Shoppers happy to fork out for quick delivery, HSO

45% of shoppers are willing to pay an extra £3-6 for a specific or quicker delivery time, despite 65% having had a bad delivery experience, according to research by HSO involving 100 people.

13% of consumers would, meanwhile, be happy to fork out between £6-10, while 8% stated that they would not pay anything extra to secure a faster time. Of those two thirds that had a bad experience, 38% have had goods arrive late while 22% received packages left in the wrong place. Some also noted that despite being ready to receive their parcel, they got a message from the courier citing that it could not be delivered.

The option to click and collect products from a store remains a popular choice among shoppers with 52% opting to use this method two to ten times in the past year. And when it comes to the most valuable retail services at no extra cost, a free postal returns service came out top alongside guaranteed same day delivery. Delivery within a two-hour specified time frame was close behind, followed by mobile experiences and loyalty programmes.

“The importance of consumers being able to benefit from a quick and hassle free delivery service is clearly demonstrated. Shoppers are no longer satisfied with inaccurate delivery times and these results indicate that those retailers who can offer such services, even with an associated cost can seize the initiative," says Hector Hickmott, Sales Director at HSO.