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Metapack 2017 Consumer Research Report Takeaways

15/1/18

MetaPack 2017 Report screenshot

We recently read the Metapack 2017 Consumer Research Report (requires registration), which contains many useful statistics for ecommerce retailers, ranging from what customers say is most important to them now, what they would pay extra for, and what they want to see in the future.

This then provides a detailed insight into consumer opinions on ecommerce product delivery and couriers, and what retailers need to be aware of.

We thought we’d summarise the most important and relevant points, and give you our Top 10 Takeaways from the Metapack report.

1. Customers want a wide range of delivery options

  • Having a wide range of delivery options will reduce basket abandonment

This means that customers can choose the quickest, cheapest or most convenient delivery time for them, and so are more likely to buy.

2. Consumers will talk about bad experiences

  • Consumers are not afraid to speak up about bad fulfilment experiences

This means that you need to make sure that your fulfilment experience meets your product quality and price, as well as your brand / company reputation.

3. Speed is imperative

  • Customers want things quickly these days

With retailers like Argos and Amazon offering same day delivery for some products and in some locations, offering at least a next day service is essential for many customers.

4. Environmentally friendly delivery

  • Increasingly, consumers are concerned about the environmental impact of their online shopping habits

There are several suggestions to combat this, including combining orders into one delivery, or asking companies to work together so customers can combine orders from different retailers into one delivery.

5. ‘Try before you buy’

  • More and more people are buying items and then returning them, and we’re definitely seeing a rise in ‘try before you buy’

Whilst this is common for clothing retailers, it is now also being seen across other types of products too.

6. Delivery loyalty schemes appeal to customers

  • Delivery loyalty schemes, such as Amazon prime, appeal to customers

This can be used to perhaps increase frequency of purchase, as well as average order value.

7. Luxury goods delivery experience

  • Customers say that the delivery experience for luxury goods is often underwhelming

When buying a premium product, whether a box of chocolates, designer clothing, or jewellery, customers feel that significant improvements can be made.

8. Communicate with customers

  • Investing in improving in communications to get you closer to customers will pay off

In our experience your customers benefit from having better dispatch, tracking and notification emails, or the ability to track their order via the courier or retailer’ website, so that they know where their order is and when to expect it.

9. Post Brexit- Britain

  • Customers are anxious about post-Brexit Britain

However, retailers can get delivery options right for overseas buyers, and make it easy for people to buy from wherever they are in the world.

10. You can’t be complacent

  • Even if you’re a leading ecommerce site, it only takes a single slip-up to lose customers

There have been examples of high-profile companies ‘getting it wrong’ and losing out to smaller or lesser known companies.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to learn from this report, and some of the things that customers value the most, may surprise you.

If you’re struggling to get orders out, and want to be able to offer more delivery options, why not Contact Us at 01270 500777 today and tell us what you need from your WMS software?

Read Our Response to the 2017 Metapack Consumer Research Report.