Shopping Evolves

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Consumers expect more and more from retailers, according to Deloitte’s 31st holiday survey. In what Deloitte describes as the “Prime Effect,” in reference to Amazon Prime’s guaranteed two-day shipping, only 42% of consumers think three- to four-day shipping is fast, down from 63% last year. Customers also want good return policies, with 67% saying they want refund options other than store credit for purchases made in-store. For online purchases, 82% of shoppers want free returns, while 69% want to be able to return online purchases to a brick-and-mortar store. The survey also found that 73% of consumers were going to try different stores this year, with 66% saying they planned to try a local store. Of those who shop local, 60% said they do so to support the local economy, while 56% do so to find one-of-a-kind gifts. GP