Ensuring that each stage of shipping feels seamless and intuitive is essential in e-commerce. You want your customers to have a great buying experience but don’t want to pick up unnecessary shipping fees or delivery problems down the line either. There are a number of key factors to consider when choosing from the many shopping software solutions out there. To guide you through your choices, we’ve created a short and sweet 7 step check-list of the top shipping “must-haves” for online success!
Up-sell and incentives.
Product up-sell is a proven method for increasing sales while customers are still in buying mode. Product suggestions, special offers based on cart content and different types of promotions not only increase sales but can help you analyse your customers wants and needs to make your site more effective. If your shipping options include up-sell and incentive-giving then you’re off to a good start!
Set up multiple shipping delivery options.
Multiple shipping option software gives your customer the luxury of choice.These days consumers are used to having a say in everything down to the finer details, so why should shipping be any different? Informed customers will want shipping on their terms and multiple shipping options will help retain their business.
Use clear communication.
Clear communication is a broad area but vitally important to e-commerce. You should have clear terms and conditions to control your customers expectations of shipping and delivery and manage any mishaps. You should also reach out to your customers first if their delivery runs into any problems. Clear communication maintains a sense of confidence in your brand and increases loyalty.
Allow different payment options and currencies.
More than 30% of consumers will abandon a store that only shows their products in one currency, while 92% of shoppers would prefer to see product prices in their local currency. By allowing your customers to shop in their local currency, you avoid potential check-out doubts over conversion rates. Extending this ethos to shipping, with multiple shipping options in local currencies, is the cherry on top.
Personalise your packaging to showcase your brand and brand values.
These days we would be surprised to receive a package from an online retailer that wasn’t artfully branded and packed. Ensure you’re giving the best impression at the point that online consumers finally come into contact with your product in person by investing in good packaging. For example, if your brand has an environmental focus then eco-friendly recyclable packing is a smart idea. You can even add personalised touches such as inspiring quotes or tissue wrapping inside the box. Make your customers feel like it’s Christmas all over again and they’ll be more likely to come back for more!
Close the last mile as fast as possible.
The last mile refers to the journey from the transportation hub to final delivery, typically a personal residence. This is where shipping services lose the most amount of time and money and tend to cause the most amount of frustration to customers. There’s nothing more annoying than waiting for a parcel “out for delivery” that never seems to arrive. Poor handling can also damage goods or lead to them being lost or stolen. Losses and damage can add up big for your business so it’s vital that you source and manage your couriers correctly. And if things aren’t going well look outside the box when traditional shipping services aren’t measuring up, to start-ups and delivery innovations.
Offer tracking.
Tracking is pretty much expected these days and any reputable shipping company and courier will have a tracking option inbuilt on their website. But you can go one step further by enabling tracking within your own e-commerce store, where the stats can be fed back into your marketing strategy. Enabling tracking within your e-commerce store also has the benefit of keeping customers on your site, where another product may catch their eye.
