eCommerce order fulfilment: statistics you need to know
Looking for the best eCommerce order fulfilment stats?
You’ve come to the right place. On this page, you will find 30 statistics on eCommerce fulfilment that will help you understand exactly what it is that you should be doing to make sure that your eCommerce journey ends in success.
Ready to find out more? Then keep reading!
eCommerce Order Fulfillment Stats
94% invested more time and money in brick and mortar stores in 2022 as compared to online platforms (Zippia)
If anyone tells you that brick and mortar stores are a thing of the past and so your order fulfilment strategy should only focus on eCommerce sales, you should know that that is simply not true. A lot of people depend on eCommerce for shopping, but saying that digital shops have completely replaced physical shopping would be an underestimation.
Therefore, even when you are crafting the perfect plan for your eCommerce order fulfilment success, you need to make sure you are taking into account the fact that you must also pay attention to your brick and mortar fulfilment if you want to stay at par with your contemporaries in the industry.
The US eCommerce market is projected to see a CAGR of 13.5% between 2017 and 2025 (Zippia)
Although this stat is only an authority on the state of eCommerce growth in the US, it is still pretty telling in terms of the rate at which the eCommerce industry is likely to develop in the future. This means that your eCommerce will only double (maybe even triple if you are lucky!), so now is the time to establish a solid eCommerce order fulfilment framework.
Knowing this will help you gear up for the future in a much better and organised way, and then you can simply have a tunnel-vision to your eCommerce success.
The last mile delivery market is set to grow up to 16% annually between 2021 and 2025. (PWC)
Last mile logistics is the final step of eCommerce order fulfilment. In that sense, it commonly refers to the actual process delivering the order by the carrier. The fact that the last mile delivery market is projected to grow in coming years shows that people are taking it more seriously and it is bound to become an integral, investment-worthy part of the eCommerce order fulfilment journey.
The main reason behind this could be that customers really pay attention to the last mile experience they get, and hence it can be a make or break factor when it comes to customer satisfaction.
Increased sustainability efforts from brands are valued by 52% of consumers. (Growth from Knowledge)
We all know things like speed, efficiency, and convenience are greatly valued by customers. However, a lot of businesses forget that today, people all over the world prioritise sustainability and other ESG factors in terms of deciding which brands to interact with.
Therefore, it becomes absolutely obligatory for businesses to start putting sustainability efforts into their eCommerce order fulfilment journey. Once these efforts actually reflect onto the customer experience you provide, your customers will really start to value you – which is obviously great for increased retention, a boost in your revenue, and may even increase the longevity of your brand.
In 2023, eCommerce spending is projected to reach a whopping $36 billion – a 20% increase in comparison to 2022. (Invoca)
If you thought this year was the year of eCommerce… well, think again! There is likely to be a 20% increase in eCommerce spending next year, which shows that if anything, 2023 is going to be even better for your eCommerce success.
However, increased spending also means increased responsibility on you as a brand to provide stellar services that communicate your uniqueness to the customer. Yet again, this is your sign to take your eCommerce order fulfilment tactics up a notch and really work on crafting an order fulfilment process that your customers will find wholly awe-worthy, impressive, and memorable.
81% retail shoppers will conduct online research on an item before they buy it. (Invoca )
This tells us that even outside of eCommerce order fulfilment, your online presence matters a lot. So, being a business that makes more sales in brick and mortar stores than online is no excuse for you to not focus on your online presence. No matter what your preferred sales channel is, you need to make sure that relevant details about your brand are available on the web, there are no bad reviews, and that the customer can easily get their hands on information they need regarding your product.
Because here’s the thing: if you have no online presence, you may even lose potential brick and mortar sales, thanks to the customers’ habit of researching everything online.
86% of eCommerce consumers use at least 2 different channels when making a single purchase, whereas 70% will use at least 3. (Zippia)
This statistic is particularly important because it is your sign to start prioritising omnichannel eCommerce activity. If you can’t do that, you are lagging behind. As we can learn from this stat, your customers are present on a range of different sales channels. The fact that they use 2 or more channels means that they could decide to make their purchase on any channel.
