How E-Commerce Deliveries Are Failing Today’s Consumer

A new study by Descartes, a provider of logistics-based on-demand, software-as-a-service offerings, showed some disparities in the intersection of online buying and home delivery processes.

The study, entitled “Online Buying Grows But Too Many Customers Still Experiencing Delivery Woes,” was based on feedback from 8,000 consumers surveyed by Descartes and SAPIO Research, across Europe and North America over the first quarter. This is the third annual edition of Descartes’ e-commerce home delivery report.

The report is replete with key findings and interesting takeaways, including:

• 39% of respondents made more online purchases in the period surveyed this year compared to the same period a year ago;
• 57% made purchases in at least one new product category this year;
• 57% cited convenience as the top reason for increasing purchases;
• 44% preferred lower-cost deliveries and 28% preferred faster deliveries;
• 66% favored delivery options that could result in lower costs to the retailer or delivery company; and
• 67% dealt with delivery problems

Of those consumers who experienced delivery problems, that included 21% had negative delivery experiences, 20% said deliveries were not reliable, and 17% noted they were dissatisfied with the delivery process. What’s more, 63% of surveyed consumers who dealt with delivery problems made that clear to the retailer or delivery company in various ways, including losing trust in the delivery company not ordering from the retailer again; lost trust in the retailers; and making less online purchases in general, among others.

“While the third year of this study reveals the industry is achieving small, year-over-year improvements across several dimensions related to home delivery performance, the level of consumer dissatisfaction remains high,” said Chris Jones, EVP Industry at Descartes., in a statement. “Mediocre delivery performance and inconsistent delivery experiences are, however, solvable problems. There are market-proven strategies, operational best practices, and technology solutions that retailers and delivery companies can consider to cost-effectively provide an optimal home delivery experience tailored to consumers’ delivery preferences.”

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