Delivery options in online checkouts are constantly evolving and improving. We took a look at the delivery trends of 2021, and how this might impact the year ahead. How can retailers best prepare to provide premium quality delivery services?
The first trend we observed, from the nShift and IMRG Home Delivery Report, was the appetite for fast delivery. The graph below depicts customer expectations for when their orders should arrive, from a sample of 1,000 customers in 2021. Customers expect their favorite brands to provide rapid delivery fulfilment, most commonly within 1-3 days of purchase. 31% of shoppers answered that they expect their delivery within 3 days, whilst 22% said 2 days, and 17%, next day. There’s also a rising market for same day delivery with 8% of customers saying they want their order the day they purchase it, which is a seven-fold increase from the year before (2020 data, Maru, nShift and IMRG Home Delivery Report). This trend can be expected to continue, as buyers are looking to receive their items as soon as possible, with marketplace giants, such as Amazon, setting the precedent for rapid fulfilment.
Think about when you place an online order. What is your expectation for how long standard delivery options should take to arrive? (2021)
(Source: Maru, nShift and IMRG Home Delivery Report)
In the same survey, we found out whether customer attitudes towards delivery options had changed as a result of the pandemic. We learnt that the rise in working from home has encouraged even more home deliveries than usual, making office spaces and click and collect destinations less popular. 86% of respondents said that they prefer deliveries sent to their home, meaning it was the winning answer by far. The trends show that in 2022, customers will prefer to have their items sent to their home, as the result of a change in attitude from the pandemic. With nShift Checkout, your customers have the freedom to choose their preferred delivery option without compromising on quality and timing, and befitting their busy lifestyles.
What is now your most preferred delivery method online? (2021)
(Source: Maru, nShift and IMRG Home Delivery Report)
Sustainability is a huge trend at the moment, as it’s an issue on customers’ minds. However, it’s often hard for brands to actually enact and put into practice. It’s interesting to look at the previous few years of data, to find out where we might be heading in 2022, and what retailers should focus on. We asked customers whether they thought shopping in-store or online was more eco-friendly. In 2019 and 2020, more people thought that shopping in store was eco-friendly, whereas as of last year, customer attitudes have changed. They now believe that online shopping is better for the environment, which is good news for ecommerce. It’s now up to retailers to try and adapt their strategy to enact change in their shipping methods to make them more sustainable. Read our whitepaper to be inspired on how to get greener as a retailer.
Which do you think is more environmentally friendly?
(Source: Maru, nShift and IMRG Home Delivery Report)
In this blog, we’ve found that fast shipping, home delivery, and sustainable online shopping are likely to be the delivery trends of 2022. Retailers can consider these factors important, when managing future strategy, and understanding what will provide high quality service to customers. At nShift, we can help with all if the above and more, thanks to our world's largest carrier library which gives you instant access to 800+ delivery companies globally, so you can send anything, anywhere, anyhow.
