Survey reveals there’s plenty of room for improvement in e-commerce fulfillment

Delays, product availability, and a lack of communication about delivery status are among the key areas for improvement when it comes to e-commerce fulfillment, according to consumers surveyed about their recent holiday shopping purchases.

Supply chain technology firm Voxware conducted its first ever consumer holiday reaction survey in late December and found that more than half of consumers (53%) say they won’t do business with retailers who botched or mishandled their e-commerce orders this past holiday season. Nearly three-quarters (73%) said retailers that either met or exceeded expectations will get more business from them in the future. 

“Heading into the holiday shopping season, we knew it was vital that distribution centers perform to meet both demand and rising consumer expectations,” Keith Phillips, president and CEO of Voxware, said in a statement January 8. “These numbers indicate a mixed performance from retailers and should serve as a wake-up call to the industry to advance their distribution systems to ensure a flawless customer experience … With e-commerce continuing to grow, brands cannot afford any mistakes, or the consumer will take their business elsewhere.”

The survey also found that:

• 56% of respondents said gifts they purchased online arrived later than the date that was promised at the time of purchase. Half of those said that more than 25% of their gifts were delayed.

•  56% of respondents reported being unable to purchase gifts they were considering because they were not available or would not arrive in time for the holidays.

•   42% said retailers did not provide enough information about delayed items, and 41% reported that customer service was unavailable or unable to address questions or concerns.

• 37% reported that packages delivered did not include information for making a return. 

• 45% said information for tracking packages was unclear or not provided.

Voxware surveyed 500 U.S. consumers December 28-30 for its post-holiday report.