27/10/2026
Last-mile reliability needs a clear denominator. “Failed delivery” can mean a parcel, a delivery attempt or a consumer who reports a problem—and those measures are not interchangeable.
A 2026 InPost-commissioned survey of 2,074 UK adults estimated that roughly one in three parcels fails on its first delivery attempt. The estimate is derived from consumer research and an average of six parcels received monthly; it is not a carrier scan-data benchmark. In the same survey, 40% said they miss at least one delivery in a typical month.
For now, home delivery remains the preferred option for many shoppers. In DHL eCommerce’s 2026 survey, 80% of UK respondents and 72% of German respondents preferred delivery to their home, a neighbour or a safe place. Yet 12% in the UK and 22% in Germany selected a parcel locker as their preferred delivery option. These are stated preferences, not actual delivery shares or first-attempt success rates - yet preferences keep shifting towards OOH.
For carriers, the operational question is how to preserve the convenience of home delivery while giving customers a practical alternative when a doorstep handover does not work. Local parcel shops can provide that choice and may avoid a repeat home-delivery attempt in suitable cases.
Parcelly supports carrier networks in Ireland, the UK and Germany with local parcel locations and technology for out-of-home delivery and returns.