• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
  • My Profile

  • CORONAVIRUS
  • LOGISTICS
    • Air Cargo
    • All Logistics
    • Express/Small Shipments
    • Facility Location Planning
    • Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
    • Global Gateways
    • Global Logistics
    • Last Mile Delivery
    • Logistics Outsourcing
    • LTL/Truckload Services
    • Ocean Transportation
    • Rail & Intermodal
    • Reverse Logistics
    • Service Parts Management
    • Transportation & Distribution
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • All Technology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud & On-Demand Systems
    • Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
    • ERP & Enterprise Systems
    • Forecasting & Demand Planning
    • Global Trade Management
    • Inventory Planning/ Optimization
    • Product Lifecycle Management
    • Sales & Operations Planning
    • SC Finance & Revenue Management
    • SC Planning & Optimization
    • Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
    • Supply Chain Visibility
    • Transportation Management
  • GENERAL SCM
    • Business Strategy Alignment
    • Education & Professional Development
    • Global Supply Chain Management
    • Global Trade & Economics
    • HR & Labor Management
    • Quality & Metrics
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • SC Security & Risk Mgmt
    • Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
  • WAREHOUSING
    • All Warehouse Services
    • Conveyors & Sortation
    • Lift Trucks & AGVs
    • Order Fulfillment
    • Packaging
    • RFID, Barcode, Mobility & Voice
    • Robotics
    • Warehouse Management Systems
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals & Energy
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • E-Commerce/Omni-Channel
    • Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • High-Tech/Electronics
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Pharmaceutical/Biotech
    • Retail
  • REGIONS
    • Asia Pacific
    • Canada
    • China
    • Europe
    • Latin America
    • Middle East/Africa
    • North America
  • THINK TANK
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WHITEPAPERS
Home » Retailers Get Ready for Surge in Online Shopping

Retailers Get Ready for Surge in Online Shopping

October 30, 2014
Shop.org

According to Shop.org’s eHoliday survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, nearly eight in 10 (78.8 percent) retailers surveyed will set their standard shipping deadlines for guaranteed Christmas delivery to expire at least a week before the big day, compared to 73.7 percent who said so last holiday season.

Additionally, approximately one in five (21.2 percent) will set those deadlines to expire December 19 or later, compared to more than one-quarter who said so last year (26.3 percent).

“It’s important to remember that the 2013 holiday season was impacted by a multitude of factors that affected the supply chain in the days leading up to Christmas, including bad weather and a shortened holiday calendar. That said, retailers and their delivery partners this year are proactively planning to make sure they meet customer expectations for delivery and customer service,” said Shop.org executive director and NRF senior vice president Vicki Cantrell. “In addition to ramping up their online promotions earlier to entice customers to start shopping earlier in the season, many companies this year also have invested in functionalities such as live chat, checking in-store product availability and buy online – pick up in store.”

Of the 92.3 percent of retailers polled who plan to offer free standard shipping of some sort this holiday season, nearly seven in 10 (69.1 percent) say their guarantee for Christmas delivery will expire on or before Friday, Dec. 19. Nearly three-quarters (74.2 percent) of retailers polled last year had a deadline on the equivalent day (Friday, Dec. 20, 2013).

In a separate survey released in August 2014, Shop.org asked retailers which site and service features they have invested most heavily in before the holiday season, and many agreed shipping and fulfillment features were of utmost importance. According to the survey, four in 10 (41.3 percent) have invested significantly in live chat, and more than one-third (34.5 percent) noted they have invested in technologies that allow shoppers to check in-store availability. Other areas of investment include shipping deadline calendars (30.9 percent), “ship from store” functionalities (27.3 percent) and buy online – pick up in store services (25.5 percent).

For those waiting until the last minute, one in five (20.6 percent) companies surveyed that plan to offer a free or upgraded expedited shipping promotion will give customers until Tuesday, Dec. 23, to take advantage of the offer. By contrast, 14.7 percent of retailers polled will let their customers take advantage of that offer only through Monday, Dec. 22, and another 14.7 percent will end their free expedited shipping promotions on Sunday, Dec. 21.

