New data from Collect+, the in-store parcel service from PayPoint, has shown an 81% jump in UK parcel traffic over Black Friday week (25 November – 04 December) as almost 900,000 additional parcels were processed compared to same period last year.
The data came from Collect+, the largest carrier agnostic parcel network in the UK of over 10,000 local stores. Collect+ works with leading brands including Amazon, eBay, Yodel, DPD, DHL, Fedex, Wish.com and Parcel2Go.
Collect+ said as shoppers rushed to make the most of Black Friday deals, the convenience of its click-and-collect service had mass appeal across the country seeing thousands of extra parcels delivered and returned.
Nick Williams, head of parcels, Collect+, said: “In the current economic environment, it’s no surprise that people were eager to take advantage of deals and discounts over Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The numbers here speak for themselves and I’m always proud when our fantastic retailer partners step up to deal with immense volume increases during busy periods, ensuring that people get their parcels safely and promptly.”
Collect+ is not the only provider to see record numbers of parcels over Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Data compiled by nShift, a global delivery management software provider, found that UK parcel volumes on Black Friday were 8% higher than they were in 2021. It’s a similar story for Cyber Monday with parcels generated on this day were over 28% higher compared to last year.
This may come as a surprise to many due to the cost-of-living crisis. It had previously been reported that Christmas shoppers were expected to spend £4.4bn less this year. Consumers cited rising prices as a major concerns, with over 70% of customers expecting to reduce spending in some form.
A recent study by charity Oxfam found one in ten (12%) shoppers have even turned to buying second-hand gifts, with books, particularly fiction, revealed to be at the top of people’s charity shop wish list.
