Visualsoft fires festive delivery warning

Many of the UK’s top 240 retailers may be jeopardising 30% of their Christmas sales due to limited delivery options, according to research by Visualsoft. This found that 17% did not offer premium delivery options, despite this being expected by the majority of shoppers.

30% of 1,000 people surveyed would deliberately choose retailers which offer the latter. Moreover, 46% of shopping basket abandonment is attributed to frustration with limited shipping options. The flexibility to mix online and bricks and mortar experiences was also found to be a key factor in consumer buying decisions, with 32% expecting Click and Collect to be an option, even if actual uptake is only 9% of purchases. Store collect was offered by 62% of retailers evaluated in the report. Only 19% offered incentivised free delivery, e.g. for large orders or new customers.

Tim Johnson, Chief Sales Officer at Visualsoft, says: “December is a spending period that retailers cannot afford to get wrong. As online shopping becomes more widely used, so does the variety of needs and tastes it needs to accommodate. Delivery preferences typify this, with a growing split between those seeking speed and shoppers who put economy first. Failing to meet these expectations (even if they’re less frequently used) can be a costly mistake. It is therefore highly surprising that the UK’s biggest players are still not offering a premium option on delivery during this key period. Many of us have been there: it’s close to the wire and you decide against making a purchase as you’re unsure if that all-important gift for a loved one will make it on time. If retailers can offer a guaranteed solution to this concern then they stand in excellent stead to take advantage of the Christmas opportunity this year.”

There are ways around the issue, Johnson stresses. For example, if retailers do not have a chain of physical stores, they should look into Click and Collect through a network of collection points like Collect+. It's also worth incentivising spend with free premium delivery for the highest order values, as this will both build reassurance that a parcel will arrive on time and increase basket spend.