PRESS RELEASE
Paris, December 1, 2020
SprintProject, in partnership with DB Schenker, FM Logistic, GS1-France and Savoye, publish the 3rd edition of the barometer “Delivery services: realities on the expectations of the French”, produced by OpinionWay
For the 3rd consecutive year, this study carried out among a sample of 2,000 people, makes it possible to analyze, in a qualitative and quantitative manner, the evolution of the uses and expectations of the French in terms of delivery services since 2018. This new edition reflects the evolution of behavior in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis, particularly in the online purchase of food products (+71TP3Q compared to 2019).
COVID19: A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON DELIVERY HABITS
The year 2020 will be remembered as that of the appearance of COVID 19. The weeks of confinement and the reluctance of some to travel to supermarkets led to a significant increase in purchases of food products online. We are thus witnessing an increase of 7 points (from 25% in 2019 to 32% in 2020) for online purchases of food products, making this product category one of the 5 most purchased online.
Another consequence of COVID 19, stores have more systematically offered delivery to their customers for obvious reasons of health safety (reduction of contamination risks during purchase / controllable risks when receiving the delivery by applying the necessary gestures barriers) and thus contributed to the increase in the frequency of online orders: 58% of those interviewed buy online at least once a month, i.e. + 4 points compared to 2019.
However, during confinement, a majority of French people say they have not changed their habits: 55% of them used ordering products online as much as before and 60% used home delivery as much. On the other hand, the share of French people who have increased their use of these two services exceeds the share of those who have reduced it: 30% of French people used online ordering of products more when 13% reduced it. 21% increased their use of home delivery while 17% decreased it.
“Yes during confinement we bought more online because we needed products quickly that we could not find in stores and we kept these habits because we were very satisfied”
(Female, 35 years old, rural, moderate user)
It remains to be determined whether these new purchasing behaviors respond to the health crisis or whether they will establish themselves as a lasting consumption habit.
DEMANDING CONSUMERS
The French generally express high demands regarding the different aspects of delivery. Cross-sectionally, the type of delivery, delivery times and the possibility of easily returning or exchanging your purchase are the criteria considered the most important. As for the two previous editions, the price of delivery remains the key deciding criterion for 29% des Français in the context of a purchase on the Internet and for 30% des Français for a purchase in store. Next comes the delivery time and the possibility of easily returning or exchanging your purchase.
“Some sales sites allow free delivery and I favor these sites to reduce the cost of my purchase but not to the detriment of the quality of delivery”
(Female, 39 years old, rural, moderate user)
The main novelty of this 2020 edition is that knowledge and use of the most recently launched delivery methods is increasing: mobility delivery (+3 % on knowledge and use), consignment delivery (+8% on knowledge and +7% on use), delivery in a refrigerated locker (+10 % on knowledge and +3% on its use).
In addition, knowledge of the different services and functionalities associated with delivery (real-time monitoring of the delivery of packages, delivery the day after the order, installation of the delivered equipment, subscription allowing you to benefit from the best conditions) is shared by a large half of French people while overall they were only a thin half in 2018.
AREAS OF PROGRESSION IDENTIFIED AND OTHERS TO EXPLORE
Good news from this new barometer, the proportion of French people who have had bad experiences with delivery has significantly reduced. Half of the respondents said they had encountered at least one delivery problem over the last 12 months (54%). This is 8 points less than in 2019 (62%) and 13 less than in 2018 (67%), a sign of a very clear overall improvement in the customer experience.
We also note a considerable drop in orders received after the announced date (24% in 2020, – 12 points) as well as breakage and damage to products during delivery (19%, – 17 points). The purchase abandonment rate has also decreased (67% vs 70% in 2019 and 82% in 2018) and substantial progress has been made in terms of the reimbursement conditions proposed, a very significant obstacle until now.
In addition, French sites benefit from very good consideration, particularly on the quality of the products supplied and delivery, unlike foreign sites (outside the EU and USA), particularly Chinese.
Finally, if the majority of French people agree to recognize the economic benefits of home delivery (job creation for 83%, beneficial option for large brands for 75% of respondents), delivery nevertheless encounters two pitfalls: urban congestion and the harmful causes on the environment that it can generate. Two themes on which companies can position themselves to reassure consumers
“We have the anti-Amazon discourse, but people are using it more and more. With a feeling of shame, we don’t tell everyone, but we do it”
(36-70 years old, rural/peri-urban, small online shoppers and infrequent delivery users)
To consult : The 2020 Barometer infographic
METHODOLOGY: The “Delivery service: realities on the expectations of the French” barometer was carried out in a quantitative and qualitative manner. The quantitative study was carried out on a sample of 2,064 people, from September 18 to October 1, 2020, representative of the French population aged 18 and over, constituted according to the quota method, with regard to gender criteria, age, socio-professional category, urban category and region of residence. OpinionWay also reminds that the results of this survey must be read taking into account the margins of uncertainty: 1 to 2.2 points at most for a sample of 2000 respondents. The qualitative study was carried out in the form of 22 online blogs from November 3 to 5, 2020, then 3 2-hour focus groups from November 10 and 12, 2020 online with the same participants. The participants were selected from among internet buyers and users of various delivery services (criteria of age, socio-professional category, place of residence, frequency of purchase and various deliveries).
Any total or partial publication must use the following full statement: “Sprint StudyProject, in partnership with DB Schenker, FM Logistic, GS1-France and Savoye, carried out by OpinionWay” and no resumption of the study can be dissociated from this title.
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