Three-quarters (74%) of UK consumers say a good delivery experience encourages them to shop again with a retailer, according to a new study.
The fifth annual IMRG UK Consumer Home Delivery Review also found more than half of respondents (56%) had been, or may have been, influenced in their choice of retailer by comments on social networks.
The study singled out delivery factors that would encourage consumers to buy online. Among them were delivery information, both before they buy and in real time before the delivery as well as the ability to specify a delivery day or time.
“However,” said the report, “the difficulty in meeting these needs emerges when consumers are reluctant to pay any significant additional fee to receive these services. The digital world which online consumers experience sets an expectation that such solutions are provided as a matter of course.”
Delivery to home was by far the most popular option for those taking part in the study, with 84% saying they normally had items delivered there, while 21% opted for work as their normal delivery point. But there was growing awareness and acceptance of Click & Collect solutions, normally used by 12.5% of respondents.
Almost half of respondents said they had concerns over delivery. Primarily, those centred on the cost of home delivery (60%), followed by concerns about what happens when they are not at home (56%). Some 47% also said they worried an order might not be on time, while 35% cited ‘too slow’ deliveries.
“The additional cost of home delivery has once again taken pole position in the minds of consumers but with the risk of failed delivery close behind,” said the report. “This is not surprising given that almost 50% of households run the risk of there being no one at home to accept deliveries, a fact confirmed by 48% of respondents perceiving that deliveries are typically not made at the first attempt and 52% citing this as a reason they have experienced and inconvenient delivery.”
Returns services are also growing in popularity, with 72% satisfied with their returns experience.
The report, which covered 497 households, home to 1,290 people, of whom 864 were active online shoppers over the age of 18, was sponsored by Blackbay and is free to IMRG members or available to purchase here .
