A global study has revealed that Aussie shoppers will pay the most for overnight shipping and are least concerned about the environmental impact of online shopping.
BigCommerce today released Shipping, Delivered: Best Practices & Expectations for 2019; a new research study that examines survey responses of nearly 3,000 digital consumers and 800 online merchants.
The study seeks to understand the role that shipping plays in the consumer purchase journey and how brands are adjusting operations to meet shifting expectations.
According to the study, Aussies place great value on overnight shipping, with 3 in 5 willing to pay an extra AUD$20 for the service. Additionally, 71 per cent of Australian respondents have also made a conscious decision not to purchase something online because of the limited shipping options available.
“In Australia, we are seeing that online shoppers are more willing to pay extra for overnight shipping. This is likely due to our geography, Amazon’s limited time in the market, and the scarcity of options available for free express shipping,” said Shannon Ingrey, Vice President and General Manager, APAC at BigCommerce
“And, since 1 in 5 of Aussies would even give up their daily coffee in exchange for free shipping on their online orders, this suggests that we’ve not yet been made accustomed to the service as a complementary offering from retailers.”
In the global report, BigCommerce details key findings about Australian ecommerce, including:
Shipping is a growing factor in the overall shopping experience — Globally, shipping is incredibly important to the overall online shopping experience. 57 per cent of global respondents and 1 in 2 Aussies (51 per cent) have stopped shopping with an online retailer due to a negative shipping experience. The study also found that 1 in 2 customers globally, or 45 per cent of customers in Australia, avoid shopping with brands or retailers that don’t offer free shipping.
Free shipping is a deal maker — Many shoppers will go out of their way to get their hands on free shipping, with 4 out of 5 Aussie customers saying they’ve made a purchase from a retailer due to free shipping. In addition, an equal proportion of surveyed Aussies have added items to their cart to meet a minimum order total to receive free shipping in the past 12 months.
Aussie shoppers are more flexible with international shipping — While Aussie consumers have high expectations of shipping, 70 per cent are more lenient with delivery timelines when ordering from an international brand. Almost a third (32 per cent) of Aussies are willing to spend more money on shipping when purchasing from a brand outside of Australia.
We’ve got a way to go when it comes to environmental consciousness — Despite a growing number of business and brands selecting environmentally friendly packaging options, many consumers are failing to think about the environment when making purchases online. Aussies are the least thoughtful when it comes to the environment and online shopping, with almost half (44 per cent) not stopping to consider the environmental impact of shipping when shopping online, compared to 29 per cent of those in the UK and 40 per cent of those in the US. Despite this, we are making some progress, with over half (57 per cent) of us often or almost always recycling packaging, compared to 60 per cent of those in the US and 65 per cent in the UK.
Aussies are not fussed on branded packaging — While a number of brands spend a lot of time, money and resources on designing unique branded packaging to ship their products in, half of consumers surveyed are indifferent, saying it neither detracts from nor enhances their online shopping experience. 1 in 5 would prefer to receive their online shopping order in brand neutral packaging, and over 60 per cent would prefer to have items shipped in their original packaging to offset potential environmental impacts of shipping.