So, your presence on different channels would also increase your chances of a sale. Remember, this is one of the many reasons behind why omnichannel selling is a good option for many businesses. However, omnichannel selling also means an omnichannel-friendly eCommerce order fulfilment, which requires time, effort, and the right resources.
US retailers are projected to spend over $50 billion on digital advertising, which would be a 50% increase from 2020. (Insider Intelligence)
eCommerce success and digital advertising go hand in hand. The fact that more and more businesses are focusing on it shows that more of them are working on boosting their eCommerce success. You definitely need to follow their needs and start working on your eCommerce reach with the help of digital advertising.
At the end of the day, no matter how perfect your eCommerce order fulfilment processes are, this stat shows that there are other elements like digital advertising that play a part in building up your eCommerce success from scratch and taking it up to a place where it’s actually worth it.
Only 51% of retailers offer same-day delivery, whereas at least 61% of consumers would pay more for same-day delivery. (Your Digital Resource)
This is important, because it urges us to recall our lesson on supply and demand. There is more demand for same-day delivery and less supply of it. This means that you can emerge as an industry leader and win the hearts of your customer by providing same-day delivery.
But we know it’s easier said than done. In order to actually be able to do that, you need to have a highly advanced eCommerce fulfilment process in place, and that will obviously require a lot of work from your end. But, this is why we mentioned this stat – you can get a head start on your competitors and start today with the help of an eCommerce order fulfilment software like Canary7.
Lack of helpful customer service could lead 87% of consumers spending less, or even entirely abandoning brands. (The Future of Commerce)
Although it is a stat focusing on customer service, we can use it as a lesson on order fulfilment as well. While back in the day we used to only hear that the customer is always right, today, we live in an era where the customer is actually always right. In simpler words, all we’re trying to say is that the brand experience you provide in every area needs to align with the needs of the customers, including order fulfilment.
So, considering that customers value speed, convenience, and sustainability, you really need to ensure that your eCommerce order fulfilment is also prioritising these for the best possible results.
92% of consumers will buy again from a brand that offers easy returns. (Invesp )
That is a pretty high majority, which means that reverse logistics become an important element for businesses that want to get on the good side of their customers. Obviously, this mainly starts with creating the right return policy. However, the actual experience depends on how good your order fulfilment is.
To make eCommerce order fulfilment effective in terms of processing returns and exchanges, you need to get an order fulfilment system that can help you streamline everything without restrictions.
67% of shoppers look into a store’s return policy before they go ahead and place an order. (Invesp)
Again, this highlights the importance of reverse logistics and the return policy. Your customers really care about how easy returns are. In fact, for many online shoppers easy returns are one of the primary reasons why they opt for eCommerce shopping. So, if you provide this element to them, you have the ability to show them that their preferences matter to you.
Make your order fulfilment align with the goals of your reverse logistics, and watch your business flourish further than you would have ever possibly thought!
84% consumers think eCommerce retailers need to make a greater effort in terms of integrating their online and offline channels. (Invoca)
We have already discussed how important it is to go omnichannel. Being omnichannel also means that you must be integrated. The fact that over three quarters of customers think that businesses lag in this area means that this area truly is neglected.
If you want your eCommerce order fulfilment to actually be contributive towards the success of your business, you must pay attention to integration between different channels, as well as between the front end and back end logistics of your eCommerce activity. This way, you can achieve greater seamlessness and organise your sales in a much better manner, which is obviously a winning factor for almost all businesses.
By not being omnichannel, businesses may have to suffer from a 10% loss in revenue. (Invoca)
Your eCommerce order fulfilment experience could really suffer if you don’t pay attention to being omnichannel. Not just in terms of declining customer satisfaction, but also financially. You could actually incur monetary loss by neglecting omnichannel sales and fulfilment, and that is something that you really need to stay away from if you want to grow and develop your eCommerce brand in the future.
So, start paying attention to your eCommerce order fulfilment strategies today, and we promise you won’t have to deal with any major damage done to your business cash flow!
