Report: Consumer sentiment mixed on retail delivery performance

The cost of a poor delivery experience is rising as online buying trends accelerate and consumer expectations grow.

That’s according to a survey by logistics technology company Descartes, which found that nearly 73% of consumers experienced home delivery problems in the past three months, a factor that kept nearly a quarter of them from ordering through a particular retailer again. Problems include late delivery, long delivery windows, and product damage, among others. 

Descartes polled 8,000 consumers in Europe and North America for the study, Ecommerce Home Delivery Consumer Sentiment Report, which analyzes consumer e-commerce buying behavior, the factors driving e-commerce activity, along with the kinds of goods purchased, their frequency, and which are being delivered.

Despite the delivery problems, respondents said they expect to buy even more online in the future, primarily out of convenience. About three-quarters of consumers said they are most satisfied with retailers’ ordering and delivery tracking capabilities, for instance, and nearly half of them said they’ve increased their online purchases over the past two years, according to Descartes.

The study also found that environmental concerns increasingly play a role in consumers’ online purchasing behavior, especially among younger shoppers. Eighty-five percent of consumers between 18 and 24 years old said they consider the environment when placing an order, for instance; less than half of those 55 and older said the environment is a factor in online ordering.