by Gary Carlile, Executive Vice President for Customer Growth at nShift
Ecom companies can transform their Black-Friday performance with the right last-mile delivery solutions and ecommerce delivery tracking
Black Friday remains one of the busiest shopping days of the year. It has emerged as a global phenomenon. In 2023, global Black-Friday spending surged 8% to over $70 billion. The date also marks the beginning of the all-important Christmas shopping season.
Ecommerce companies must prepare now to thrive during Black Friday. This means that they need the right last-mile delivery solutions in place. Here’s why.
Scale up with the right enterprise-shipping software
Times of high demand place strain on the supply chain and existing transport network. But if shoppers can’t get what they want, when they want it, they will simply look elsewhere.
With the right enterprise-shipping software, vendors can quickly connect to new carrier companies. This enables them to scale up quickly to meet the increasing demands of Black Friday.
Provide the right last-mile delivery solutions
Some shoppers expect cheap or free shipping. Others will be prepared to pay more for a next-day or same-day delivery. Consumers keen to reduce their carbon footprint may favor a lower-emissions delivery option. Busy customers may prefer to have their item delivered to a pick up / drop off (PUDO) location or a smart locker instead.
It’s crucial that ecommerce companies work with last-mile delivery solutions that facilitate a range of delivery options at checkout. They then need to make sure that these delivery options are clearly displayed at checkout.
Build the customer experience with ecommerce delivery tracking
Shoppers expect regular updates on the status of their delivery. With the right ecommerce delivery-tracking software, brands can create a better customer experience and increase sales.
Messages about deliveries and returns are far more likely to be read than other communications from a retailer. This makes them a great place to introduce product plugs and other upsell messages.
Make Black Friday greener with emissions tracking
Consumers are increasingly committed to the environment. Some 60% of consumers seek to be more eco-friendly when shopping online.[1] By tracking carbon emissions at the shipment level, retailers can judge whether their strategies to reduce emissions are having the desired result. Where they make significant progress, they can demonstrate this to their shoppers using real evidence.
nShift Emissions Tracker calculates emissions on each shipment. This makes it easier for businesses to fulfill reporting obligations, pinpoint opportunities for emissions reduction, and track their improvements.
nShift’s delivery & experience management platform drives ecommerce success. Grow beyond limits with constant innovation and the world’s largest carrier network. Build customer loyalty with end-to-end tools that enhance experience. Unify data into usable insight that connects and optimizes processes. With nShift, make delivery the essential link between your brand and your customers.
[1] https://queue-it.com/blog/black-friday-statistics/
[2] https://www.salesfire.co.uk/articles/conscious-consumers-in-ecommerce/
Author
Gary Carlile
EVP Customer Growth
Gary Carlile is the Executive Vice President for Customer Growth at nShift. He is highly experienced in Carrier & Delivery Management, SaaS technology, Logistics & Supply Chain and eCommerce fulfiment operations having worked in the industry for 25+ years.
