DISCUSSION
Consumers hate paying for shipping more than just about anything
Written by George Anderson
Photo: Getty Images/400tmax
Consumers will do just about anything to avoid paying for online orders to be shipped to their homes. That’s the takeaway from new research that reinforces the unwillingness of American consumers to pay anything beyond a product’s sales price and sales tax.
A survey of nearly 5,400 consumers in December by RetailMeNot found that 82 percent prefer free shipping to paying a fee to have their shipments expedited.
Cost is also a factor when it comes to eco-friendly shipping options. While 51 percent of Americans say they are willing to wait longer to reduce the environmental impact of shipping their orders, 70 percent prefer a lower price to making a small contribution to saving the planet.
The one time of year consumers are keen to have expedited deliveries is during the holiday selling season. RetailMeNot found that the ranks of shopping procrastinators are growing, although its report findings do not indicate if consumers want their goods delivered both fast and free for Christmas.
The findings of a survey of 2,500 consumers by Convey reinforces much of the findings in RetailMeNot’s study.
Cost was cited as the most important factor by 64.3 percent of respondents, with speed (18.7 percent) as the next most important attribute. Free two-day shipping has become the de facto shipping norm for the vast majority of consumers (79.3 percent), with in-store pickup, presumably important for its convenience and as a way to avoid shipping fees, cited by nearly 31 percent.
While the appeal of free and fast shipping is undeniable, RetailMeNot’s research finds that keeping up with competitors’ deals is a significant challenge for many retailers. The survey found that 63 percent of merchants are having trouble matching or beating shipping deals offered by their rivals.