Consumers Tell All: Should The Person Delivering Your Packages Wear a Uniform? [Infographic]

Harry Whitehouse

When most people receive a package, they might wonder what’s in the box. But it turns out there’s another question that is important to consumers: what is the delivery person wearing?

Delivery people (or couriers) from traditional shipping carriers (FedEx, UPS and USPS) wear uniforms, but this is not always the case with new shipping services. For instance, Amazon and Uber are reportedly testing crowdsourced delivery options where everyday people will pick up packages and bring them to your door.

Mike Glenn, executive vice president of FedEx, suggested that these services have a few obstacles to overcome to be successful. In a recent conference call, he mentioned that since consumers think it’s important for their courier to wear a work uniform and have proper identification, most people might not be comfortable with a delivery person in street clothes at their door.

So, here at Endicia, we decided to put it to the test. We surveyed 1,000+ consumers to answer the question, “Is it important that your courier wear a uniform?”

Here’s what we found: 59 percent of consumers prefer that delivery people wear a uniform.

At least for now, uniforms have a place in the delivery realm. That’s because they serve as a major source of identification, convey professionalism and further the brand of the courier service (whether that be FedEx, UPS or USPS.)

When a courier wears a uniform, you can easily identify the purpose of their visit to your door. The survey found that 40 percent of respondents would be concerned that a non-uniformed delivery person could be dangerous.

Uniforms also convey professionalism because they ensure a certain level of orderliness for all employees. Survey respondents said that they would not tolerate ripped shirts or pants in a courier.

Finally, couriers wearing uniforms are just another reflection of the shipping service’s brand. It’s one more way to get your company in front of customers and reminds the courier that they are representing the whole company every time they deliver a package.

Check out the infographic below for more findings from the consumer survey.

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