Retailers must wake up to the importance of delivery flexibility for online purchases

45% of shoppers change their mind due to poor delivery options

According to analysis from Whistl, 45% of shoppers have changed their mind about making a purchase online due to dissatisfaction with the delivery options available.  Having spent time and money converting a sale, it can fall at the last hurdle when the retailer does not provide flexible delivery options.

The impact of parcel tracking and transparency of the delivery process has become more important to consumers as they increasingly rely upon home delivery of parcels following the closure of non-essential retail due to the lockdowns.

In 2020 84% of the UK population shopped online receiving over 2.8bn parcels, an average of 17 per person per year.  Of these, 65% chose to shop online due to the convenience of home delivery.

The analysis also found that the ability to track these online purchases had a significant impact on improving the confidence of making a purchase for over 70% of consumers.

The most popular options consumers look for in a parcel tracking service are:

Melanie Darvall, Director of Marketing and Communications, Whistl, said:

“Our analysis shows that parcel tracking has considerable benefits for online retailers in converting sales.  It provides transparency and reassurance for customers leading to reduced customer enquiries.  Time spent and money spent on handling tracking enquiries can be better invested in converting additional sales.

“With Whistl you can provide more transparency to your customers, with a choice of parcel tracking options, including 24-hour and 48-hour delivery windows and options for delivery diversions.  With Whistl, your customers will have more control of their deliveries.”

For more information visit Whistl Parcel Tracking Research