Our work
parcelLab: Parcel patience
The convenience of being able to order on your phone and the package arriving the next day is frankly addictive for many. We have now come to accept this as the norm and our expectations are higher than they have ever been before. However, we have all experienced delayed deliveries, missing packages and often a generally poor user experience. Diffusion’s Parcel Patience campaign set out to use research in a manner that went beyond industry norms – not only to highlight the concern consumers have when ordering online, but to also complement this with an in-depth audit of retailers’ performance at each stage of the order process.
Insight & Idea
The bespoke research and audit process involved placing orders with each of the UK’s top 50 direct to consumer (DTC) brands. From here, Diffusion and parcelLab analysed each aspect of the purchase experience, including the delivery options offered, the ease of returns, the level of communication with customers, and the sustainability practices of each brand. The DTC reports uncovered some stark shortcomings amongst brands that are typically renowned for being disruptors in their field: just 4% of brands offered a carbon neutral delivery option, 62% did not offer a next-day delivery option, and only 10% offered a click and collect service.
This analysis of brand performance was then overlaid with consumer sentiment research to create a multifaceted campaign that provided a reality check for where the retail space was, promoting parcelLab as the solution to poor customer experience. Diffusion contextualised the insights gathered by relaying the media narrative, dovetailing the content of the campaign into the wider news agenda and generating major national and broadcast coverage in the process. Impending Brexit deadlines, media focus on sustainability through COP26, as well as the HGV driver shortages and broader global supply chain issues all provided the backdrop to ensure the research was relevant.
Impact & Action
The Parcel Patience campaign was an extraordinary success, responding emphatically yet neatly to the original campaign objectives. It resulted in 70+ pieces of coverage in titles including The Daily Express, Forbes, and City A.M.
parcelLab’s share of voice amongst competitors jumped from 34% to 72%, and at the campaign peak, the parcelLab websites saw a 25% increase in traffic in November 2021, compared to October 2021.
The campaign’s success has also been recognised by being shortlisted for four industry awards.
The Metrics
