Up until this year, I would get frustrated if I got a package to a DHL service point, it was a bit off, where we never have errands except for the summer months. They have changed store now since the shop closed, and suddenly it is located directly by a road we use several times a week, and is now a delivery point that I prefer.
More and more shops offer some form of free option, sometimes with a condition of a minimum order value, and one or more express options for an extra cost. I find that ok since it is not always urgent to receive the order, and if it is, you can pay for the faster option. While others stick to one delivery option without any alternatives what so ever.
Sometime there is a pleasant surprise, as when I ordered pharmacy items from Apotea.se, it was almost hard to choose with so many options. Schenker, DHL and several options from Posten, it was just to decide. Everyone probably have a delivery point they prefer that is close to home or the office, with generous opening hours, or other service establishments that you can visit at the same time. In the e-survey Internet Retail, e-barometern, for Q1 2014, which is presented by HUI Research in cooperation with PostNord and Swedish Digital Commerce association, Svensk Digital Handel, 96 % says it is very important or pretty important that the delivery point is close to home. 92 % says it is very or pretty important that the opening hours are generous, and 75 % that is located in a store where you normally have errands to.
At Babyland.se, a store for children items and toys, they try home delivery the same evening in large parts of Stockholm, if you order before 3 PM at weekdays. It is free if you order over 1,000 SEK, otherwise the service is 99 SEK. In the e-survey e-barometern, 22 % says that they want large ungainly items such as TV and dishwashers delivered to their home in the evening, even if it means an additional cost. Last week, my friends and I talked about staying at home waiting for deliveries in daytime, even if it was 39 % that chose that option in the survey, I wonder how the numbers would look, if they would have had a free delivery option in the evening. Anyway, we agreed that deliveries in the evening were much more appealing than staying at home during the day so you won’t miss the delivery window.
75 % in the e-survey says it is important for them to be able to decide by themselves how the ordered items online should be delivered. The customers get more active, standard solutions less appealing. But are all choices necessary, maybe not always, but in a time where customers are more aware it could be attractive. Not just to be able to shop when you want, but also pick up the order where you want.
