Report: Consumers prefer to shop locally

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Most consumers would buy from local stores rather than large, online retailers if they could get same-day delivery, according to a November 7 survey by logistics management software company Onfleet.

The researchers set out to gather consumer views of online versus in-store shopping, as well as delivery expectations, in light of growing standards set by Amazon.com and other large online retailers. More than 1,000 consumers responded to the survey in late September, revealing that most would prefer to shop locally if they could get same-day delivery, with more than half saying they would be willing to pay for that benefit.

"We expected to hear that Amazon's convenience has raised consumers' delivery expectations across the board, but we were surprised that the majority of consumers would prefer to shop locally," Khaled Naim, co-founder and CEO of Onfleet, said in a statement announcing the survey's findings. "This data shows that brick-and-mortar retailers that add same-day delivery in their markets, and offer a good delivery experience to their customers, are likely to draw shoppers away from Amazon and other online options."

The survey found that: 

• 78% of consumers say that their experiences with Amazon have raised their expectations for all types of deliveries.
• 76% of consumers would be more likely to order household items locally (vs. from Amazon) if they could get same-day delivery.
• 54% of consumers would be willing to pay local stores for same-day delivery.
• 78% of consumers say they would be more likely to order from local stores that provide accurate ETAs and delivery updates.

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