Consumers will wait longer for delivery under certain circumstances.
Dan Berthiaume|Senior Editor, Technology
Source: chainstoreage.com, August 2023

Most consumers will forego one-to-two-day delivery if they have access to certain other features.

Ninety-three of respondents would wait longer to receive a package if it was guaranteed they would get their package by a certain date, according to a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers from Ware2Go, a UPS company.

In addition, 90% said they would be willing to pass up one- to two-day delivery for one or more of the following options:

  • Free shipping (70%).
  • Real-time tracking (43%).
  • Ability to choose delivery date (31%).
  • In-store pickup (29%).
  • Consolidated shipments (24%).

However, 72% of respondents will opt for premium delivery services like same-day under certain circumstances:

  • Urgency of need (49%).
  • Product type (25%).
  • Product cost (16%).
  • Other (10%).

Respondents said retailers can establish more trust and certainty in their delivery by offering the following features:

  • Real-time tracking (55%).
  • Real-time updates if shipment is delayed (53%).
  • Ability to choose delivery date (37%).
  • Ability to recommend alternate ship-to locations to prevent porch piracy (23%).

Other findings

  • 73% of respondents are less likely to contact customer support if they are proactively notified of a delayed shipment.
  • 67% of respondents track their packages on a daily basis, while more than a quarter check multiple times a day.
  • 43% of respondents are less likely to contact customers service regarding a delayed package if the retailer notifies them that they shipment is delayed and provides an updated delivery date.

Data is from a July 2023 survey conducted by kNow Instant Insights on behalf of Ware2Go, a UPS Company, of 1,000 U.S. consumers age 18 and up across all income brackets.

Delivery and returns impact online shopping

A recent survey of 1,000 online shoppers from digital logistics platform Veho reveals that more than three-quarters (77%) of respondents are less likely to buy from a brand following a negative delivery experience.

A similar percentage (74%) of respondents said a strict return policy negatively impacts their desire to shop with a retailer, and more than half (53%) said brands and delivery companies are responsible for negative delivery experiences. Nearly half (49%) said they would be more likely to shop with a brand that allows customers to make doorstep returns with no packaging or printed label required.