Shoppers highly value in-transit information

Online shoppers are more satisfied with returns than last year, but still the overall customer satisfaction with returns (67 percent) is still much lower than the satisfaction with online delivery (85 percent). Online retailers should have a returns service that offers convenience, while also giving customers better in-transit information about their order.

That’s one of the conclusion drawn from a study on online retail delivery and consumer expectation, held by IMRG. The overall customer satisfaction with online delivery is still quite steady, with 85 percent this year, but it has shown some marginal increase over the past few years. The customers’ satisfaction with returns also increased, from 61 percent last year to 67 percent now, but it still remains almost 20 percentage points behind on the satisfaction with delivery.

According to Andrew Starkey, head of e-logistics at IMRG, returns are a complex and potentially expensive part of online retailer that should be managed carefully. “In the second quarter, we saw an increase in the average rate of returns to 23 percent, which is the highest since we started measuring seven years ago.”

85% value being kept informed about the delivery

Aside from the satisfaction on delivery and returns, respondents to the survey also made clear they highly value in-transit information. Seven in ten consumers even said in-transit information was important or very important to their shopping experience. Once they order has been places, 85 percent of shoppers value being kept informed about the progress of the delivery.

Consumers want predictability, in both delivery and in communication throughout the entire delivery journey”, says Nigel Doust, CEO of BluJay Solutions, which supported the study. “There is an ever-increasing requirement to provide information and transparency of processes throughout the physical supply chain to allow consumers to accurately anticipate delivery.