uShip ‘Holiday Shipping Stress Test’ Report 2018
New Study Reveals Holiday E-commerce Boom Weighs Heavy on Online American Shoppers
MAKING THE GRADE
“The holiday season with key e-commerce moments like Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a critical time for brands and retailers, who are feeling the pressure right along with shoppers. There’s intense pressure on the whole logistics ecosystem and no company wants to be that Grinch Who Stole Christmas because they failed at on-time delivery.” — Mike Williams, CEO, uShip
MAKING THE GRADE
“The holiday season with key e-commerce moments like Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a critical time for brands and retailers, who are feeling the pressure right along with shoppers. There’s intense pressure on the whole logistics ecosystem and no company wants to be that Grinch Who Stole Christmas because they failed at on-time delivery.” — Mike Williams, CEO, uShip
For companies looking to make the grade this year, uShip uncovered what specific stressors holiday shoppers awaiting deliveries were experiencing, including:
Voice of the Customer
Unsatisfied customers do plan to voice their disappointment in one way or another; brands and retailers should expect to feel long-term effect if shipping and delivery isn’t up to par this holiday season.
Voice of the Customer
Unsatisfied customers do plan to voice their disappointment in one way or another; brands and retailers should expect to feel long-term effect if shipping and delivery isn’t up to par this holiday season.
In fact, if gifts arrive late, holiday shoppers awaiting deliveries plan to:
GETTING IT ‘RIGHT’
The majority of holiday shoppers waiting on deliveries are presently toeing the line between feeling anxious or excitement when waiting for a delivery. For brands and retailers looking to stay on the right side of that fine line, there is still time to keep the customer happy when all they have left to do is wait for their gifts to arrive.
GETTING IT ‘RIGHT’
The majority of holiday shoppers waiting on deliveries are presently toeing the line between feeling anxious or excitement when waiting for a delivery. For brands and retailers looking to stay on the right side of that fine line, there is still time to keep the customer happy when all they have left to do is wait for their gifts to arrive.
Solutions Include:
Get arms around oversized delivery ASAP
While perhaps a smaller subset of orders than traditional parcel packages, retailers still need to be prepared to help deliver on those WOW oversized gifts – sofas, cars, appliances, etc. that require extra TLC for on-time, reliable, affordable delivery.
Same-day delivery options
Whether it’s offering branded same-day delivery options or partnering with third-parties such as Amazon Prime, Postmates, and others, 27 percent of consumers getting holiday deliveries said if a gift appears it’s going to arrive late, they’ll use a same-day delivery option to get their item or something else in time.
Boost in-store inventory and go the extra mile for the last mile
Retailers/brands can go the extra mile by ensuring they have shipments coming in to stores until the final moment, as well offering local delivery through third-parties, white-glove delivery, set up/installation and any other last-minute logistical needs that an emergency in-store purchase might need.
Having a reliable, last-minute shipper/s in place
1 in 10 consumers getting holiday deliveries are still willing to pay whatever is needed to get something else shipped on time if their gift looks like it might arrive late. If possible, retailers need to act now to set up a delivery system that can handle eleventh hour orders. Someone else’s fail could be someone else’s gain!
Research Methodology
uShip commissioned YouGov PLC — a third party, professional research and consulting organization — to poll the views of 1,084 adults who identified themselves as holiday shoppers (out of 1,207 total US adults aged 18+). Fieldwork was undertaken between October 24 – 25, 2018. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).
About uShip
uShip makes it quick, easy, and affordable to ship large or bulky items. From cars to cranes and furniture to freight, our straightforward and transparent platform helps people, businesses, e-commerce sellers, and multinational logistics companies ship with greater speed and efficiency. Launched in 2004, uShip is based in Austin, Texas. Find out more at uship.com, facebook.com/uship or on Twitter at @uship.