Gophr research shows consumers shopping for beauty products online want faster delivery

42% of UK consumers now expect beauty brands to offer guaranteed same-day or next-day delivery when they purchase online – rising to 57% of younger shoppers aged 16-24, according to research from Gophr.

The quick commerce specialist surveyed 2,000 Brits and found that faster delivery options are also a growing expectation for people who buy beauty products directly through Instagram or TikTok. 

One in seven Instagram shoppers expect same-day delivery to be the fastest option available, while 35% want to see guaranteed next-day delivery.

The numbers were similar for consumers buying directly through TikTok: 13% expect same-day delivery to be available, with 37% wanting guaranteed next-day delivery.

Demand for faster Instagram and TikTok delivery options was also seen most keenly among older users aged 35-44: 17% of those shoppers on both platforms expect to see same-day delivery.

Gophr also analysed the beauty market, looking at the e-commerce delivery options offered by the UK’s top 100 brands and comparing them to last year. It revealed that faster delivery solutions are increasingly thin on the ground despite the demand for it.

The analysis found that only 5% of the UK’s 100 top beauty brands offer guaranteed same-day delivery (Byredo, Chanel, Diptyque, Illamasqua and Jo Malone), which was down from six last year.

There were also 50 brands offering guaranteed next-day delivery as their fastest option, again down from the 52 that offered it in 2022. 

Graham Smith, Strategic Account Director at Gophr, says, “The expectation among online shoppers is that beauty products will be available to them there and then, which is why we explored the delivery options for those buying on social platforms as well as more traditional online routes.”

“However, brands are lagging behind in meeting this new demand, particularly for those who buy through social channels like Instagram and TikTok, where users watch an influencer’s videos or an online makeup tutorial with clickable links, and they want that item right away.”

“Also, the launch of TikTok Shop and Fulfilled by TikTok, the social platform’s logistics service, earlier this year has created yet another channel that beauty brands can adopt.

“It’s not enough to have a logistics programme that enables fast delivery when people buy at your website - you also need to be able to ship products at speed to those who’ve bought directly through their social feeds.”

“If a brand is investing in online and social media marketing, it has to be able to meet the demand it’s generated and have the distribution channels in place to act quickly.”

Gophr’s research also found that, unsurprisingly, women are driving the demand for faster e-commerce cosmetics deliveries: 47% expect same-day or next-day deliveries as an option when shopping online, compared to 37% of men.

On social media, however, men are driving the demand for faster beauty deliveries.

17% want same-day deliveries when they buy via Instagram, compared to 12% of women, while on TikTok it was 15% of men vs. 11% of women who want to see same-day delivery.