When Packages are Late or Lost, Consumers Blame Carriers: Study

In the last three years alone, 37% experienced an average of 2-5 late or lost deliveries of these items.

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While two-thirds (66%) of respondents generally do trust that time-critical or high-importance items such as prescriptions, medical supplies, travel documents and more will be delivered by a specific time, just one in four (25%) do not, according to a new parcelLab study, conducted online with YouGov.

“Time-critical and high-importance deliveries are often viewed as such because consumers are dependent on these items in one way or another. This means the stakes are higher to deliver an exceptional experience, as it’s clear even the smallest of hiccups could sway them to not even make the purchase,” says Tobias Buxhoidt, founder and CEO of parcelLab. “Our goal will always be to inform retailers how to improve their customer journey by implementing tools and resources that will create key touchpoints for customers. This report showed that almost half of respondents would be encouraged to order these types of deliveries if there were real-time updates and order tracking via an app or website, showcasing the value associated with elevated customer communications.”

From yahoo! News:

  • 32% would be reluctant to order following a failed delivery or negative experience when ordering, 29% for a special occasion when the item has to arrive by a specific date or time, 28% when the customer knows it might be difficult to find a replacement item in person if it does not arrive on time or gets lost, 26% when an essential item is needed for a vacation or trip and 26% when running low on a particular item.
  • Nearly one-third (30%) of consumers reported that negative reviews or comments around a supplier’s delivery service would be a reason as to why they might not order time-critical or high-importance items.
  • That said, in the last three years alone, 37% experienced an average of 2-5 late or lost deliveries of these items, and in the last two years, 27% have had these types of packages left at the wrong address, 30% left unprotected or in the rain and nearly one in four (24%) delivered in a damaged state. 
  • When these incidents occurred, nearly half (48%) would place blame on the carrier and more than one in four (26%) would place the blame on the supplier or retailer in which the item was ordered.
  • For packages that did not arrive on time or ended up being lost, 34% would choose to not order from the retailer or supplier again and almost half (48%) would complain to the retailer’s customer service team over the 39% that would reach out directly to the courier. 
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