In 2021, France saw 1.8 billion parcels generated, averaging 52 per second. As the wave of e-commerce’s popularity surges forward, e-commerce delivery takes center stage. Navigating customer delivery expectations poses challenges for brands and e-retailers. This blog post highlights e-commerce delivery trends, consumer preferences and secrets of efficient delivery in France.
E-commerce delivery performance at a glance
France has a stable parcel delivery time, averaging 1.8 to 1.9 days in 2022. This reliability places France at the midpoint for total transit time, with an impressive 91% success rate in first-attempt last-mile delivery.
While the issue rate stands at 9.8%, 30% stem from carrier-related factors. France retained one of the top spots in collection point usage at 7.3%, with 49% of parcels being picked up from collection points within 24 hours.
Key trends among French consumers
French consumers value the delivery experience
Home delivery remains the preferred option among French e-shoppers, with 78% choosing this method. PUDO is gaining popularity and has been used by 7 out of 10 online buyers.
French consumers value the delivery experience over the delivery time. Most of them expect their parcels to arrive within 3-5 days.
Sustainable practices are gaining higher importance
French consumers’ expectations of CSR continue to grow. Most shoppers keep a close eye on brands’ activities in sustainability. Some important data shows below:
- 48% – absolutely prefer recyclable packaging;
- 45% – want the packaging to be reusable;
- 37% – are willing to postpone delivery date to reduce the environmental impact;
- 29% – disapprove the overpackaged parcels
Cross-border purchase still a heat
French e-buyers are more likely to buy abroad than the average European e-buyer. In 2021, over 35 % of French online shoppers bought from foreign e-merchants.
The price of a product is by far the most driving factor for French online shoppers (62%), followed by low delivery cost (39%), speed (31%) and product availability (25%).
Successful factors for mastering last-mile delivery in France
Delivery accuracy and reliability
PwC research reveals meeting expectations matter more than ultra-fast delivery. To ensure high accuracy, retailers need to manage and meet expectations, including clearly communicating about delivery time, location and additional processes. Offering 100% end-to-end tracking to communicate with your customers is essential.
Delivery speed
Speed is customer- and product-need dependent. Heavier products can afford to wait, like clothing requires fast delivery. However, delivery speed remains of high importance when it comes to e-commerce delivery. Choosing a partner with a stable on-time delivery rate can be a huge guarantee.
Robust local last-mile delivery network
A strong last-mile network facilitates better coordination with local partners, enabling you to offer timely updates and flexible delivery options. With CIRRO Parcel, you can pick the product and last-mile carrier that best suits your needs, from a wide range of carefully selected options. All the last-mile carriers we partner with are reliable, ultimately guaranteeing safe and punctual product deliveries.
