Retailers and brands simply can’t afford to be complacent about delivery options or they will lose customers, is the latest warning from MetaPack’s 2017 State of Ecommerce Delivery Consumer Research Report, released this week.
The study showed that for more than half (54%) of shoppers delivery defines who they always shop with whilst 39% said they would abandon an online retailer permanently after a negative delivery experience.
The study also showed that the try before you buy concept, which is slowly filtering through to the market, could also prove popular with consumers with 57% of those surveyed saying they would be likely or very likely to use a try before you buy service.
Delivery loyalty schemes are also catching on, according to the research. Nearly a third (31%) said that they would pay a monthly fee to get unlimited next-day deliveries, whilst 55% said that they would prioritise one etailer over another if they offered a delivery loyalty programme.
More than half (52%) of respondents said they now wanted fast delivery as a top or second important priority whilst the demand for same day services is also growing.
The report also highlighted interesting new trends around personalisation. Last year only 2% of respondents said they expected online providers to know who they were and to schedule deliveries in line with their usual or preferred arrangements. Today that figure is 15%.
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