Despite healthy skepticism (48%) of the reliability of home delivery, most consumers (59%) plan to use online shopping for most of their holiday purchases, according to new results from Blue Yonder. As for the timing of their shopping, half (50%) of respondents believe placing an online order by Dec. 15 will ensure their packages arrive by Christmas.
“The survey results tell us that consumers are well aware of the benefits and potential drawbacks of the multitude of shopping options,” says Shannon Wu-Lebron, corporate VP, global retail industry strategy, Blue Yonder. “Whether visiting a store in-person, buying online, or using BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store), consumers are thoughtfully considering several determining factors: price, convenience, and timing. Online shopping was previously considered the pinnacle of convenience; however, today 48% of consumers believe delivery estimates to be potentially unreliable and 38% are afraid their packages will be damaged en route. For some consumers, the risk is worth the benefit — others will make different choices.”
Key takeaways:
- Almost half (48%) of respondents expressed unwillingness to pay for expedited shipping, favoring instead to complete their shopping well ahead of shipping deadlines. This trend was further pronounced for the Baby Boomer generation, 64% of whom were unwilling to pay for expedited shipping. Just 13% of all respondents were willing to pay between $11-20 for expedited shipping with most (37%) only willing to pay $5-10.
- More than one-third (38%) reported a preference for in-store (vs. online) shopping this holiday season due to more flexible return options, with 35% specifying that the availability of free in-store returns was a key priority for them.
- A majority (52%) of respondents said they expected any packages purchased online to arrive within 2-4 days of placing an order. More than 39% said they expected packages to arrive within 5-7 days.
- When asked whether they’d be willing to use alternative shopping methods like buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS), 45% said they’d only do so if the pickup location was convenient and 20% said they would not be willing to opt into an alternative delivery method.
“Customer experience, which ultimately leads to brand loyalty, matters more than ever,” says Wu-Lebron. “The survey results suggest that online shopping may be waning in popularity for higher-stakes purchases. Whether through delays or damaged goods, consumers’ negative experiences with home shipping are powerful enough to drive them back into stores, which unlocks valuable opportunities for retailers.”