Social commerce is projected to reach $30.73 billion in the upcoming year, which will make it form 20% of global retail eCommerce sales. (The Future of eCommerce)
Your eCommerce order fulfilment strategies should not only focus on traditional sales channels! It should also take into regard social commerce and live commerce, and your logistics should be advanced enough to help you deal with them and fulfil orders received through these means as seamlessly as it would for traditional channels like marketplaces and eCommerce platforms.
The more integrated your order fulfilment processes are, the more possible it becomes to execute them. This is precisely why integrations matter so much, and is likely to become an important element within your success strategy once you truly incorporate it into it.
The metaverse market is forecasted to reach $800 billion in the next two years. (Bloomberg)
This is important for similar reasons as the one above. Sales channels will not always be platforms like Amazon and Shopify; it can also be a dynamic internet space like the metaverse. Only the most advanced order fulfilment processes will help you seamlessly process and fulfil the orders you get on here. The fact that this market is growing means you should get to creating the most advanced order fulfilment processes straight away.
By creating an order fulfilment experience that aligns with these platforms, you are really expanding your market reach and moving towards a much better, evolved eCommerce journey.
74% of consumers in the US begin their product searches on Amazon. (Zippia)
If you are the kind of business who would never think of selling on Amazon, remember that there are better chances of you selling on Amazon at least according to this statistic. So, we urge all businesses to branch out and try different sales channels and see what actually works for them.
Needless to say, in order to facilitate this exploration of various opportunities, you need a flexible and easily adaptable order fulfilment experience, which you can build with the right tools and technology, as well as lots of focus, effort, and resources. For example, an order fulfilment management software can help you streamline all of this and more with relatively less commitment.
Gen-Z has the greatest online shopping preference out of all the generational segments. (Zippia)
You need to know this because this will help you know exactly what to do with your eCommerce order fulfilment processes in order for it to be more attractive for Gen-Z. For example, it would be helpful to keep in mind that some things Gen-Z values in eCommerce include brand authenticity and transparency.
So, it would help you to be more authentic and transparent with your shoppers if you are looking to tap into the Gen-Z preference. Although your target audience may not be Gen-Z right now, it wouldn’t hurt to establish a framework that could potentially attract them as well.
68% of U.S retailers offer BOPIS i.e. buy online, pick up in store, facilities. (Zippia)
This is important as a reminder that increasingly, retailers are offering customers a range of means to interact with their brand. This means more convenience for the customer as well as more sales and better revenue for you.
So, for best results, your order fulfilment processes should not only cover eCommerce but all the other BOPIS means as well. This way, you can present yourself as a diverse and dynamic brand, and we can promise you that this is exactly what your customers will find the most unique about you.
WooCommerce is the leading eCommerce platform with more than 1/3rd of the market share. (Meetanshi)
If you are thinking of what eCommerce platform will support your growth as a brand, WooCommerce is a good option. WooCommerce, paired with stellar eCommerce order fulfilment methodologies can actually help you improve greatly as a business.
It is also a great way to make sure that you are remaining in touch with various industry practices, since your order fulfilment processes will most definitely have to align with the guidelines set by WooCommerce. Yet, the main point is that an advance eCommerce order fulfilment experience will take into regard multiple platforms, not just one – and that’s how it becomes a holistically evolved part of your business.
By 2025, the number of American eCommerce shoppers is expected to reach over 291.2 million by 2025.
We’ve covered this earlier too, but this stat is really important to drive the message home! eCommerce is constantly evolving. As the number of eCommerce shoppers grows, so do the requirements you need to meet in order to be a successful part of this race.
It may be quite overwhelming at first, but with time, you can bring your order fulfilment processes to the same level as the eCommerce industry. After all, there is not much you cannot do with the help of the right tools and technology and this is also why an eCommerce order fulfilment system is very important.
80% B2B orders are placed through websites. (BigCommerce)
If you are a B2B business, you really need to start focusing on eCommerce. As the stat shows, ALMOST all B2B orders these days take place on the internet through websites, so you need to prioritise this area for the success of your business.
This also means that your order fulfilment should also cater to you business customers. Remember; these customers are a part of the business world and if anything, have higher expectations of excellence so very often, nothing less than perfection will be satisfactory for them especially in regards to eCommerce order fulfilment.
