PARCEL pick-up and drop-off network Hubbed has commissioned research on online shopping habits. It has found that pandemic-related closures and social distancing may be having a greater impact on shopping centres and street shops that first thought.
The survey of 1010 shoppers suggests that two-thirds (65%) of Australians say they will shop more online than in-store in the next 12 months.
The results reveal that, in the next year, 34% of Aussies would shop more online (than in-store) than they did during their state shutdown. A further 31% would shop more online than they did before their state shutdown.
This shift in shopping habits will have a significant impact on supply chains, managing the increase in deliveries while navigating consumer expectations at a time when the governments’COVID restrictions have impacted speed and ability to deliver. Shopping cart abandonment is another major challenge. In March 2020 alone, 88% of online shopping orders were abandoned at check-out – primarily because of inflexible delivery options or costs.
The younger the shopper, the more likely they will make the shift from shopping in-store: 45% of 18-50-year-olds would shop more online than in-store now than during the shutdowns, compared with just 19% of over-50s. Similarly, 61% of 18-50s would shop online more in the next year than before the shutdowns, compared with 32% of over-50s.
CEO and founder of Hubbed David McLean said, “From our survey results, it is clear that the growth in online shopping, which has been exacerbated by COVID-19, is here to stay.
“The constraints that have been placed on online retailers have highlighted the need for them to be more proactive and agile in streamlining the consumer’s online shopping experience via technology and alternative delivery options.
“It is also evident that customers want more delivery choices, which will, in turn, support the growth in e-commerce. Retailers should seriously consider their customer delivery choices, such as supporting the use of Click & Collect.”
