Close to at 50% of U.S. adults will be done with their holiday shopping by Cyber Monday, 5% of shoppers are already done with their holiday shopping and another 12% will be done by Halloween, according to a parcelLab study.
“Brands and shipping carriers alike took last year’s holiday season by storm, and not in a good way. Almost one in five consumers (19%) have started shopping earlier this year because they’re worried about shipping delays, and another 42% said their package was delayed by at least a day. These delays are extremely disappointing during the high stakes holiday gifting season. This proves why brands must manage expectations and communicate proactively throughout each experience,” says Tobias Buxhoidt, co-founder and CEO of parcelLab. “Our goal is to help retailers communicate effectively during shipping, delivery and returns. We help brands manage expectations by creating amazing customer experiences that are seamless and joyful.”
From parcelLab:
- Almost one in four (23%) of American consumers are unwilling to order from a retailer again after a negative delivery experience.
- Nearly half of consumers (45%) would rather return an item directly to the store to avoid dealing with return shipping.
- 26% of customers want how-to guides, while 20% want information on how to recycle packaging and 24% want more information about a brand’s loyalty programs.
“Following last year, the 2021 holiday shopping season will certainly be challenging,” says Buxhoidt. “A key opportunity from our report this year is that retailers must communicate with their customers throughout the journey – whether that will be a delay or other issue or creating a better returns experience to improve the customer relationship – harnessing these touch points will build trust and loyalty for 2022 and beyond.”
