How COVID-19 Affected E-Commerce Deliveries in the UK

(Click to view the
HD version
of this infographic)
In our previous study, we examined how peak season affected both the UK and Germany in 2019. This week, we return to our COVID-19 analysis on how the pandemic has affected countries all around the world.
On March 23 this year, the UK administration announced that it was going into lockdown. They only allowed the public to leave their homes for very limited reasons. Shops selling non-essential goods had to close, and they banned gatherings of more than two people in public.
For this study, we analyzed the trends of two e-commerce logistics variables: transit time to first delivery attempt and the success rate of said delivery attempt for domestic parcels over the last 9 months.
Here’s what we found:
Transit time to first attempt increased by 50% from 1.8 days to 2.7 days (March to April 2020)
This corresponds with the time when the UK announced it was going into lockdown. With the country in lockdown and shops selling non-essentials closed, consumers took to online shopping. This created a sudden surge in e-commerce demand and flooded the logistics sector.
One of the UK’s frequently-used postal companies, Royal Mail, has found these circumstances challenging. Amidst the spike in e-commerce deliveries, the company had to implement social distancing measures throughout its logistics operations to ensure that its staff stayed safe; staggering shifts and reducing manpower.
Transit time to the first attempt began to normalize from July at 1.9 days
From June, lockdown measures in the UK had eased and non-essential retailers could resume business operations.
Based on our findings, logistics carriers in the UK appear to have gotten better at managing capacity, with a marked improvement in transit time to first attempt delivery from July at 1.9 days. This is significantly shorter than the average of 2.7 days transit time recorded in April.
The success rate for first attempt deliveries averaged 94.7% from April to June
Compared to the average success rate of 85% in 2019, this is a significant improvement. With more people in the UK staying at home during the lockdown, this would have reduced the probability of missed parcel deliveries.
Nevertheless, we do see delivery success rates continue to hover above 90% even in the months of August and September.
With the country going through a second wave of cases, we shall see what happens next to these delivery variables, especially with the upcoming peak season for retailers.
We also did a similar study in Australia, check out our analysis on the effects of COVID-19 in Australia here.
For more exclusive reports, insights, and interviews on the latest updates in e-commerce and logistics, follow us on LinkedIn or join our community as a member.
Also worth your time
Track your parcel here
Event Highlights
Europe
Retail & E-Commerce
ECDM Expo NORTH 2023
Feb 11 - 12, 2023 | Vellideion Conference Center, Thessaloniki
Europe
Retail & E-Commerce
E-commerce Berlin Expo 2023
Feb 23, 2023 | STATION Berlin, Luckenwalder Str. 4-6, Berlin, Germany
Americas
Logistics & Supply Chain
Intermodal South America 2023
Feb 28 - Mar 03, 2023 | São Paulo Expo
North America
Retail & E-Commerce
Future Stores Miami 2023
Mar 05 - 08, 2023 | JW Marriott Miami, FL, USA
Middle East
Retail & E-Commerce
The Retail Summit 2023
Mar 14 - 15, 2023 | Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
More discoveries
Funding Roundup: Craft.co, Freightify, Yebo Fresh and Others Close Early-Stage Deals
Feb 03, 2023
Retail Dive: Maersk Deploys Drones to Improve Warehouse Inventory Management
Feb 03, 2023
FreightWaves: FedEx Ground Establishes 3-Tier Driver Contractor Grading System
Feb 02, 2023
A Look at 2022 Consumer Trends in the United States
Feb 01, 2023
Retail Dive: Amazon Fresh Raises Minimum Order to Qualify for Free Delivery
Feb 01, 2023
Business Standard: Shipping Ministry Establishes Maritime Logistics Portal to Facilitate Sea Commerce
Jan 31, 2023
Guest Post: How to Improve Your Customer Experience in E-commerce
Jan 31, 2023
Overcoming Peak Season Challenges With Fossil
Jan 30, 2023
Alcott Global Podcast: Digital Procurement Transformation Starts With Mindset
Jan 27, 2023
Retail Dive: Michael Kors Appoints Versace Executive Cedric Wilmotte as CEO
Jan 27, 2023
CNA: Amazon Introduces Dedicated Air Cargo Service in India for Faster Deliveries
Jan 26, 2023
Introduction to Supply Chain Management: The Essentials to Know
Jan 25, 2023
GMA News Online: USAID Launches 5-Year Program to Boost MSME Digital Transformation in the Philippines
Jan 20, 2023
The Ultimate Guide to Shipping & Logistics in E-Commerce
Jan 19, 2023
YunExpress Europe: Zongteng Group Inaugurates Shenzhen-Paris Route With Its First Freighter Flight
Jan 19, 2023