Negative Customer Experiences Rising With E-Commerce Growth: Metapack

Over three-fourths of respondents in a year-end 2020 survey said they shopped more online due to COVID-19, and 86% of those plan to continue shopping online post-pandemic, said delivery management software company Metapack.

But 81% of online shoppers had a negative delivery experience in the past 12 months, up fivefold from the prior year, which could lead to “lost customers and irreparable brand damage,” said Metapack Chief Revenue Officer Bruce Fair. After a negative delivery experience, 36% would change retailers for the next purchase, 59% would contact the retailer to complain, 29% would leave a negative review and 6% would post to social media.

Though customers plan to shop more online post-pandemic, 64% said they would shop “the same” in stores in the future, while 31% said less than before, 6% said more. Among U.S. consumers, 88% have shopped more online during the pandemic.

Delivery choice was a top factor for 56% of respondents when deciding where to shop online vs. 22% who said tracking capability and 17% who said return options. Some 86% said it’s important to have delivery tracking -- preferably by email for 61% of shoppers, while 17% preferred text and fewer than 10% wanted tracking by app or chat. Since the pandemic, delivery tracking has become more important to consumers (47%), along with choice of delivery options (34%), convenient return options (30%), fast delivery (46%) and free delivery (41%).

On the retailer side, 75% said it’s a top priority to create a flexible logistics network; building carrier redundancy was a major theme. Post-purchase actions, led by better communication with customers (36%), are a high priority for 2021, it said. As more retail moves online, returns will become a bigger issue. Some 89% of retailers said they're collating and analyzing the reasons for returns; 42% are taking action against serial returners, and 65% are considering doing so.

Retailers, carriers and consumers agree on the need to reduce the environmental impact of delivery, said the report: 73% of retailers plan to use electric vehicles; 24% are interested in bicycles. On the costs of sustainable delivery, 46% expect consumers to cover it, 37% said retailers and 17% said the carrier.

Just 5% of shoppers overall said sustainability was a top consideration in where they shop online. But 51% said they were willing to consider a longer wait for a more sustainable delivery option; 22% were willing to pay more for more sustainable delivery.