Home, sweet home
A new study from ECC Cologne and Hermes has indicated that 92% of German shoppers want their same-day delivery items brought to their homes (rather than a parcel store or locker), and they also want to have accurate time windows for their evening deliveries. Paying extra to have an item delivered within two hours of placing an order only appealed to about one in ten shoppers.
The study also found that almost half of the shoppers surveyed made their online purchases after 6 pm in the evening. This usually means that same-day delivery may not be an option, but next day may be. Thomas Horst, sales manager at Hermes Germany, said it was important that companies clearly spell out the terms of their same day or next day offering, so they can manage – and not disappoint – the shoppers’ expectations.
The study also gauged the shoppers’ appetite for new delivery innovations. The idea of using parcel boxes was quite well received, but there was a more muted response to using drones and robots and delivering goods to car boots.