Retailers are forecasting fast growth in click and collect in the final run up to Christmas, according to new research.
Last year 5.7m people used click and collect in Christmas week; this year 49% more orders will be placed online for in-store pick-up, predicts a Conlumino study commissioned by Barclays’ retail and wholesale banking sector team.
“According to a recent report, one in 10 consumers fell victim to late deliveries last Christmas and it’s clear to see how click and collect offers a practical, alternative solution,” said Richard Lowe, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays.
“Amazon has recently partnered with Royal Mail , allowing shoppers to collect their parcels from their local Post Office and I believe we will increasingly see this kind of tie-up. These developments can only be good news for consumers, offering them increasing levels of choice and the confidence that their gifts will make it under the Christmas tree in time.”
The study questioned 350 retailers in September and October and found that 70% were feeling more confident about Christmas trading compared to last year, when just over half (52%) were feeling optimistic about the trading period ahead.
The research follows on from a previous Last Mile study which questioned 50 retailers and logistics providers. Some 43% said they were investing in click and collect, while 84% believed it had become a permanent fixture in the market. Some 71% said it was critical to business success and 38% said they expected its use to grow more over the next four years than any other delivery option.
Looking to the broader picture, the study predicts that home delivery will fall from 72% of parcel deliveries to 64% by 2018, while click and collect will grow ffrom 26% to 35%.
