Around 30% of Scottish citizens have difficulties in receiving their parcels due to inconvenientservice, the latest survey by the national watchdog Consumer Focus Scotland revealed.
Surveying around 1,000 consumers throughout Scotland, the report revealed that nearly 1 in 3people struggle in picking up their shipments due to inconvenient opening hours at local deliveryoffices while over 1 in 10 people say collection points are too far away. Thereby, households inrural areas are most impacted with many facing high surcharges for delivery or some companiesrefusing to deliver.
According to the research, Scottish consumers would like more collection points to choose fromincluding post offices, local shops and locker banks at supermarkets, train stations or petrolstations.
More than 50% of the households in Scotland would prefer fixed times for deliveries as well asdeliveries in the evening. The survey also revealed high demand among the consumers for more newtechnologies such as smartphone applications to track parcels and receive updates on deliverytimes.
Trisha McAuley, Deputy Director at Consumer Focus Scotland, said: “Online shopping often offersgreater choice, convenience and value for money. But the downside, for many people especially inrural areas, is that having found the best deal and ordered online, the parcel then costs a packetor they have trouble receiving it.”
“We need 21st century delivery services for the whole of Scotland with a wider choice ofcollection points, more convenient opening hours and interactive, up to the minute deliveryinformation to tap into. Getting this right would be a win-win for retailers and customers. Itdefinitely beats coming home to a card that says you’ve missed a parcel,” she added.
Consumer Focus Scotland has urged all internet retailers and parcel delivery operators to reviewand improve their delivery service offering customers much more flexibility. To prevent consumersin rural areas from being disadvantaged, it is also calling on retailers to always offer the choiceof delivery by Royal Mail’s standard parcel service, which delivers to all parts of Scotland for auniform price.
Last year, Royal Mail alone delivered 585 million parcels in the UK with parcel volumesincreasing by 5% this year. Delivery issues were estimated to cost retailers £1.1 billion in thelast quarter of 2011. The estimated annual cost to wait at home for deliveries is £177 perperson.
