Despite clear consumer appetite for Click + Collect - a service designed to be faster, more convenient, and more affordable than home delivery - a survey released today reveals that 79% of UK consumers believe the offering needs improvement.

The research, conducted by UK-based Clix Technologies, showed that over two-thirds (69%) of UK shoppers are embedding Click + Collect into their shopping journeys. In 2023, the technology accounted for 12.9% of online spend.

The main draws are convenience (24.9% use it to get items quicker) and money-saving opportunities (28.9% use it to save money on home delivery charges).

However, behind the positive numbers lies a worrying trend for retailers: the results show 82% have chosen home delivery over Click + Collect purchases over the last 12 months. 

Features of Click + Collect that are putting shoppers off include poor store proximity (31%), queues (23%), inconvenient opening hours (14%), and shared screen technologies (7%).

Overall, a huge 85% of respondents were receptive to using it more if they were able to collect outside of normal store hours (25%), they didn’t have to wait in a queue to collect goods (16%), and there was a dedicated store collection point (12%).

Clix Technologies cofounder Matt Cater commented: “When implemented well, retailers are seeing reduced costs, more efficient staff deployment, increased store footfall and better customer satisfaction. However, there is clearly room for improvement across the retail industry, and adoption rates of Click + Collect could be far higher if shopper convenience was given more consideration.”

Major retailer Primark recently announced it is broadening its click-and-collect trial, potentially reaching beyond the UK, to meet such consumer demand.