Amazon Shoppers Won't Abandon Ship - Inbound Logistics

Retail, Expedited Shipping, E-commerceMany U.S. consumers have negative feelings toward Amazon's impact on the retail industry and the environment, according to a recent consumer survey by Convey. The negative sentiment, however, doesn't translate to lost sales. The key to Amazon's success is its industry-disrupting shipping. Major findings include: 25% of Americans have negative feelings about Amazon's impact on the retail industry as a whole, and 27% of respondents feel very or somewhat negative about its impact on the environment. 21% of shoppers who disapprove of Amazon's impact on retail still report buying at least 50% of all their goods on the site. Negative environmental impact didn't sway shoppers either—24% of shoppers who believe Amazon is damaging to the environment still buy at least 50% of all their goods on the site. Younger Americans feel more strongly about Amazon's ecological footprint than older generations. More than 1 in 3 millennials say Amazon has a negative impact on the environment, which is 30% higher than respondents overall. Fast and free shipping is by far the main reason people shop at Amazon, selected by 80% of respondents, followed by its wide product selection (69%). It's the backbone of Amazon's success—25% say they would not use the site if they had to pay for shipping, and 39% say they are unsure, meaning 64% of shoppers would consider buying elsewhere if free shipping wasn't an option. Consumers are more flexible when it comes to delivery speed. While 12% say delivery within one or two days is essential for them to continue using Amazon, 55% say they would still use the site if deliveries arrived in three to four days, as long as shipping was free. This tolerance drops to 34% if packages take more than five days to arrive. Package theft remains the biggest worry for 30% of U.S. shoppers. The second biggest concern is needing to make returns (14%) and the lowest concern is poor packaging (3%).