75% of UK consumers expect free delivery - report

Moreover, nearly half of the top 500 UK retailers offer free returns, which is broadly in line with the number of consumers who expect the service, according to the IRUK 500 report issued by the insights into ominichannel retailing provider Internet Retailing.

Investing in the people, processes and technology required to meet customer expectations is a big ask when retailers are competing on price and cutting margins in order to win business. The report goes further to investigate the challenges facing the sector, and how retailers and logistics providers are already dealing with these challenges. The elite retailers have transformed expectations.

Martin Shaw, Lead Researcher at Internet Retailing, said that “Fast delivery to a convenient point is now largely taken for granted and the boundaries are constantly being pushed with an innovative blend of new technology and old-style customer service.” He continues, “Even among mainstream retailers, there’s a surprising divergence in the number of delivery options on offer. Retailers see offering delivery options as a point of differentiation”

Operations and Logistics is an area that holds within it some of the most important aspects of cross-channel success, which retailers must master to succeed, making this report critical reading. Talking on his position in the ‘Elite’ retailers, Sean McGee at Schuh, said “You have to make sure that the cost of the parcel is reflected in the overall mathematics that you do when you try to work out that you’re making a profit, and you need to be happy with those costs,”