Pandemic Reshaping Last-mile Delivery Expectations

Released today, the UPS E-commerce Report 2021, which has been developed in partnership with YouGov has revealed some interesting and insightful findings that give a glimpse into what consumers expect from delivery providers as we move to life beyond the pandemic.

The study, which surveyed 10,000 consumers across Europe including 2,000 UK consumers, shows the impact that the recent pandemic will have on consumer demand in the long-term. This research, released today, reveals that 79% of UK consumers say the reliability of a retailer’s delivery partner is important.

With a larger pool of potential customers, companies must consider the strength of their e-commerce and delivery offering – how to ensure it’s optimised for customer demand and that the experience meets expectations of convenience.

Key findings from this UPS research for the UK include:

• A 67% rise in intent to shop all or mostly online post-pandemic.  One of the biggest rises will be in online grocery shopping where the UK will see a 66% rise in those expecting to shop for groceries online
• 54% of UK consumers want large retailers to work with delivery providers who use electric or low-emission vehicles
• 79% of UK consumers say the reliability of a retailer’s delivery partner is important
• 54% of UK consumers will opt to buy online because of free delivery options and 63% said free returns was an important factor when choosing to shop online.
• 53% of UK consumers want large, well-known national or international retailers to have carbon footprint offsetting for deliveries.