From Amazon to ASOS to Argos, many retailers pushed their Christmas online order dates right up to Christmas Eve last year. Now new research from home delivery expert ParcelHero reveals there is a significant demand for deliveries on the big day itself – and 20% of shoppers would pay up to £5 extra for a December 25 delivery.
“Last year Brits spent £1bn online on Christmas Day,” said ParcelHero’s head of consumer research, David Jinks. “For the first time a number of online retailers reported taking more orders on Christmas Day than Boxing Day, the traditional start of the sales season. Several retailers actually kicked-off their sales on the 25th but not one retailer actually delivers items on the big day.
“Already food delivery companies such as Uber Eats and Just Eats are offering Christmas Day deliveries, so the next obvious step is online, same-day deliveries on the 25th itself. And nearly 20% of shoppers told us they would pay up to £5 extra for a Christmas Day delivery if it got them out of an embarrassing situation or enabled them to spend gift vouchers and get their items immediately.”
CUSTOMS
But David says there is an elephant in the room when it comes to Christmas deliveries.
“Who would want to be out delivering on the 25th?” he asked. “Changing retail customs on sensitive days is a delicate issue. When John Major’s Government introduced Sunday trading back in 1994 it was highly controversial, but consumers eventually embraced Sunday shopping; perhaps the same will hold true for Christmas Day deliveries.
“Not everyone in the UK takes part in Christian festivals, for example. While other distribution centre workers and drivers might be grateful to avoid reruns of ‘Jingle All the Way’ and earn what would presumably be a significant bonus for delivering on Christmas Day itself.”
That might be the case, but, as yet, even online giants such as Amazon have not taken the leap to Christmas Day deliveries. See the full list of final retailers’ order dates to arrive just before Christmas and the last parcel mailing dates, see https://www.parcelhero.com/events/christmas-gifts-delivery
