News

Study: Shoppers loving luxury brands, try-before-buy and non-traditional delivery

June 5, 2019

A MetaPack research report that polled more than 1,000 consumers in the U.S. and Canada reveals an increase in consumers buying from luxury brands and choosing a "try-before-you-buy" retail option.

The research also indicates consumers are embracing non-traditional delivery options being provided by retailers, according to a press release.

The findings include:

• 91% of U.S. consumers and 82% of Canadian consumers had purchased online goods from a luxury brand in the last 12 months.
• U.S. consumers appear highly enthusiastic about engaging with luxury brands online — over a quarter (27%) had shopped with 10 or more luxury brands in the past year.
• Around one-third of consumers (32% U.S., 39% Canada) had shopped online with between four and nine luxury brands.
• Home delivery was the top preference for 38% of U.S. and 32% of Canadian shoppers making a luxury purchase.
• Asked to compare delivery of their luxury item compared to other ordinary online purchases, 72% of U.S. shoppers said it felt more secure; 62% said it was more controllable and trackable; and 56% said there was a greater level of personal care.
• 72% of U.S. and 71% of Canadian consumers surveyed said the convenience of try-before-you-buy is appealing.
• 45% of U.S. and 33% of Canadian consumers noted that they anticipate try-before-you-buy would reduce delivery costs on their online orders.
• But while 54% of U.S. consumers said they'd be prepared to pay more for the ease and convenience endowed by a try-before-you-buy service, just 41% of Canadian shoppers indicated any inclination to pay for this privilege.
• 56% of U.S. and 45% of Canadian shoppers collected their purchases in store.
• With regards to a local pick-up point or shop, 23% of U.S. and 27% of Canadian consumers surveyed had used this option. However, 40% of Canadian shoppers plan to take advantage of this, and delivery to a secure box outside their home held a strong appeal for 35% of U.S. respondents, demonstrating an increasing interest in this service.
• Over a quarter (26%) of U.S. and 18% of Canadian shoppers had taken advantage of same-day delivery where this option was available to them. Meanwhile, 17% of U.S. respondents said the desire for instant gratification meant they'd made use of a 1-hour delivery option to get their goods faster.
• 81% of U.S. and 69% of Canadian shoppers surveyed expect to pay extra for a 1-hour, same day, next day or Sunday delivery.
• 20% of consumers in the U.S. and 21% of shoppers in Canada scheduled deliveries to their place of work.
• 30% of U.S. shoppers said they'd be willing to try out futuristic options like delivery by drone, robots or autonomous vehicles.

"With shifting consumer shopping and delivery behaviors and preferences, it's clear that e-commerce retailers need to be well prepared to address their evolving desires and requirements or risk losing business to competitors," said Bruce Fair, chief revenue officer for MetaPack, in the release.

"Delivery control is high on the consumer agenda — today's shoppers actively seek out the most convenient delivery mode for every purchase they make. With a variety of options to meet their needs, including newer services like ship from store, e-tailers can provide differentiators that help drive conversions and customer loyalty," said Fair.