More than half (56.6 percent) of retailers surveyed who plan to offer express two-day shipping say their deadline for guaranteed Christmas delivery will expire on or before Sunday, Dec. 21, while the balance will end guaranteed two-day shipping on Monday, Dec. 22.

“Consumers now have more tools at their disposal when it comes to connecting with retailers, and as online shopping continues to grow, more shoppers this holiday season will look for specific online promotions as a way to find the perfect gift at the right price,” said Prosper’s principal analyst Pam Goodfellow. “Possibly having learned from their procrastination last holiday season and with another shortened holiday calendar ahead of us, shoppers could start looking for those shipping offers sooner rather than later this year.”

When it comes to one-day express shipping, 50 percent are comfortable offering express one-day or overnight shipping as late as Tuesday, Dec. 23, for a guaranteed Christmas delivery; three in 10 (30 percent) have set Monday, Dec. 22, as the deadline for their one-day express delivery deadline.

Source: Shop.org

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED VIDEOS

Business Strategy Alignment Global Supply Chain Management Consumer Packaged Goods Retail
KEYWORDS Business Strategy Alignment consumer packaged goods E-Tailing Global Supply Chain Management logistics services multichannel logistics omnichannel online retailing order fulfillment Retail retail supply chain Shop.org Supply Chain Analysis & Consulting Supply Chain Management Supply Chain Management: Retail
  • Related Articles

    Retailers' Buy-Online, Pickup-in-Store Initiatives to Get Serious Test This Holiday Shopping

    How to Cash in on Canadians' Growing Appetite for Online Shopping

    Most U.S. Consumers to Go Online for Holiday Shopping This Year, But They Remain Price-conscious

Shop.org

Retailers Get Ready for Surge in Online Shopping

More from this author

Wake up to Coronavirus Updates and the latest Supply Chain News!

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.

Popular Stories

  • Coronavirus-watch-Armada

    Virus Update: Biden Sees Fast Rollout of J&J Vaccine; Astra CEO Defends Delivery Shortfall

    Coronavirus
  • West Coast Port Congestion

    Shippers Need Alternatives to West Coast Port Congestion

    Logistics
  • Mexico

    The Near-Shoring Trend: Will China’s Loss Be Mexico’s Gain?

    Logistics
  • Robotic automation

    Autonomous Supply Chains Are on the Horizon

    Coronavirus
  • Drugmakers

    Research Lays Groundwork for More U.S.-Made Drugs

    Coronavirus

Digital Edition

Scb feb 2021 lg

2021 Supply Chain Management Resource Guide

VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE

Case Studies

  • Remote Implementation: A Dose of the Right Medicine for B2B Pharmacy

  • LSP Saves Customer $1.5 Million a Year With MPO Global Inbound Management

  • Auto Supplier Wows Key Client Using riskmethods Supply Chain Savvy

  • Integrating Shipping and Compliance Saves Conglomerate Millions

  • How a Consumer Goods Giant Upped Its On-Time Delivery Performance

Visit Our Sponsors

6 River Systems ArcBest Armada
aThingz BluJay Burris Logistics
DSC Logistics DCSA (Digital Container Shipping Association) DHL Resilience360
Genpact Geodis GEP
Honeywell Intelligrated Infor Logility
Magnitude Software MPO Old Dominion
Oliver Wight OpenSky Ports America
Purolator QAD Precision Red Classic
Riskmethods Snapfulfil TGW Systems
Transportation Insights Watson Land Company Westfalia Technologies
Workjam Yang Ming  
  • More From SCB
    • Featured Content
    • Video Library
    • Think Tank Blog
    • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
    • Whitepapers
    • Webinars
  • Digital Offerings
    • Digital Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Newsletters
  • Resources
    • Events Calendar
    • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Case Study Showcase
    • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
    • 100 Great Partners Form
  • SCB Corporate
    • Advertise on SCB.COM
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Data Sharing Opt-Out

All content copyright ©2021 Keller International Publishing Corp All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Keller International Publishing Corp

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing