A survey of over 1000 UK consumers, commissioned by nShift in partnership with Retail Week, finds that deliveries are a critical part of the online shopping experience. With consumer spending affected by the cost-of-living crisis, deliveries are becoming increasingly important for retailers to differentiate and increase sales.
Some 58% of shoppers would buy again from retailers that deliver purchases efficiently. Almost half of respondents (48%) agreed that if they had a bad delivery experience, they would be reluctant to recommend a brand or retailer to friends and family.
When asked to select their top three delivery choices, some 69% of respondents opted for free delivery, even if it led to a longer wait. 41% of respondents selected click-and-collect from the retailer’s store or a designated pick-up point such as a locker. Almost a quarter (24%) chose the ability to specify a delivery time and date.
Some 43% of respondents agreed that a failure to find their preferred shipment option has caused them to abandon a retailer in the past six months.
This research shows that retailers have an opportunity to grow their revenue and improve customer relationships through delivery management.
To do that, they need to make the post-purchase experience, spanning deliveries, tracking and returns, easy and intuitive for shoppers. It’s essential that they give customers a wide choice of delivery options. This could include free, express, low emissions, and click and collect. Providing the right range of delivery options can increase cart conversions by 20%.
The post-purchase experience also creates opportunities to engage customers with offers and promotions.
nShift provides a delivery management platform that can power excellence in delivery and returns by: