On the back of new research, parcel delivery service CouriersPlease (CP) forecasts that the online shopping industry will have a greater focus on low prices, as the industry respondents to consumer preferences.
A survey of an independent nationally representative panel of 1000 Australians who shop online, commissioned by CP, sought to gauge just what those consumer preferences are – quality, receiving the product quickly, or low prices?
It seems that low prices not only trump other factors, but consumers might not have very high expectations of quality when buying on price. When asked about the most important factor to them when shopping online, over half (57%) of Aussie shoppers said it is low prices. Only 32% said that the quality of the product is more important, while receiving the product quickly is the least important (chosen by 11% of respondents).
Fifty-nine (59%) of shoppers are satisfied with 75% of the products delivered to them. A quarter (25%) are pleased with the quality of all the items they purchase.
The survey also asked shoppers which categories in their experience delivers the lowest-quality products. In a testimony to the global fast fashion phenomenon, two-thirds (62%) of respondents said the fashion and jewellery category delivers the lowest quality products.
Results also showed, 22% chose the technology items and electronics category as delivering the lowest-quality products, and the health and beauty category came in at number three (14% of shoppers said the lowest-quality products came from here). Interestingly, only 5% said that the white goods and appliances category deliver the lowest-quality products.
Respondents were also asked what methods they use to reduce their chances of disappointment in the quality of the product. Two-thirds (67%) said they try reading reviews of the product online, 38 per cent stick to quality brands they know, and 36% only buy from online retailers with a returns policy that will provide a full refund.
About CouriersPlease
CouriersPlease (CP) is a leading courier and freight service that delivered nearly 18 million parcels in 2018 alone. CP offers a network of POPStation (Pick/Post your Own Parcel) parcel lockers comprising more than 3500 lockers in 45 locations and more than 1000 POPShop retail outlets to enable consumers and businesses to pick up or post their parcels more securely and out of hours. Visit couriersplease.com.au.
