For retailers, Christmas is one of the busiest times of year, with around 60 per cent of sales coming during this time, according to the Australian Retailers Association (ARA). And this year is only going to be busier, with spending projected to grow by 2.3% to $48.1 billion.
This year, we can expect a lot of these sales to be made online. Our research has found that three in five Aussies will do just that. It’s convenient, it’s easy and you don’t need to fight the crowds to land that perfect Christmas gift. However, it comes with its own unique challenge – making sure that delivery arrives on time. No one wants Santa Claus to arrive late.
The problem is, one in six Australians are receiving their Christmas gifts after 30 December. As such, nearly half (45%) of us pay for express deliveries, even when standard deliveries claim to deliver on time, just to make sure their gifts arrive before the big day.
Why do we do this?
According to two-thirds (66%) of Australian’s, it’s because we believe courier services to be less reliable over Christmas.
This is causing Aussies to blow $235M on express deliveries they don’t need. That’s an average of $21 – $30 they could have spent in your store.
Even worse, delayed presents and a poor delivery experience can negatively impact retailers in a big way. That’s because when a delivery is late, it’s often not the courier consumers blame but the retailer that is perceived to be at fault.
This negative experience then invariably gets broadcast across social media, impacting the reputation of that retailer and affects customers’ repurchase intent. You’ve essentially been put on the naughty list thanks to your unreliable courier.
How to avoid the naughty list this Christmas
Having helped get parcels from point to point since 2014 we know that the Christmas period is a challenging one for retailers. They have high volumes of online orders that can overwhelm even the biggest of delivery services and this can lead to thousands of angry customers. So, it’s imperative retailers select the right delivery partners and have contingency plans in place to ensure all orders are filled in a timely manner.
Our CEO, Wayne Wang, launched this startup because he knew legacy delivery services were just not cutting it – taking days to deliver parcels valued customers needed sooner. And having served Senders’ needs for two Christmases so far, he knows it’s not just delays frustrating consumers during the festive season.
Almost half (49%) of Aussies say parcels are hard to track. Yet, according to Accenture, tracking parcels is one of the most important features for consumers, with 79% of respondents wanting full visibility tracking.
Wayne is adamant that tracking provides the peace of mind and transparency consumers crave. This is because they know exactly where their prized parcel is at all times and can better plan for its delivery.
For example, they can run to their corner store and back, before their delivery is scheduled to arrive, or hang a load of washing … finish that electronic document or household chore in the interim.
In the hectic Christmas period, we know the last thing recipients want is to stay in all day waiting for a delivery to arrive. So, by offering this transparency and providing the opportunity for Aussies to communicate directly with the delivery service, it will only further improve the experience. And the better the delivery experience, the more likely consumers will purchase from you again.
To find out how to avoid the naughty list and ensure Santa arrives on time this Christmas, check out our whitepaper. There are loads of helpful hints and tips to make sure this Christmas period runs without a hitch. Link: https://www.gopeople.com.au/lcdwp