Just in Time for Consumers, Too

A survey of online retailers’ delivery options  by multichannel logistics specialist iForce found that less than 10 percent of retailers offer customers the option of choosing between a.m. and p.m. delivery slots and even fewer, only 6.9 percent, offer evening deliveries. Although the study focused on the U.K., the issues apply to U.S. retailers as well. 

The company also found that shipping costs on retailers’ websites are often displayed only during the final stages of the online experience, and cut-off times for next day deliveries was frequently buried or missing. 

“Consumers are becoming accustomed to […] expecting it to be delivered to them in the way they prefer at a time that is convenient for them,” said Geoff Taylor, director of client services at iForce. “In the past they would have been content simply by having their order delivered to them within the retailer’s proposition; frustration would occur only if it was late,” he continued. “Today the growing demands of customers means frustration is generated even if parcel is early; it needs to arrive as promised within the desired time slot to fit in with their busy lives.”