Customers are now coming to expect that retailers will use environmentally-friendly packaging and delivery options, new research suggests.
Some 61% of respondents to PFS’ Conscious Commerce research – which questioned 4,000 people in total, half from the US and half from the UK – say they now expect to have the option of sustainable packaging when they buy online. In the UK the figure was slightly higher at 65%, and slightly lower (56%) in the US.
At the same time, 69% of UK respondents are willing to wait for online orders to be delivered in one package rather than having a number of deliveries, compared to 62% in the US.
Meanwhile, half of retailers questioned for the study by Arlington Research said they had seen rising numbers of customer queries about sustainable products, but only 54% of retailers offer free of charge sustainable packaging options. Some 64% said they had seen an increase in customers choosing eco-friendly delivery options
Zach Thomann, chief operating officer at ecommerce fulfilment specialist PFS, says: “Sustainability and eco-friendly options are becoming increasingly important to consumers and retailers need to find smart solutions to appeal to this growing focus. A sustainability negotiation needs to occur between retailer and consumer – if retailers adapt their business model by incorporating paperless options like QR codes as well as taking steps to educating their customer on best practice when it comes to ensuring their purchase journey is sustainable, then businesses are well on their way to appealing to and retaining their customer base.”
