Shoppers from across the UK are spending a staggering £.523 million per year, that amounts to £136 per household in the UK, on delivery charges for online shopping.
The research commissioned by Trimble and carried out by OnePoll, which surveyed over 1,000 UK adults revealed that rising petrol costs, bargains and convenience are they key reasons for paying the average £2.99 delivery charge per order.
The findings supports research of more consumers turning to online shopping, with two thirds say they are buying online more than five years ago and 90% said they expect to spend more or the same over the next five years.
The main reasons people prefer to shop online include convenience (29%), crowded high streets (20%) and busy lifestyles (15%).
Ironically however, 29% of UK adults believe the delivery costs are too high, but are still prepared to pay them. In fact 40% of UK adults are willing to pay for next day delivery and 22% would pay for an express two hour delivery service.
“Effective delivery is critical to a positive service experience, but the study shows that many companies are not meeting their customer’s needs,” said Mark Forrest, general manager of Trimble’s Field Service Management Division.
“The key is keeping commitments; making ones that the company can keep and then ensuring the customer is informed along the way. As the online era is here to stay retailers have a real opportunity to improve their brand recognition and leapfrog the competition by providing excellent customer service.”
