Home delivery can play a vital role in driving online sales
New industry research suggests delivery issues prevent more consumers from shopping online. The latest industry research from courier delivery network Hermes UK suggests delivery companies can play a vital role in getting shoppers online, by working closely with retailers to overcome “considerable” concerns regarding the cost and flexibility of the delivery process.
The 2011 Parcel Deliveries Usage and Attitude Survey found that there was a significant opportunity to convince brick-and-mortar shoppers to start using the Internet by adopting a simpler returns process, with 63% of those surveyed suggesting it was a factor.
Other suggestions for enticing shoppers online were to improve the convenience of delivery solutions (56%) and incorporating an effective proof of delivery mechanism (56%).
When asked the primary reason for not buying online, half of the respondents stated a preference for the traditional shopping experience.
However, delivery (16%) and security (17%) were the next most common reasons, suggesting there was a significant untapped portion of the consumer population that could boost online sales if these barriers could be removed. In particular, 49% of non-online shoppers felt that delivery costs made online purchasing more expensive than buying on the high street.
Some 42% of those surveyed were worried they could lose their purchases if deliveries went astray.
Convenience
Elsewhere in the findings, regular online shoppers continue to want services that make home deliveries more convenient, especially for those not at home during the day.
A hefty 85% of respondents thought evening deliveries were appealing, increasing to 93% for those in full-time employment, whilst 75% backed an online system for arranging pick-ups in order to return unwanted purchases.
There was also a definite preference stated for deliveries to be left with a neighbour (61% in favour) or in a safe place (51%), instead of receiving a card asking to rearrange delivery or collect from a depot (30%).
Meanwhile, in urban areas there is widespread appeal for parcel shops that are open from early morning to late evening that could handle deliveries (66%) and returns (75%).
Receiving a delivery at work does not seem to be a universal solution for online shopping as far as employers are concerned. The survey findings suggest considerable variation in internal policies within businesses, with only 33% of respondents stating they were allowed to receive deliveries at their place of work, whilst 33% said they did not have permission and 36% did not know. Of those that could, 67% had received a delivery at work.
Express
The importance of next-day delivery for online shoppers has dropped since last year, with 41% claiming this is quite or very important compared to 51% last year.
In contrast, those respondents claiming cost to be very important when selecting a delivery service grew from 63 to 73%. This may point toward consumers looking for the most cost effective delivery solution as household income is squeezed in preference to the fastest option.
Jon Tobbell Commercial Director of Hermes in the UK commented: “Our research gives useful insight into buying habits, delivery requirements and attitudes of online shoppers, as well as a better understanding of the sentiments and needs of those that currently do not shop online. We have an ongoing commitment to working closely with our retail customers to create a home delivery solution that meets the precise needs of the consumer and support the continued uptake of Internet shopping.”
The 2011 Parcel Deliveries Usage and Attitude Survey was conducted amongst 1,000 online shoppers who had taken deliveries from e-retailers at least three times in the preceding three months and 500 non-online shoppers who never shop online for non-food items that require delivery.
