In the recent past, expectations in the ecommerce retail space were still reasonable with customers waiting as long as ten days to receive items for delivery.
This gradually started to change to standard delivery of roughly four days and then expedited service of two day or next day shipping which raised the bar for all businesses. Online shoppers want their packages fast and free which has increased ecommerce retailer competition as those in the industry strive to find low-cost shipping.
Express courier services like GO2 Delivery is a hassle-free same-day courier solution that meets customer delivery expectations without negatively impacting your business bottom line.
Understanding Growing Consumer Expectations in Ecommerce.
Every day consumer delivery expectations continue to grow more demanding leading to greater competition in the retail space. For ecommerce retailers, managing these expectations is essential for your business since larger companies push the competitive envelop with faster timelines and lower price points.
Customers expect all retailers to match these systems to keep their business, remain relevant and the companies have no choice but to develop comparable guidelines. The expectation for most shoppers is that packages arrive within three hours of placing an online order. Shipping delays lead to cart abandonment.
Visit – Impact of Express Delivery Services on E-Commerce Sales – for impact of express delivery service on e-commerce sales. Several measure can be put in place to better manage delivery expectations and give consumers a degree of control over the process.
Multiple shipping options.
Provide multiple shipping options including standard, same-, next or two-day deliver. This allows greater control over speed and price for package delivery.
Free shipping.
When customers spend over a certain amount, provide free shipping. They will understand deliver will take longer when there’s no cost but be more accepting of an extra day or two in that situation. This can be an expensive undertaking but you can build the costs into the sales price to mitigate the expense.
Delivery incentives.
Delivery incentives are particularly beneficial during the holidays. You can suggest that customers order by a certain day in order to receive their items before Christmas. Or recommend spending so much in order to get free shipping. This gives shopper a degree of control and helps manager their expectations.
Show delivery dates.
When the customer checks out, they should have all delivery information disclosed for optimal convenience including the timelines and prices so they choose which option is better for them. This way they’ll know when to expect their items before they close out the transaction.
Tracking details.
Managing customer delivery expectations can be further streamlined by sharing tracking details via automated messages. The client can see where the package is in transit and when it’s due to arrive approximately. This will mitigate potential anxiety and reduce the pressure faced by customer support.
Multiple location shipping.
You may partner with warehouses or wholesales in varied strategic locations and want to ensure that orders don’t have far to travel to reach worldwide customers to keep shipping costs low and delivery times fast.
Be communicative and responsive.
Delivery issues are inevitable. Being communicative and responsive will help to manage potential frustration. When you’re proactive and let the customer know what’s happening and the efforts, you’re making to resolve the issues before they notice there’s a problem, they appreciate you taking accountability regardless of whose fault it might be.
Disclosures.
For each shipping option, you want to display a cut-off time that the client must make their order to receive their package within that timeline. This is a good way to manage your customer’s expectations. If they want faster delivery times, such as same-day or overnight, they must make their order by a certain time.
If a mistake is made, remember to take accountability for the error. Never leave your customer to chase their order or incur extra costs when either you or the courier make an error. As soon as you’re aware of an issue, take responsibility and resolve the problem.
Streamlining the process.
A large part of managing delivery expectations involves streamlining the process to prevent delays and ensure faster shipping. Improving order processing, integrating data with shipping partners, and having active customer support are some things to do to help meet the customer’s expectations. Read here on how ecommerce is transforming express courier services.
Final Thought.
The ecommerce retail space is relatively well established and more customers find shopping online convenient and their expectations for fast shipping with minimal costs are being met. Delivery flexibility is, however, an expectation that will continue to grow.
The proactive steps mentioned here help to enhance the customer’s experience and allow retailers to effectively manage shipping to present a more positive customer experience. Express courier services are positively impacting the ecommerce retail space and guiding improved customer satisfaction.
