Let’s start with a question: why is it important to monitor eCommerce shipping trends?
eCommerce shipments grew by 9.3% in 2023 (source: Qapla’ data). This means first of all that eCommerce is healthy and growing. Secondly, it leads us to reflect on the role of shipping and the weight it acquires with respect to the entire customer journey process.
Indeed, eShoppers have raised their expectations with respect to the level of service of online stores, including shipping. Product delivery therefore enters fully into the sphere of tailor-made services on which to differentiate oneself from competitors. This is why today it has become essential to ensure an excellent delivery experience.
For all these reasons, in this article we will take an in-depth look at the new consumer expectations and the main eCommerce shipping trends 2024.
eCommerce shipping trends 2024
1. Faster and faster shipping
According to Qapla’ data, the average shipping time shortened from 1.95 days in 2022 to 1.89 days in 2023. A decrease of 3% is symptomatic of the growing consumer demand for ever faster deliveries. A trend that is set to continue throughout 2024.
This is the so-called Quick Commerce phenomenon, i.e. a sharp shortening of the delivery time, i.e. the time between the online purchase of the product and its delivery to the end customer.
The demand for ‘ultra-rapid’, even ‘same-day’ deliveries – i.e. on the same day as the purchase was made or within a few hours of clicking on the ‘buy’ button – is in fact becoming increasingly frequent among consumers. This trend puts unavoidable pressure on online stores and requires them to organise and optimise in order to offer a very high level of service and reduce transport time.
European consumers’ expectations regarding the speed of eCommerce shipments
A survey conducted by DHL (DHL Global Online Shopper Survey) investigated the expectations of consumers worldwide regarding next-day delivery. It showed that 34 per cent of European eShoppers expect next-day delivery.
The country where this trend is most evident is Poland, where the percentage of consumers demanding very fast delivery is 72%. Italy ranks third with 70%, preceded only by Spain (71%).
How to guarantee faster eCommerce shipments: Out Of Home Delivery
According to the Netcomm Delivery Index presented in recent weeks, the average time for a shipment on the doorstep (Home Delivery) is 3.8 days. With Out Of Home deliveries, however, the average time drops to 3.3 days.
In general, the average time for an OOH delivery, i.e. at Locker or Collection Points, is lower in all product categories analysed.
2. Flexible and customised shipping
The second eCommerce 2024 shipping trend has to do with flexibility and customisation of deliveries.
We can identify this trend with the keyword Personal Journey, i.e. an increasingly personalised shopping experience tailored to the individual consumer, based on his or her needs.
But what are these needs? Here is a list of them:
- Ability to choose the courier from which to receive the purchased goods;
- Possibility of scheduling or changing the scheduled day and time of delivery;
- Possibility of choosing delivery methods alternative to traditional Home Delivery;
- Possibility of choosing where and when to collect your parcel.
Flexible and customised shipping thanks to Locker and Pick-up Points
Demonstrating that more and more consumers are demanding alternative modes of delivery, which guarantee that they can choose where and when to pick up their parcel, once again we find the data from Netcomm’s Delivery Index, according to which deliveries at Locker and Pick-up Points have reached 18.5% of total eCommerce shipments. A growing trend that will not stop in the near future.
As a consequence, eCommerce companies have started to equip themselves to offer their customers the possibility to flexibly choose how, where and when to pick up their parcels, i.e. via Locker and Pick-up Points, by integrating services enabling alternative shipping.
If you too would like to integrate over 200,000 Pick-up Points into your online store now and not fall behind the times, you can rely on GEL Proximity. Discover our dedicated eCommerce shipping service now.
3. Constant communication on the status of eCommerce shipments
The final step towards the hyper-personalisation of eCommerce shipping, the latest trend in eCommerce shipping 2024, is what we might call informed shipping.
In other words, the desire on the part of consumers to be constantly updated on the status of their shipment, from the moment of order until delivery.
According to Qapla’, the status that customers are most interested in being updated about is ‘order being delivered’, for 23% of eShoppers. The data recorded by Qapla’, however, also show remarkable open rates for e-mails with the subject ‘order started’ and ‘order delivered’. This shows how important it is for merchants to keep their customers informed about all the main stages of the shipping process.
In 2024, therefore, tracking eCommerce shipments is no longer an option, but a minimum requirement for every eCommerce that wants to guarantee its customers an optimal customer experience.
About this trend in particular, and the importance of communication with the customer also post-purchase, we will soon return. For this reason, we invite you to continue to follow us!
