Black Friday deals may not be enough to win over shoppers who’ve had bad delivery experiences

Around 50% of the US-based consumers taking part in the JDA Software 2015 Consumer Survey indicated that they will be unforgiving of retailers who provide less than satisfactory online home delivery experiences, landing some businesses on the “do not shop, naughty list” this holiday season. In a statement issued yesterday (5 November) about the report findings, JDA said: “One in three  consumers disclosed that convenience is a major factor when placing an online order. Retailers who can’t meet expectations risk losing 33% of shoppers to a competitor that offers a more convenient or streamlined shopping experience – not only during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but also in purchase decisions throughout the year.”

JDA said that its survey also uncovered results that are “predictive of how businesses may fare this Black Friday and Cyber Monday season, based on the customer experience they delivered during the past year”.

JDA added: “This includes consumers identifying late delivery as the most common issue related to a poor online home delivery experienced in the last 12 months (45%). Among this group, 48% would be unlikely to shop with the offending retailer during a peak time, such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday, displaying a lack of trust in the retailer’s ability to fulfill their needs. This ultimately results in a loss in sales for the retailer during such a highly anticipated spending .”

The survey found that nearly one in four shoppers have opted to “Buy Online, Pick Up In Store” (BOPIS) – also known as Click and collect – because it “felt more convenient than home delivery”. However, nearly 40% of those shoppers said that they had experienced an “employee-related issue” with this service, with the most common complaint being that store staff took a long time or were unable to find their order in the store or store system.