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Consumer use and experience of parcel sending services

Consumer use and experience of parcel sending services 1.41 MB

The size of the UK parcels market has grown by over 50% since 2010. Much of this growth is driven by parcels sent to consumers from online shopping, but consumers and small businesses are also sending parcels in greater numbers. The consumer parcel (C2X) market is broadly split between 3 types of parcel: returns of items that bought online or by mail order, parcels sent to family and friends, and items that have been sold on online marketplaces or through small businesses.

The market is changing rapidly, and it’s important that consumers can navigate this market effectively and are able to choose the most appropriate products for the best price. It’s also important that consumers are able to solve their problems easily when things go wrong.

This report brings together our recent work on C2X parcels which found that although consumers are generally satisfied, there is a problem with over 1 in 10 parcels that are sent. And when problems arise, many consumers find them difficult to resolve.  We’re therefore calling on parcel operators and brokers to improve the consumer experience by:

  1. Making insurance restrictions and packaging guidance clear

  2. Improving their channels of communication

This research is based on Qualitative and quantitative surveys and desk research carried out throughout 2018.