New research shows 62 per cent of Australian consumers now demand real-time visibility for their online Christmas purchases – from the moment they place an order to when it arrives at their door.
The study, by mobile and IoT device management solutions provider, SOTI, has revealed 52 per cent of consumers expect to be able to collect any order placed online, in-store and on the same day. 59 per cent of responses said they should be able to buy the same item again, either online or in-store, at the click of a button.
One of the world’s largest 3PL providers, C.H.Robinson, have recently increased charter flights into Australia because of congested ocean freight markets and less air freight availability.
With this trend in mind, Michael Dyson, VP of Sales, APAC at SOTI, says retailers need to start preparing now for Christmas 2021, to ensure they are prepared from both a stock and resourcing perspective.
“Looking at the Christmas online shopping preferences of Australian consumers today, our research has highlighted an increased demand for convenience, with calls for visibility of orders at every moment, and the option for quick click and collect or delivery,” he says.
40 per cent of participants said that if a retailer’s delivery or pick-up window was more than two days, they would look elsewhere.
A good returns experience is also a key expectation for the majority of consumers according to the research, with 57 per cent of consumers more likely to buy from an online retailer that communicated an easy returns process during the Christmas period.
“With over 5.6 million Australian households recorded to have shopped online during December 2020, and lockdowns and in-store retail shutdowns continuing to throughout 2021 in Australia, we can expect during the upcoming holiday season that shopping will again largely be done online,” Michael says. “After a very challenging 18 months for retailers, they need to ensure they are set up for online Christmas shopping convenience, so they can truly take advantage of the holiday peak and avoid losing out to competitors.”
The full research report can be downloaded here.