According to an e-commerce report by shipping software supplier Sendcloud, which recently launched its services in the UK, 65% of British consumers experienced e-commerce delivery delays during the Covid-19 peak, resulting in an average delay of 1.9 days.
However, the report found that UK consumers are patient in times of crises; before the pandemic they were willing to wait a maximum of 4.0 days for their order to arrive, during the peak they were willing to wait almost a week (6.7 days).
The report noted that 57% of British consumers prefer to receive updates about the status of their delivery through SMS, while 54% would like to get their updates via email. Some 35% of UK shoppers also found carriers’ own tracking apps useful in keeping them up to date with deliveries.
In comparison to their European counterparts, British consumers appear to seek immediate access to their tracking updates and are on top of their online orders. In mainland Europe most consumers prefer email communication (64%), SMS comes second (43%), and carrier tracking apps are, in most countries, not popular at all, with only 24% saying they would like to use such an app to receive delivery updates.
Rob van den Heuvel, CEO, Sendcloud, commented, “Now more than ever it’s important the delivery experience is not only stress-free, but engaging for the end user. Consumers are most involved with their order when it’s on its way – using effective tracking and tracing technology in the delivery process offers the chance for online retailers to increase customer satisfaction and repeat purchases.
“Improvements in online customer experience are becoming vitally important to retailers as the UK e-commerce sector booms. Standard methods of delivery are beginning to appear outdated and when over 40% of UK consumers are willing to use a smart locker to receive a package when they are not home, e-commerce stores should look to diversify the delivery experience they offer.”