Drones and driverless vehicles - UK shoppers want technology enabled deliveries

SOTI’s latest research reveals consumers have lost faith in traditional delivery method due to rising fees and delays, and are open to new methods

A growing number of UK shoppers want alternative delivery methods such as by drone and autonomous vehicle, as deliveries become more expensive and fraught with issues, research from SOTI has discovered.

According to a new research report from SOTI – the Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) specialist – titled The Tech Effect: Strengthening the Omnichannel to Meet Consumer Demands, consumer attitudes to how they receive their items are changing, with a shift from the traditional options to more technology-enabled methods and experiences.

The report found that 46% of UK shoppers would consider delivery by drone a 7% increase from the 2022 report, whilst more than half (53%) would choose delivery by autonomous vehicle – an 8% increase from 2022. Compared to the 2022 report, in-store click and collect also grew as a preferred option for UK shoppers, rising by 9% to 13%.

From this data, consumers want different delivery methods from retailers to enhance the online shopping experience. Retailers need to respond to this shift through the deployment of digital technology to support elevated consumer demands, particularly with e-commerce.

When consumers considered delivery options in 2023, 37% of UK shoppers (38% globally) would choose in-home delivery where a driver would have access to their homes via a smart entrance and leave the product inside. Additionally, 63% of UK consumers (61% globally) are happy to choose to have their items dropped off at a designated location to collect later. Lastly, 32% (37% globally) would be happy to have items delivered to the boot of their vehicle.