The Descartes Systems Group, a global company that connects businesses with logistics-intensive operations to commerce, released the results of its third annual consumer perception study on e-commerce deliveries, entitled “Online purchases grow, but many consumers still face delivery issues.”
The survey shows that 39% of respondents made more online purchases in the analyzed period this year compared to last year, and 57% started buying in at least one new product category. Despite the increase in the volume and frequency of online purchases in all demographic groups, 67% of consumers reported facing delivery issues.
The study also highlights that delivery problems may represent a barrier to future online purchases. When asked about what would deter them from buying more online, 21% cited negative delivery experiences, 20% stated that deliveries are not reliable, and 17% said they were dissatisfied with the delivery process. Additionally, 63% of those who faced delivery problems took some action that resulted in negative consequences for the retailer or the logistics company (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Consumer actions when facing delivery problems
 Source: Descartes & SAPIO Research |
“Although the third year of this study shows small improvements year after year in various areas related to residential delivery performance, the level of consumer dissatisfaction is still high,” says Chris Jones, EVP of Descartes for the Industry. “Mediocre performance and inconsistent delivery experiences are solvable problems. There are proven strategies in the market, good operational practices, and technological solutions that retailers and delivery companies can adopt to offer an efficient delivery experience, tailored to consumer preferences,” concludes the executive.
The research was conducted by Descartes in partnership with SAPIO Research, involving 8,000 consumers from Europe and North America, analyzing online shopping behavior during the first three months of 2024. The aim was to gain a comprehensive view of the current state of e-commerce and home delivery performance, including reasons for the increase or decrease in online purchases, types of products purchased, shopping frequency, delivery preferences, experiences encountered, and the impact of delivery failures on retailers and their logistics partners. The study also assesses how consumer behavior and perception vary according to demographic profiles.
To access the full report, please read: “Online purchases grow, but many consumers still face delivery issues.”
