Consumers are spending £3.632bn per year on delivery charges but are “still disappointed” with delivery services in the UK, according to research commissioned by Trimble, a provider of fleet and field service management solutions.
The study by OnePoll, which surveyed 1,000 British adults, revealed that paying an average of £2.99 per order for shipping fees is not a problem for consumers, but tardy arrivals, missing deliveries and the inability to specify a time and date for arrival are leaving them feeling let down by online retailers.
Other major consumer gripes with home delivery services include goods being left when no-one is home (30%) and not being able to specify a short delivery window (14%). All of these issues are set to worsen as the findings indicate that shopping and ordering services online are on the rise.
Nearly two-thirds of UK consumers are shopping more online now than they did five years ago, and this will continue to rise as nine in 10 British consumers anticipate that they will spend the same amount or more online between now and 2017.
Convenience (36%) is cited as the key motivation for shopping via the web, but crowded high streets and shopping centres (20%) and busy lifestyles (15%) are also driving UK consumers online.
When it comes to delivery charges, one quarter of UK adults believe that delivery costs are too high, but the OnePoll research revealed that consumers are prepared to pay to get the items they want, when they want; 40% of consumers are willing to pay for next day delivery, 22% would pay for delivery within a two-hour slot; 13% would pay for a Saturday delivery and nearly three-quarters of respondents agree that fast delivery is a key factor when shopping online.
Mark Forrest, general manager of Trimble’s Field Service Management Division, said: “Effective delivery is critical to a positive service experience, but the study shows that many companies are not meeting their customer’s needs. Technology is available today that can help retailers improve their service for consumers.
“The key is keeping commitments; making ones that the company can keep and then ensuring the customer is informed along the way. As the online era is here to stay retailers have a real opportunity to improve their brand recognition and leapfrog the competition by providing excellent customer service.”
Source: Skillsmart Retail Limited
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