Delivery is quickly becoming one of the biggest deal-breakers for online shoppers in the UK, with around two-thirds (65%) saying they wouldn’t order from a marketplace if they don’t offer a convenient delivery option.
The popularity of marketplaces is rising with 41% of consumers claiming they plan to shop more on marketplaces in the upcoming months and more than a third (35%) even say they prefer shopping on marketplaces over regular online stores.
Convenience (81%) is the most important reason they choose to shop on online marketplaces, followed by competitive prices (63%) and a wide product range (52%), survey findings by ecommerce delivery platform Sendcloud show.
While convenience seems to be the driving force behind the success of marketplaces, delivery seems to be among the biggest deal breakers with consumers wanting to decide for themselves where, when and how an order is delivered.
Almost three quarters (71%) of consumers say flexibility in delivery is key for them. Consumers are looking for flexible delivery options and after standard delivery options (30%), the most popular ones are next-day delivery (21%), same-day delivery (10%), or local store pick-up (7%).
Speed is also an important deciding factor, with 40% of consumers refusing to order from marketplaces that don’t offer fast delivery. Surprisingly, speed also trumps the cost of deliveries for consumers, with just 28% saying free delivery is essential for them to place an order.
90% of consumers said they now regularly shop via online marketplaces, with Amazon (67%) by far the leading choice ahead of closest rivals eBay (19%) and Etsy (5%).
“The massive popularity of marketplaces reflects the success in which they fulfil consumer expectations and if there’s one thing our study shows it’s that delivery is a major deal-breaker here,” says Rob van den Heuvel, CEO, Sendcloud. “Consumers are increasingly demanding when it comes to shipping and fast and flexible delivery has become the new norm. While marketplaces like Amazon and Zalando may have mastered the delivery experience for consumers, the shipping process at the back often turns out to be poorly organised.
“In practice, many sellers struggle to meet delivery expectations as every marketplace has its own requirements in terms of shipping options. If marketplaces really want to turn delivery into a key USP, it’s essential they simplify the complexity of marketplace logistics and enable sellers to ship quickly without worry,” van den Heuvel concludes.
