Consumers are rethinking how they shop and ship gifts this holiday season, and many are doing it earlier than ever. A new survey from Blue Yonder shows that while most people expect fast delivery, they’re not confident their packages will arrive on time. That uncertainty is pushing shoppers to get a head start and look for cheaper, faster, or greener ways to receive their orders.
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More than half of shoppers across the surveyed countries expect standard shipping to deliver their packages within 2 to 4 days. But only about one-third feel “very confident” they’ll actually receive their orders by the date promised. Shoppers in the Middle East showed the most confidence, while those in the U.K., France, and ANZ were the least sure.
Because of the mixed expectations, 78% of people buying gifts for someone outside their household plan to shop at least three to four weeks early. Baby Boomers are the most cautious, with nearly half planning to order more than a month in advance.
Many shoppers also want to keep costs down. A large share of consumers in the U.K. (43%) and the U.S. (40%) say they’re not willing to pay anything extra for expedited shipping. Younger shoppers are more open to paying for speed, but even then, most are trying to avoid it.
Instead, people are turning to other delivery options. More than half say they’re willing to use in-store pickup to get orders faster, and 42% are open to locker pickup. These two options were also the most popular among shoppers looking for free shipping.
Sustainability is also shaping decisions. Over half of respondents say they’re willing to bundle purchases to cut down on packaging and emissions. About one-third say they’re open to slower shipping if it means a greener footprint, and nearly one-quarter say they’d pay a small carbon-offset fee.
“Consumers across regions and generations are entering the holiday season with higher expectations around speed, affordability, and sustainability,” said Ann Marie Jonkman, Vice President, Global Industry Strategies. “These shifting priorities could have major impacts on retailers and logistics service providers as we enter peak season—with the potential to influence year-end sales performance significantly.”
