Yahoo TV

Americans are ordering 60% more home deliveries since the start of the pandemic, according to new survey results—and it's a trend that's likely to stay. The survey of 2,000 Americans, commissioned by Alarm.com and conducted by OnePoll, reveals that 48% of Americans feel that shopping online is safer than doing it in-person, and 44% also say it's more convenient. On average, people now receive 10 deliveries per month, compared to six pre-pandemic—and Alarm.com predicts that these changes in consumer habits will become the norm for the future. Due to factors like social distancing and shortages in stores, people have become more open to ordering everything from clothing (37%) to takeout (27%) to even toilet paper (25%) online. More than half (53%) of Americans have supported a local business by ordering from them online. Seventy percent of Americans also said they appreciate delivery workers more than they did a year ago because of how hard and reliably they've worked through the pandemic. "People have discovered that adaptive solutions like home deliveries bring real benefits that they'll want to keep, as well as new challenges to solve," says Anne Ferguson, vice-president of marketing at Alarm.com, which recently released the first commercially available touchless video doorbell. "The data suggests that a permanent shift in how we manage our home essentials may be occurring. We're taking advantage of expanded shopping and delivery options, while finding new ways to manage safety worries and the increased traffic at our front doors." The survey reveals that people are adding new habits and safety precautions to their daily routines. Two out of every five Americans now wash their hands after handling packages, while a third (33%) disinfect deliveries before opening them. One in six (18%) leave their packages unopened for an extended period to allow germs to die. Another challenge is that people are hesitant to open their doors when deliveries arrive. More than one in three (35%) survey respondents say they wait until delivery drivers leave before they open the door, and over two-thirds (68%) say they don't open their doors unless they're certain of who's on the other side. Forty-one percent say they don't trust that visitors are always who they say they are, while 31% are worried about potential burglars posing as delivery drivers to case their home. Twenty-nine percent say they're concerned about being exposed to germs at their door. Many also worry about the safety of packages left unattended by their doorsteps. Almost half (47%) of respondents said they worry about having deliveries left in the rain or damaged, while nearly as many (46%) worry about having packages delivered late. Overall, only 57% of Americans feel comfortable having packages delivered without a signature. To combat these concerns, video doorbell installations are on the rise. More than half of respondents with video doorbells use them to check their package deliveries (50%). Fifty-four percent use theirs to double-check who's at their door, while 49% use them to keep a vigilant eye on the neighborhood. "Knowing, seeing and hearing what's happening at your door all on your mobile device makes a big difference," says Alarm.com's Anne Ferguson. "Keeping deliveries safe is just the start. A touch-free video doorbell that's part of a modern security system is an affordable and ideal home upgrade to make that helps us all stay vigilant and protect one another."