A new report from MetaPack, a provider of e-commerce delivery management software, has found that retailers and brands cannot afford to become complacent about the strategic role that delivery plays in their e-commerce strategies.
The 2017 State of eCommerce Delivery Consumer Research Report found that half of all shoppers will abandon online shopping baskets if the delivery choices on offer are unsatisfactory, and that 60% will buy their goods from one online retailer over another if they offer more convenient delivery options.
The report also found that 54% of consumers decide on who they shop with because of the delivery options on offer and that 39% will never shop again with an online merchant following a negative delivery experience. Forty-three percent have also used social media platforms to voice their displeasure at a poor delivery experience and 54% say they want e-commerce sites to offer a one-hour delivery window in metropolitan areas.
The research, which was carried out among 3,577 consumers in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and the USA, asked respondents for their views on a wide range of topics from try-before-you-buy through to loyalty programs.
Shopping post-Brexit
With Brexit looming over UK retailers and brands, merchants can take heart from the sentiments expressed by US and European consumers. They indicated that it would be ‘shopping as usual’ from the UK once it exits the European Union with 58% saying it would make no difference to their shopping behaviors. French (67%), Dutch (65%) and Italian (62%) shoppers were most likely to keep buying goods but even 54% of German and 48% of Spanish shoppers said they’d keep buying British. Just over a quarter (27%) of US shoppers said that post Brexit, they’ll be buying even more goods from the UK.
Bruce Fair, chief revenue officer at MetaPack, said, “This is the first time that we have been able to address the topic of the UK leaving the EU with such a large number of overseas consumers and it is heartening to see the sentiments expressed. However, when we asked what the deterrents would be to purchasing from the UK, we found that over three quarters (77%) of shoppers said if goods became more expensive than those they could purchase locally, and 63% said if delivery costs increased.”
When examining the US market, research found that three quarters (75%) of shoppers prioritize purchasing from retailers that offer a delivery loyalty program and that 63% of US shoppers want the freedom to choose which carrier delivers their online orders. In contrast, only 44% of UK shoppers prioritize loyalty programs and 25% want the freedom to choose which carrier delivers their orders.
To download the full report from MetaPack, click here.
November 14, 2017