Last-minute Christmas shoppers have taken their habits online, and put huge pressure on retailers and couriers. These pressures are increasing as the number of online shoppers grows. Research published earlier by World Wide Worx and MasterCard shows that online shopping in South Africa is growing, and is valued at over R4.4 billion a year. If they are anything like their British counterparts, almost half (47%) of consumers will order gifts online this Christmas with less than a week until the big day itself. “Our latest consumer results indicate the need for retailers and their courier partners to have a comprehensive logistics strategy in place this Christmas,” says Derek Eccleston, Commercial Director at eDigitalResearch. “Year after year we’ve seen retailers increasingly push their last ordering dates closer to Christmas Day itself and it’s important for retailers to ensure that they see through on these promises. “However, it’s not just about the operational side of things. Properly managing situations and responding promptly when things do go wrong with deliveries will be key for retailers in ensuring that consumers are not left frustrated and disappointed this Christmas.” When asked what date they would happily place an online order on and still feel comfortable that it would arrive in time, the majority of consumers (53%) said Wednesday 17th December or before. However, 32% of online shoppers feel that they would be able to place an order up until Saturday 20th for it to still arrive.
