Online shoppers expect their orders to be at their doorstep within the specified delivery time. When their order arrives earlier than expected, that’s plus points on the review. But when their order arrives late or damaged in any way, it could not only mean a bad review for you; it can also be a reason that they never shop with you again.
All companies want their shipping process to be as smooth as possible. However, that is not always the case. If your company is experiencing issues with the shipping process, here are some ways you can improve it:
1. Give customers realistic expectations
Providing your customers with an accurate delivery date is better than giving them an earlier date then not meeting their expectations. In the case of many express transport companies in Europe and other places, packages are expected to arrive 3-4 days after placing the order. For standard deliveries, the estimated delivery dates vary widely, depending on the location of warehouses and the capability of the carrier.
In both standard and express delivery, give your customers an accurate estimated delivery date. This way, customers can decide what type of delivery they want and have realistic expectations for shipping.
2. Notify your customers
The beauty of modern logistics tech is that it allows customers to see where their order is throughout the delivery process. By giving customers notifications on the app or through email, they have a solid idea of where their order is and when it will arrive. Moreover, it will reduce calls to your customer service line, which can reduce costs altogether.
3. Review your order process
Creating an organized shipping checklist is a must for online retailers. There are a lot of software and apps that simplify the process for businesses, so if you currently don’t use one, it is highly recommended that you find a system that works best for your operation.
These types of applications also provide notifications for each step in the process. For instance, when an order is received, the staff that is in charge of packing receive a notification. This makes it easier for them to organize the package and pass it on to the next step, and so forth.
4. Provide more than two shipping options
Most online retailers provide only express shipping and standard shipping. However, some customers would like later delivery dates (more than one week) for less cost, while some don’t want to wait that long. To make your store more appealing for a broader audience, offer varying delivery dates, such as 1-3 days, 4-5 days, 6-7 days, and so on.
5. Improve communication
Whether your business is experiencing large influxes of orders regularly or only during certain seasons, an excellent communication system should be in place. Besides email notifications, you can use messaging apps that allow workers to see updates in real-time and from remote devices.
In online retail, providing your customers with the best shipping process is a great way to maintain their loyalty. If you think your shipping process needs improvement, these are the strategies that you should consider first.
