• by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, March 18, 2018

Many consumers seem willing to try various Internet of Things technologies if they can come across them.

For example, many consumers would consider drone delivery of products, but almost a third have not even considered it.

More than a third also have not had a virtual experience of products in a store, although more than a quarter who have were satisfied with the experience, according to the PwC 2018 Global Consumer Insights Survey, comprising a survey of 22,000 consumers in 27 territories around the world.

More than a third (38%) of consumers would trust a drone to deliver their package -- 22% of them for a low-value product and 16% for any product. About a quarter (26%) of consumers said they would not consider product deliveries by drone. The study points out that other delivery options include robots, automated lockers and traditional delivery trucks and that drone delivery is complex.

Aside from regulatory and congested airspace issues, an obvious question for drone delivery is the last step, such as whether a package is left on a balcony, a front porch or somehow into customers’ hands. Meanwhile, companies including Amazon and Domino’s are experimenting with drone deliveries.

More than a third (39%) of consumers have not had a virtual experience of products, such as virtual or augmented reality, while in a store. This may change over time, as more major retailers add such experiences for their shoppers. Of those who have had a virtual experience in a store, 28% were satisfied, 6% not satisfied and 26% neither.

The amount of technologies entering stores or being used for product deliveries will only increase. The continuing IoT issue will be the gap between technological capability and consumer adoption and behavior.