Sometime in the last year, Omaha Steaks inexplicably began routing phone calls to our unpublished Google Voice number. We’re averaging 20 to 50 voicemails a day and the number is increasing as we get closer to Christmas. I’ve emailed them, contacted them on Facebook, and still can’t get them to respond to the 800 or so cranky phone calls that are reporting delivery issues or questions regarding orders. If you know someone from their executive team, I’d love to see these consumers taken care of and the routing issue corrected… this is really annoying.
What it also points to is how critical shipping is to every ecommerce purchase. Without reliable and cost-efficient shipping options, the value of the service (or the taste of the steaks) is forever lost. Walker Sands recently uncovered just how critical shipping is to the consumer’s buying behavior:
- Free shipping ranks over same day shipping – free shipping continues to be a top shopping incentive, with almost nine in 10 consumers reporting that free shipping would make them shop more online, while nearly half of consumers say same-day shipping would make them shop more online. Source: Walker Sands 2016 Future of Retail Study
- Guaranteed shipping holds a lot of weight for consumers – logistics are already an important factor for consumers, and this number will only increase as Christmas draws nearer. 68% of consumers consider free shipping when selecting a retailer, and 62% consider guaranteed delivery, which is of huge importance to consumers over the next 10 days. Source: Astound Commerce’s 2016 Holiday Report
- Shipping speed and price can make or break a sale – 60% of Amazon Prime members and 41% of non-Prime members said that slower shipping deters them from making a purchase. And an overwhelming majority of respondents – over 85% – agreed that shipping charges deter them from purchasing an item. Source: Feedvisor Amazon User Study
Based on an analysis of more than 1,400 U.S. consumers, Walker Sands’ third annual report analyzes the backend technology responsible for creating consumer behavior change in recent years. By digging deeper into the data, the study analyzes the major transformations taking place in the retail technology space and what consumers and retailers can expect for 2016 and beyond.
Walker Sands’ 2016 Future of Retail Study examines the subtle shifts in consumer behavior and the equally important implications.
Download 2016 Future of Retail Study
