UK online shoppers see deliveries slow: study

UK online shoppers have seen deliveries slow, new research suggests, with four in 10 experiencing delays and 71% having negative delivery experiences.

SendCloud surveyed more than 1,000 online shoppers in the UK and found that 41% said their latest order was delayed while 71% have had a negative delivery experience in the previous three months. They include delays (41%), deliveries at different time slots (21%), parcels let in insecure locations (19%) or simply not arriving at all (10%). 

One in five (19%) said they had to wait between two and five days longer than the estimated delivery time, and 22% were not warned of delays. Respondents also raised issues including invalid tracking numbers (11%), incorrect tracking information (10%), and not being able to change the time of delivery (10%).

Rising costs due to inflation will also affect 47% of respondents’ shopping plans this year, while increased labour costs (46%), product shortages (45%), and supply chain delays (40%) are also top concerns. 

“Delivery expectations, inflation and staff shortages are pushing shipping providers to the edge. Bottlenecks are being created further down the line, and delivery experiences continue to decline as consumer wait times increase,” says Sabi Tolou co-founder of Sendcloud.

“Working with multiple carriers means retailers can switch between shipping networks if supply chains become congested and better balance demand between logistics suppliers. By offering multiple shipping options, consumers can decide where, when and how they want to receive their order and therefore a more positive experience. A pro-tip is to offer shipping to service points, as the delivery guarantee here is 100%, which reduces the pressure on delivery staff and shortens the delivery time.”

Further delays to delivery are likely as Royal Mail staff prepare for a further round of industrial action on September 30 and October 1, as they call at a time of high inflation for a higher pay rise than the 5.5% – of which 2% would be tied to productivity improvements – already offered. Royal Mail has warned that significant disruption is likely to be caused as a result.

Action previously planned for September 9 was called off following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.