ParcelHero has reported that retailers could be losing out on as much as a £1bn on sales by shutting off standard deliveries too early. Some standard delivery cut-offs are as early as the 18th December. A week before the big day.
And they’ve put together a useful online tool that displays the last order and delivery dates for major online retailers.
ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks say: “Our ever-popular Christmas shopping online tool gives all the nation’s favourite stores’ final Christmas order dates; and our research this year revealed a huge difference in standard final order dates between stores. Last year a breath-taking £1bn was spent online in the final six days immediately before Christmas. Those retailers who are miserly or overcautious with their final standard delivery order dates are missing out on at least five further days of lucrative extra sales.
“By calling time on standard delivery options as early as 18th December, stores such as House of Fraser are losing out to rivals who are keeping their standard deliveries running as late as 22nd, such as ASOS and Net-a-Porter.”
5 Responses
Maybe the headline should read “Retailers delight customers by not over-promising and under-delivering on critical Christmas promises”?
Totally agree James
I am shutting down tomorrow morning and everything is being posted 1st Class, regardless, then I am off out for a very long lunch and have other things to do in the next few days, once the fog has cleared.
Back open on NYE
We dont promise anything, we give information to our customers about our services, we’re open all week and they can make an informed decision.
All the comments are about not delivering potentially losing you future business…why dont you look at it from the other side? i.e offer a sensible cut off that you are sure you can maintain, only offer stock you have in your warehouse and get it right! This will impress your customers and keep them for life…
i.e Cut off on 22nd at 3pm, advertise that they must pay courier delivery for pre-christmas. Send by courier and its VERY likely it will arrive as they have 2 full days…
I do find shutting up shop this early a little daft though, there is money to be made for another day or two – plus at good margins (increase shipping prices for a start). Personally in this day in age I would look at a retailer who closes say today as either incompetent or simply not fussed about getting my business…
We have all summer for long lunches when we are much quieter…