{"id":92385,"date":"2021-07-19T08:00:15","date_gmt":"2021-07-19T13:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.junglescout.com\/?p=92385"},"modified":"2023-04-04T09:33:23","modified_gmt":"2023-04-04T14:33:23","slug":"consumer-shipping-preferences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.junglescout.com\/blog\/consumer-shipping-preferences\/","title":{"rendered":"Consumers Prefer Fast & Free Shipping on Amazon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In today’s landscape of 24\/7 online shopping and its promise of immediate gratification, most Americans want their retail purchases delivered to their doorstep,  as cheaply and quickly as possible. Their fast and free shipping preferences reflect the standard set by Amazon’s Prime fulfillment capabilities. <\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, data from Jungle Scout’s latest <\/span>Consumer Trends Report<\/span><\/a> reveals that 80% of U.S. consumers expect free shipping on orders above a certain dollar amount, and 66% expect free shipping for all their online orders. On top of that, 41% expect delivery times of two to three days after purchasing — with another 27% expecting same-day or next-day delivery for everything they buy online. <\/span><\/p>\n

Fulfilling this expectation fast and free shipping is essential for ecommerce sellers vying for buyers among ever-stiffening competition. While there’s a lot to gain from the recent boom in online shopping, the consequences for sub-optimal shipping are serious. <\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, nearly half (47%) of Americans say they are willing to spend more for a product with faster shipping, and 70% would be upset if an order didn’t arrive on time. <\/span><\/p>\n

With that in mind, let’s examine the details about what consumers expect in terms of shipping, the impact these conditions have on ecommerce sellers, brands, and platforms — including giants like Amazon and Walmart — and how sellers can fulfill these expectations. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What exactly is “fast” shipping? What ecommerce sellers should know about shipping preferences on Amazon<\/b><\/h2>\n

In 2021, two- or three-day shipping times are the gold standard for online orders — <\/span>two in five consumers<\/span><\/a> expect their deliveries to arrive in this window. One week is the definitive upper limit for online order delivery satisfaction, with 91% of consumers expecting delivery within seven days of purchase. Just 4% expect shipping to take more than a week’s time. That’s less than half as many as the 9% who expect to receive their orders on the same day of purchase. <\/span><\/p>\n

Same-day delivery has become a persuasive component of the online shopping experience. When asked about the delivery options that would most influence them to make a purchase online, consumers ranked same-day delivery on top, edging out free return shipping and deliveries scheduled for specific time slots. <\/span><\/p>\n

The 2-day shipping standard<\/b> <\/span><\/h3>\n

In order to succeed, ecommerce sellers need to support the needs of this growing cohort of fast-shipping devotees. So, what other shopping behaviors and preferences are exhibited by the 41% of U.S. consumers who expect two-day delivery? Let’s investigate. <\/span><\/p>\n

Consumers want shipping to be fast <\/b>and<\/i><\/b> free<\/b><\/h4>\n

For the most part, free shipping is also non-negotiable for these consumers. 84% say they expect free shipping if they order a certain dollar amount, and 70% say they expect free shipping on all orders. The moral of the story here is that sellers should consider providing free, two-day shipping whenever possible. <\/span><\/p>\n

Consumers want the right information about their shipment<\/b><\/h4>\n

Roughly 84% of these consumers expect parcel tracking for all orders, and to be notified when their item has left the warehouse. But don’t send them too many notifications — 63% say they dislike online retailers that send them too many emails before or after they’ve placed an order. Shoppers also expect 24\/7 access to customer service (72%), and would be even more upset than average if their product didn’t arrive on time (72%). <\/span><\/p>\n

Consumers want affordable, proven quality<\/b><\/h4>\n

Fast-shipping fans are interested in products with the best ratings and reviews (70%), the lowest price (66), and most impressive features (55%). Compared to the average consumer, they’re slightly less likely to spend more for a product for faster shipping (45%).  <\/span><\/p>\n

Offering fast and free shipping presents enormous opportunity for ecommerce sellers<\/b><\/h3>\n

You could be forgiven for thinking fans of fast and free shipping have high expectations when shopping online — they want convenience, information, and access to affordable, high-quality products delivered in a flash. The good news is that these consumers shop <\/span>a lot<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Over three-quarters have increased or maintained their spending online (79%) and on Amazon (77%) in 2021 versus 2020. More specifically, they’re spending the same or more in top online product categories like clothing, beauty and personal care, and electronics. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Product Category<\/b><\/td>\nFast-shipping fans buying more or the same in 2021<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cleaning supplies<\/td>\n92%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Groceries<\/td>\n91%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Over-the-counter medicine<\/td>\n82%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vitamins & Dietary Supplements<\/td>\n82%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Beauty & Personal Care<\/td>\n79%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Clothing<\/td>\n70%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pet supplies<\/td>\n69%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Books (print or digital), Magazines & Newspapers<\/td>\n66%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Home & Kitchen<\/td>\n66%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Electronics<\/td>\n65%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Office supplies<\/td>\n65%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Garden & Outdoor<\/td>\n64%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Automotive Parts & Accessories<\/td>\n59%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alcohol<\/td>\n57%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Toys & Games<\/td>\n55%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Exercise\/Fitness supplies<\/td>\n53%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arts, Crafts & Sewing<\/td>\n52%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tobacco, Pipes & Accessories<\/td>\n39%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/span><\/p>\n

This group shops online frequently — over two-thirds make online purchases at least once a week. The majority shop at least a couple times each month on Amazon and Walmart.com. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n
Shopping frequency<\/b><\/td>\nOnline<\/b><\/td>\nAmazon<\/b><\/td>\nWalmart.com<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
At least weekly<\/span><\/td>\n64%<\/span><\/td>\n40%<\/span><\/td>\n39%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
At least twice a month<\/span><\/td>\n85%<\/span><\/td>\n75%<\/span><\/td>\n51%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/span><\/p>\n

Their other shopping behaviors indicate opportunities for increased spending in the near future. For one thing, many underwent pricey lifestyle changes in the past year, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n