The most trusted retailer for driverless and drone deliveries is…

Among retailers offering artificial intelligence-based driverless and drone deliveries, one stands out in the level of consumer trust it has achieved.

Consumers named Amazon as the clear favorite when asked to name their most trusted companies for AI-based driverless and drone deliveries, according to a survey of 700 U.S. consumers and 300 U.S. delivery drivers from route optimization software provider Circuit.  Amazon took the top spot (trusted by 55% of consumers), followed by Walmart 40%, Google 39%, Apple 36% and FedEx 25%.

Interestingly, Walmart, however, was far and away the most trusted company for automated food deliveries:

• Walmart 60%.
• Domino’s 40%.
• Uber Eats 39%.
• Postmates 39%
• DoorDash 31%.

Consumer respondents were also asked to name the top pros of ordering products via AI-based driverless and drone deliveries. Top responses included:

• Faster 39%.
• Less traffic 36%.
• More efficient 36%.
• Improved road safety 34%.
• Less pollution 33%.

Meanwhile, the most frequently mentioned cons of ordering products via AI-based driverless and drone deliveries included:

• Technical errors 41%.
• Security/hacking issues 40%.
• Loss of delivery jobs 35%.
• Reduced pedestrian/biker safety 35%.
• High upfront costs 33%.

Looking ahead, large majorities of consumer respondents expect that AI-based driverless and drone deliveries will have a positive impact on society (82%), economy (78%), delivery efficiency (75%), delivery quality (69%), and job opportunities (61%).

Driver sentiments

Circuit also surveyed U.S. delivery drivers about their opinions of AI-based driverless and drone deliveries. Although 80% of driver respondents fear losing their jobs, 90% believe AI integration will have a positive impact on the delivery industry as a whole, and 89% would be interested in an AI-based driverless or drone delivery career.

According to surveyed delivery drivers, delivery without humans will remove the following elements from the process:

• Creative thinking 70%.
• Emotional intelligence/empathy 63%.
• Conflict resolution/negotiation 58%.
• Critical thinking 50%.
• Strategic planning 32%.

See full survey results here.

Survey: Poor delivery performance drives away customers

According to the recent biennial consumer holiday survey from Voxware, 44% of surveyed U.S. consumers say that up to 10% of their orders arrive later than promised, and another 20% report experiencing late deliveries up to 25% of the time. Two-thirds (65%) of respondents report that they will abandon shopping with a retailer altogether after two to three late deliveries. Eight in 10 (81%) say if a retailer sends an incorrect order two to three times, they will abandon shopping with that retailer altogether.