So says industry expert Gary Benardout, co-founder of HGVtraining.co.uk, who adds that needless strain is being put on the UK’s already-creaking road system to carry out the explosion in next-day deliveries.
Online orders in the UK are predicted to rise to £60bn this year, peaking in November with black Friday and December with Christmas. Last year, several large retailers and transport companies disappointed customers by not delivering on time.
Yet a survey of 2,010 UK shoppers, carried out by Atomik Research on behalf of HGVtraining.co.uk, found that only 4% of respondents thought next-day delivery was important when shopping online, compared to 67% who are persuaded by the price, 57% who look for free delivery, and 26% who look for a good returns policy.
In response, the firm suggests that retailers would be better focusing on areas other than speed of delivery.
Gary Benardout said: “With the UK needing 50,000 new drivers in the next four years, the increasing availability of faster delivery options could mean that retailers are unable to cope. But while most people wouldn’t say no to next-day delivery if it was offered, our research actually shows that it’s not a persuasive factor for the vast majority.”
He continued: “The driver shortage is well publicised but a viable solution is yet to materialise. If something isn’t done, retailers large and small may find that they have overpromised and under delivered, leaving them unable to fulfil orders promptly.”
The research also shows that a quarter of us do rate “a range of delivery options” as being important, suggesting that it’s not so much speed as flexibility that people really want.
Benardout added: “Sometimes people want to receive an item as soon as possible, sometimes they’re happy to wait a few days if it’s more convenient. If retailers can offer a range of options, they’ll not only keep their customers happy, they’ll reduce some of the strain felt by the transport sector.”
