Think about your last e-commerce purchase experience. What’s one of the first things you think of? If you said the delivery of the product, you’re not alone.

Regardless of the experience of the actual purchase, the perception of the business — rightly, or wrongly — is often shaped by the circumstances surrounding the delivery.

Local pick-up: It’s all about Amazon.

Lines are blurring between online giants and traditional retail stores.

• In June 2017, Amazon announced that it would pay $13.7 billion for Whole Foods, and Walmart announced that it would spend $310 million to acquire Bonobos, a brick-and-mortar men’s fashion brand.

Were you aware that it’s possible to contribute to a traffic jam just by shopping online? It sounds far-fetched, but it’s much more likely than you think.

Fast and free shipping: every e-commerce customer wants it. Unfortunately, this sort of service isn’t always feasible. Trying to keep up with the Amazons of the world can put a dent in a business’ bottom line — and sometimes it can even cause a business to fold.

Direct selling continues to grow and evolve, year over year. A recent report detailing consumer behaviors looks at future trends that will help shape the industry. So what are the shopping trends that your direct selling business needs to be aware of to keep competitive?

4 U.S. consumer trends impacting the direct selling industry

When thinking of the holiday shopping season, the time frame between Thanksgiving and Christmas is probably the first to come to mind. But what about Easter? If the Easter shopping season isn’t on your radar, your business may be missing out on an increasingly ripe opportunity for e-commerce sales.

The average value for an online purchase in the U.S. is just over $85. Would you leave $85 lying out in the open for anyone to take? Probably not. Yet we do this on an almost daily basis with packages that have equal and sometimes greater value, as they are left unattended on porches and front steps.

Recent studies show that 58% of men and 50% of women enjoy making their purchases online, but going in store to pick up their item. Reasons range from convenience, to cost savings, to security.