Study: ‘Porch piracy’ affecting online shopping

As more shoppers become victims of “porch piracy,” they are changing they way they shop — and receive — online orders.



This message was delivered in a new study from Vivint Smart Home, a smart home services provider in North America. The study, which is based on 2,000 people, explores the far-reaching impact of the porch piracy phenomenon — an issue that has affected 23 million Americans, according to a separate study from Princeton Survey Research Associates International.



Nearly 45% of Americans have had a package stolen or know someone who has had a package stolen, an issue that now has nearly 75% of Americans concerned about porch piracy.



It is such a growing issue that two out of three Americans have changed their behavior, including adjusting their schedules to be home for a delivery (49%); changing the way they receive packages, such as requiring a signature at delivery or shipping packages to their office or the homes of family members or friends (46%), and reducing the amount they shop online (31%), the study said.



Packages are stolen most frequently from town homes (29%), yet apartment dwellers are the most concerned about porch piracy (79%). Despite their growing concern and initial efforts, few shoppers have proactively addressed this issue. Almost 90% of Americans have not installed surveillance technology, and 81% have not instituted a neighborhood watch program, the study revealed.



The most diligent customer segment however, is millennials. Nearly four in five millennials are concerned about porch piracy, with 61% reporting that they have changed the way they receive packages, the study said.



This customer segment is also the most proactive generation in attempting to retrieve stolen packages. As a result, they have the most success getting them back, with 36% reporting they had recovered a stolen package. More than half of millennials rely on tactics to aid in their search, such as getting help from the police, giving video evidence to the police and sharing details about the theft on social media, the report explained.



“Concerns about porch piracy threaten the key value proposition of online shopping — the convenience of having a package delivered directly to your home,” said Matt Mahar, VP of consumer experience at Vivint Smart Home. “While this has led most Americans to get creative with the way they ship packages, it is also affecting how much they buy online. Armed with a smart home, consumers can shop and send with peace of mind, knowing that every package can be safely delivered.”