More than half of shoppers (59%) want faster fulfilment and nearly a third (32%) also want ultra express delivery services that take less than two hours, according to a new report.
Nearly half (47%) of shoppers also said that they shouldn’t have to pay if a delivery took more than a day to arrive.
The conclusions come from a survey of 2,000 UK shoppers by Sorted.
It found that two fifths (39%) thought they shouldn’t have to wait more than 24 hours for a delivery, suggesting ‘next day’ delivery no longer adds value to online shoppers.
More than half (55%) said that speed of delivery was the most important factor when shopping online. If they need an item earlier just over half (57%) said that they were prepared to pay for delivery if they needed an item quickly.
David Grimes, CEO at Sorted, said retailers need to ensure they offer a range of delivery options to their customers. “By letting a customer choose from a wider range of the best available delivery options, at different pricing bandings, the consumer becomes in control of crafting and defining what perfect delivery looks like to them on that buying occasion,” he said.
However, he also said he had to ensure retailers could meet their delivery promises too. “Practically, retailers should consider opting for delivery partners who are experts at delivering to certain postcode areas and for different types of products. Choosing a partner geared to perform at speed in a specific geographic area will make the process quicker, while carriers who specialise at delivering specific types of items, generally depending on their size and weight, are more likely to be meet deadlines and operate more cost-effectively,” he said.
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