Ecommerce: Delivery Preferences

Innovative Delivery Options in Germany : Key Insights

• Innovative delivery methods in 2023: Today, delivery through traditional delivery vans remains popular across generational and gender divides. However, the attitude may shift as shoppers become more familiar with modern delivery methods.

• Generational attitudes towards innovative delivery: German consumers from different generational cohorts would still like to use traditional delivery options in the future. But younger online shoppers are more excited for innovative delivery methods than older shoppers.

• Gender attitudes towards innovative delivery: While both male and female German online shoppers favor traditional delivery, men are more receptive to innovative delivery methods.

Delivery remains an important touchpoint in the eCommerce shopping journey. With technological innovation, the time is not far when eCommerce businesses may have to consider delivery using drones or robots to please their customers.

According to Statista Consumer Insights, the attitude of German consumers towards future delivery options varies, depending on their age and gender.

How does the popularity of traditional delivery methods differ across generations and genders of shoppers? How receptive are consumers to future delivery options? Find out through the latest data.

Attitudes Toward Innovative Delivery Options by Generation: Oldest Shoppers Least Open to Ultra-Modern Delivery Methods

As per 2023 data , consumers from different generational cohorts would still like to use traditional delivery options in the future. However, some generational cohorts also display excitement towards future delivery methods.

Delivery through traditional vans (such as those using gasoline) remains the most well-liked option among shoppers from Generation X (30%) and Boomer generation (28%). They are followed closely by Millennials (27%). In comparison, only 15% of Gen Z chose this option.

The relationship between generation and preference for future delivery methods is not entirely linear. More shoppers from Generation X (31%) and Millennials (31%) are open to using eco-friendly options like delivery through postal workers with eTransportation than others.

Nonetheless, age comes into play more strongly the more modern delivery choices get.

For options like drones and robots, the preference is lowest amongst the oldest shoppers - those from the Boomer generation - at 11% and 7% respectively. Their disinterest may stem from several reasons, such as the lack of personal interaction, reliability, and accuracy that comes with using such technologies.

In contrast, delivery via robots (28%) and drones (26%) emerge as the most popular options for the youngest cohort - Gen Z. However, this generation's inclination towards eco-friendly options like postal workers with eBike/bicycle (16%) and eTransporation (13%) for delivery is markedly lower than other generations of online shoppers in Germany.

Attitudes Toward Future Delivery Options by Gender

When it comes to gender, more than half the female respondents (51%) opted in favor of traditional vans. The share of male shoppers choosing this option is also comparable at 49%.

However, a gender split in preferences becomes more visible the more modern delivery options get.

For ultra-modern options, men visibly demonstrate more excitement than women: 61% men but just 39% women would prefer to use drones for delivery in the future, whereas 57% men and only 43% of women would use robots.

A study on drone delivery service also finds that male shoppers are more likely of the two genders to use drones for delivery. In comparison, female shoppers’ reluctance towards using drones for delivery is found linked to privacy concerns and skepticism towards its potential benefits.

When it comes to selecting more eco-friendly delivery methods, the results for the two genders remain comparable. For using postal worker with eBike/bicycle, the share of male shoppers (51%) slightly outpaces that of females (49%). In addition, at 50% each, an equal share of male and female respondents said that they would opt for postal worker with eTransportation (electric vans) in the future.

Notably, at 56%, a good share of women selected none of the options in the survey, suggesting they might be more open to other delivery modes as and when they become available.