Survey: Consumers prefer same-day delivery for holiday shopping
Retailers that offer same-day delivery are likely to have an edge over those that don’t during the 2018 holiday season.
That’s according to the third annual holiday survey by Dropoff, which found that over half of consumers are more likely to purchase gifts from retailers that offer same-day delivery during the holidays. In a related finding, cart abandonment due to slow delivery options for gifts is on the rise. Sixty-seven percent of consumers have abandoned a gift purchase during the holiday season for this reason (a 16% increase from last year’s surveys).
The survey also revealed the cost of gift deliveries that go wrong, with only 20% of consumers likely to purchase from a retailer again after a negative delivery experience. Also, regardless of who actually delivers the gift, be it a third-party delivery company or the retailer itself, consumers tend to blame the retailer for negative delivery experiences. Eighty percent of consumers feel it reflects poorly on the retailer if a gift arrives late, and 74% feel it reflects poorly on the retailer if a gift arrives damaged.
In other findings:
“Going into the 2018 holiday shopping season, it’s never been more important for retailers to understand shoppers’ needs when purchasing gifts,” said Sean Spector, CEO of Dropoff, a same-day, last mile delivery service. “Consumers plan to do more last-minute shopping than ever and have high expectations for quick delivery options to accommodate.”
That’s according to the third annual holiday survey by Dropoff, which found that over half of consumers are more likely to purchase gifts from retailers that offer same-day delivery during the holidays. In a related finding, cart abandonment due to slow delivery options for gifts is on the rise. Sixty-seven percent of consumers have abandoned a gift purchase during the holiday season for this reason (a 16% increase from last year’s surveys).
The survey also revealed the cost of gift deliveries that go wrong, with only 20% of consumers likely to purchase from a retailer again after a negative delivery experience. Also, regardless of who actually delivers the gift, be it a third-party delivery company or the retailer itself, consumers tend to blame the retailer for negative delivery experiences. Eighty percent of consumers feel it reflects poorly on the retailer if a gift arrives late, and 74% feel it reflects poorly on the retailer if a gift arrives damaged.
In other findings:
- Last-minute holiday shoppers are 78% more likely to purchase gifts from companies that offer same-day delivery compared to those who don’t.
- Seventy-one percent of consumers are “highly likely” to recommend a retailer to others after purchasing a holiday gift and having it delivered the same day.
- Eighty-five percent of consumers are more likely to purchase from a retailer again, and five times more likely to recommend a retailer to others, if their holiday gift purchase can be tracked in real-time throughout the delivery.
- Millennials are 118% more likely to have paid extra for same-day delivery on a gift. They’re also 48% more likely to purchase gifts from retailers that offer same-day delivery during the holidays (59% of millennials vs. 40% of non-Millennials).
- 45% of luxury shoppers are likely to have purchased gifts in the last year that were delivered same-day. That is 105% more than non-luxury shoppers. They’re also 23% more likely to purchase gifts from retailers that offer same-day delivery during the holidays (58% of luxury shoppers vs. 47% of non-luxury shoppers).
- Nearly a third (31%) of consumers have purchased a gift in the last year that was delivered same-day. Additionally, customer loyalty has shown to increase beyond the holiday season after experiencing same-day delivery for a gift. 75% of consumers are highly likely to shop with a retailer again after purchasing a gift that arrived same-day.
“Going into the 2018 holiday shopping season, it’s never been more important for retailers to understand shoppers’ needs when purchasing gifts,” said Sean Spector, CEO of Dropoff, a same-day, last mile delivery service. “Consumers plan to do more last-minute shopping than ever and have high expectations for quick delivery options to accommodate.”