25th itself. And nearly 20% of shoppers told us they would pay up to £5 (US$6) extra for a Christmas Day delivery if it got them out of an embarrassing situation or enabled them to spend gift vouchers and get their items immediately.”
But Jinks said there is an elephant in the room for Christmas Day deliveries: “Who would want to be out delivering on Christmas Day? Changing retail customs on sensitive days is a delicate issue. When John Major’s UK government introduced Sunday trading back in 1994 it was highly controversial, but consumers eventually embraced Sunday shopping; perhaps the same will hold true for Christmas Day deliveries?”