China is the leading eCommerce market globally. (Statista)
One way to increase your prospects of eCommerce success is to focus on the international market. So, if you are selling in the West, we strongly suggest you consider selling into international markets – especially China!
It may not be easy, but the least you can do is be open to customers who live in China. If your order fulfilment methods are evolved enough, you can do this without any problems. Not only will this help you expand your customer base, but it is also a good way of boosting your revenue and making a name for yourself as a brand globally.
Turkey is projected to grow in terms of eCommerce development, with a CAGR of 14.59% in the next 3 years. (Statista)
If you are a business whose order fulfilment strategy is currently not focusing on international markets, now is the time for you to turn that around. This is because eCommerce is growing all over the world, and if your order fulfilment processes can actually cover international spaces, then there is a better chance of you succeeding.
We understand that breaking out of the local market can be daunting, but with the right amount of help you can actually sell wherever you want to, and subsequently fulfil orders beyond borders without any major hitches or hurdles.
43% of consumers prefer companies that provide personalised brand experiences. (Outgrow)
Again, this means that your order fulfilment process should take into consideration the needs of your customers. Because they prefer personalised brand experiences, they will also be more impressed by an order fulfilment experience that completely aligns with their preferences and needs, and hence, this way, you are more likely to get on the good side of your customers.
So, for the upcoming year, focus on personalisation. One way to do this is by integrating data analytics into your logistics, which will help you harness useful data and then also make sense of it in the most effective of ways.
Using multiple channels can increase eCommerce ROI by 24%. (Subscriptionly)
We may sound like a broken record at this point – but partly, the success of your eCommerce order fulfilment as well as your eCommerce journey as a whole depends on how well integrated you are between multiple channels.
So, look into multichannel selling straight away and bring it to the centre of your eCommerce processes. Not only that, but for businesses that are not seeing the figures on their revenue go up at a pace that they find suitable, adding one or two new channels to your eCommerce game may be the missing puzzle piece you require.
75% of consumers don’t mind paying more for a good customer experience. (Subscriptionly)
Customer experience is the most important thing to the customer which means it should also be the most important thing for you. If you are planning on increasing the prices of your products, you can only do that if you are also offering a stellar, first-class customer experience that compensates for the increased prices.
The fact that so many people are ready and willing to pay for a better customer experience means that focusing on it could really be a game-changer for the eventual success of your eCommerce order fulfilment strategy. If you are unsure on how to create an order fulfilment strategy that does prioritise the customer experience, all you need to do is understand your customers through data and employ your working into the actual purchase journey you give them, which you can do with the help of an order fulfilment management system.
By 2040, 95% of all purchases are expected to happen online. (Subscriptionly)
Remember how we mentioned that brick and mortar is still a thing?
Well, chances are, that in the next 15 or so years, this might not be the case! Which means that you need to start working on your eCommerce order fulfilment experience straight away because it is only if you start working on it now that you can become an established brand by the time 2040 rolls around.
The brand Kada increased its sales by a shocking 120% by focusing on m-commerce. (Subscriptionly)
M-commerce relates to mobile commerce. If Kada can increase its sales so extensively, then so can you! Your order fulfilment experience should be fully optimised for the mobile experience, as this will help you impress your customers much better.
Mobile sales are convenient for everyone involved, so make sure you are not neglecting them in any way.
The average cost to fulfil an order is 70% of the average order value. (Conveyco)
You knew this was coming: eCommerce order fulfilment, at least the successful version of it, is bound to be expensive. However, this doesn’t mean you should stray away from it and not indulge in it at all.
In fact, using an eCommerce order fulfilment software can help you save money and make sure that you are spending less on the whole eCommerce journey, and saving more! This is also the perfect way to improve your cash flow in general, so getting your hands on the right eCommerce order fulfilment software will really help you in many regards.
Conclusion
The eCommerce world is an interesting place. However, this also means that it is quite unpredictable and if you are not prepared well enough, you may have to face some problems.
However, don’t worry – the stats above will help you improve your eCommerce game in just the right ways.
And you know what else can help you? A robust eCommerce order fulfilment system like Canary7, that will help you make sure that your order fulfilment strategy fits every single lesson you have learned about eCommerce order fulfilment on this page!
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