B.C. shoppers continue shopping online despite concerns over porch piracy
A survey by FedEx revealed how many shoppers worry about porch piracy, holiday shopping, and use delivery-tracking tools
A survey by Fedex found 19 per cent of British Columbians have experienced porch piracy.(Pexels/RDNE Stock project)
More than two-thirds of British Columbians worry about porch piracy, which is the theft of delivered packages from households, according to a FedEx survey conducted from Oct. 9 to 11.
About 19 per cent of shoppers in the province have experienced porch piracy, the data found.
Despite the decrease in reported package thefts from 14 per cent in 2023 to 8 per cent this year, 72 per cent of B.C. shoppers worry about porch pirates, and 83 per cent of online shoppers expect online retailers to offer tracking features.
Delivery-tracking tools are the most common methods to protect against porch pirates, wrote James Anderson, communications advisor in media relations and corporate communications at FedEx, in the email statement to The Runner.
The survey also found 67 per cent of online shoppers in B.C. use tracking tools, which is 9 per cent higher than the national average.
FedEx offers shoppers tracking tools such as notification services via mobile apps, text, and email for visibility into the location of packages, Anderson wrote.
Another tip to avoid porch piracy is specifying details on “a per-package basis by setting delivery preferences with information such as buzzer codes or instructions on where to best leave packages,” Anderson wrote.
Shoppers can also take advantage of redirecting delivery and picture-proof-of-delivery services to confirm the arrival of the shipment and easily pinpoint its location.
Despite the concern over package theft, 65 per cent of B.C. shoppers say they will continue to shop online.
The number of B.C. consumers who prefer the convenience of online shopping continues to increase, rising from 52 per cent in 2023 to 61 per cent in 2024, Anderson wrote.
“The most surprising statistic was the high number of Canadians who are not stressed about holiday shopping this season,” Anderson wrote.
The survey found 66 per cent of holiday shoppers in Canada and 70 per cent of shoppers in B.C. specifically are not feeling stressed.
“It could be that their mastery of online shopping is helping Canadians prepare for the holiday season more easily and efficiently,” Anderson wrote.
Some of the strategies shoppers plan to use include waiting for major sales, doing research, and planning their shopping lists to make the most of their holiday budgets.
Around 61 per cent of survey respondents in B.C. plan to spend the same amount on holiday shopping as last year, with 11 per cent planning to spend even more.
About 28 per cent of shoppers expect spending a little or a lot less on holiday-related purchases compared to 2023, the main reason being inflation and increased cost-of-living expenses.
Other factors for spending less include anticipated cost-of-living expenses for the coming winter and reducing the number of people shoppers will give gifts to this year.
The survey was conducted with a representative sample of 1,517 online Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum, balanced on age, gender, region, and education to Census Canada. Interviews were conducted in both English and French.
