Fulfilment – both in terms of delivery and returns - tops shoppers’ considerations when buying online, according to research from Retail Technology Show.

A survey of over 2,000 Brits showed that free delivery was the top reason seven in ten would choose to buy from a retailer online, followed by a simple and easy returns process (40%) and being able to access exclusive deals online that weren’t available in-store (35%).

Tracked shipping updates came fourth, with 34% saying having live-tracking on their order would make them more likely to buy with a retailer moving forwards, while flexible and convenient delivery options were important for 30%.

45% of those polled said that a lack of free delivery options remained their top bugbear when shopping online.

And with some retailers, including Zara starting to charge for returns as well as deliveries as it looks to offset some of the costs of reverse logistics, consumers could be left further disappointed.

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Matt Bradley, Event Director at Retail Technology Show, comments: “Despite the rising costs of fulfilment, consumers still demand free, fast and frictionless fulfilment when shopping with retailers online.”

“And this is causing an increasing headache for retailers who are facing multifaceted cost and inflationary pressures on their businesses, causing a trade-off between meeting customer demands and taking a hit on margins.”

“Fulfilment is the next battleground. The stakes have been raised by the rise and rise of Q-commerce, and with consumers now used to the concept of fast fulfilment, the challenge for retailers will be to offer a broader range of options – both for delivery and for returns - but which they can manage and, indeed, profit from.”

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