The importance of reliable Christmas deliveries for retaining consumer confidence in online shopping has been highlighted by new research from TomTom Telematics.
The study*, which surveyed more than a thousand UK consumers, found that more than one in four UK consumers (27 per cent) have experienced late Christmas gift deliveries when ordering online. Furthermore, almost a third of those surveyed (31 per cent) are put off buying Christmas presents online because of the risk of unreliable deliveries.
Almost half (45 per cent) plan to order their gifts online five weeks or more in advance to help avoid getting caught out by delivery issues.
Shoppers over 35 years of age are the most tolerant of this potential disruption with just 26 per cent put off online Christmas shopping by the risk of poor delivery standards, compared with 39 per cent of millennials, aged 16 to 34.
Commenting on the survey results, Taco van der Leij, VP Marketing at TomTom Telematics, said: “Online spending in the run up to Christmas could stretch the resources of e-retailers, and puts delivery operations under pressure. Our research suggests up to 80 per cent of consumers will buy online again this year. Robust delivery processes can help to retain consumer confidence and future revenues over the festive shopping period.”
Van der Leij continued: “The research addresses consumer concerns and highlights the importance of smooth and well-managed delivery processes for retailers. Over the Christmas period, every minute counts when it comes to supply chain processes – inconvenient timeslots might result in missed deliveries, and even a small improvement in productivity can make a big difference to deadlines.
“Vehicle fleet data can hold the key to efficient logistics. A modern Fleet Management System provides greater visibility on delivery vehicle locations. Integrated with ERP and tour planning software – and supported by professional navigation – dispatching can be optimised, scheduling made smarter and customers can be provided with more accurate arrival times for deliveries.”