Research reveals express deliveries rise almost 7,000% at Christmas

Research has revealed the huge extent the of the additional pressure retailers face during the festive season in terms of order processing and shipping.

The number of requests by customers for express delivery from retailers increases by 6,981% just before Christmas, compared with the average for the rest of the year, according to a recently released survey by post-purchase communication specialists parcelLab.

Katharine Biggs, Content and Marketing Manager at parcelLab’s London office said: "We wanted to shed light on how much the volume of parcels increased, how often packages are delayed and how high returns are after Christmas."

The survey also found that the volume of parcels despatched during November and December increased by 116% in comparison to the rest of the year, again illustrating the logistical pressure on retailers over the Christmas period. This figure varied across categories, being highest for Electronics, Computers and Accessories, where volumes increased by a staggering 186%. This was followed by Furniture and Decorations at 116%, Books, Toys and Office Supplies at 96% and Beauty, Pharmaceuticals and Food at 62%. There was no breakdown specifically for Fashion.

The study analyses data from over 112 million parcels that were shipped last Christmas by parcelLab retail clients across Europe. It reveals how the festive period compares to the previous months to give retailers a clear idea of what to expect this year.

After Christmas retailers also need to be prepared for a spike in returns. This volume rose by 22% during late December 2018 and early January 2019.

Biggs added: "With the customer experience now proving to be the true differentiator in terms of encouraging repeat business and loyalty, it’s vital that retailers recognise the huge additional pressure that the festive season puts on order processing and deliveries, so that they can prepare in advance to help maintain their service levels."

"The large amount of new customers retailers attract at this time of year means that maintaining and improving the buying experience can help retain them and grow retailers’ revenue bases for the coming year."