“It’s always been a hassle, but now…”

Consumers, delivery tracking…and anger management
BOXpoll Staff Writer Pitney Bowes
11/15/2020

FOMO doesn’t quite describe it, so maybe it’s time to coin a new phrase for the state of mind consumers are in now, as they wait on an unprecedented number of packages to be delivered.  

How about DOMO, the dread of missing out? 

Our latest BOXpoll findings reveal that 43% of shoppers are tracking deliveries more often now than before the pandemic. Driving this trend are groceries and essential goods, with 31% of shoppers checking on these orders more than they used to. Discretionary purchases—that is, non-essential products consumers buy for themselves—drive more tracking among more than a quarter of consumers. 1 in 5 consumers are even tracking scheduled deliveries (like subscription boxes) more often. Trust issues, anyone? 

DOMO chart showing percentage of consumers that track their deliveries

Pet peeves…or just peeved? 

More than one third (36%) of the consumers say delivery tracking is more annoying now than before the pandemic. The lightning rods for the most consumer ire involve, not surprisingly, spending time with customer service—whether via call, email or chat. (To which, we’re sure, retailers are saying, “us too.”) 

Chart showing percentages of consumers spending time with customer service

“I hate talking on the phone, and really hate when I have to because the information is not available online.” — One response from consumers

We had (the audacity) to ask consumers to put in their own words why delivery tracking annoyed them more now. The most popular words included long, wait, and time. Here are just a few quotes we found to be the most articulate—and representative of other responses (we’ve edited them slightly for spelling, clarity, punctuation…and strong/spicy language):  

  • “Because we are doing more online purchases we tend to check tracking and order status more often that leads to frustration.” 
  • “I think it is because I am shopping more often online so I have more places to check” 
  • “A lot of emails to go through on a daily basis…Information is not available…Customer service people are overworked and rude.”
  • “I think I’m just so frustrated now and little things are annoying” 
  • “It’s very upsetting during this corona period” 
  • “Getting in contact with customer service is a nightmare because it’s like the DMV - the wait is forever.”
  •  “It's always been a hassle but now there are just so many emails…you're ordering almost everything online” 
  • “Because it’s a pain in the a—!!” 
why consumer day deliver tracking has become more annoying

Net-net, online shoppers are overwhelmed, and this anxiety is magnifying what were once tolerated points of friction. This stress is leading online shoppers to make more drastic decisions about loyalty and repeat purchases. More than half of online shoppers told us they were unlikely to shop again with a retailer with a poor tracking experience.

Tracking with consumer loyalty , chart

BOXpollTM by Pitney Bowes, a weekly consumer survey on current events, culture,and ecommerce logistics. Conducted by Pitney Bowes with Morning Consult //2094 US consumers surveyed October 2020.© Copyright 2020 Pitney Bowes Inc.