E-commerce logistics are advancing rapidly. Balancing the demands of scaling operations while meeting growing customer expectations for speed, sustainability, and reliability can pose significant challenges.
Our recent Delivering Growth webinar series brought together industry experts and innovators to share actionable strategies for navigating these challenges, underlining a critical question for businesses of all sizes:
How can brands scale their operations efficiently while delivering the seamless experiences customers demand?
Across three live sessions, we explored how brands can align their checkout promises with flawless delivery execution, optimize post-purchase experiences to drive loyalty, and transform returns into revenue opportunities. The common thread throughout the series was clear: logistics is no longer just a back-end operation—it’s a strategic growth driver.
In this blog, we’re distilling the most valuable insights from each session to help your business meet rising consumer expectations, increase customer retention, and drive revenue growth in 2025 and beyond.
Session 1: From Checkout Promises to Perfect Deliveries
The first session focused on a critical, but often overlooked, aspect of the customer journey: aligning what’s promised at checkout with what’s delivered.
The Amazon Effect: Setting the New Standard for Delivery
As Boris Hueske, our guest speaker from nShift partner Heyworld, emphasized, “Customers expect fast, flexible, and affordable delivery, even if Amazon Prime isn’t available in their market”. Today’s consumers hold all brands to the same high standards set by industry giants, and failing to meet these expectations—whether it’s delivery speed, flexibility, or cost—can quickly drive customers toward competitors.
Balancing Cost and Convenience
Offering flexibility in delivery options boosts customer satisfaction but also increases operational complexity. As Hueske explained, “Choice drives convenience but increases complexity.”
nShift Insight:
A delivery management platform, such as nShift, helps businesses manage multiple carrier relationships while streamlining delivery options, allowing brands to offer flexibility without adding complexity.
Speed Isn’t Enough; Visibility Is Key
Fast delivery has become the norm, but what really differentiates brands is clear, real-time communication. The live session revealed that proactive updates reduce Where Is My Order? (WISMO) calls by up to 60%, freeing up customer service teams for higher-value tasks.
Poll Insight:
In one of our live polls, attendees ranked multiple delivery options as the most important factor influencing their choice at checkout, followed by low-cost/free shipping and fast delivery.
The Challenge of Sustainable Delivery
Customers increasingly expect eco-friendly delivery options, but not at the expense of speed or cost. Brands that can balance sustainability with affordability will gain a competitive advantage.
Session 2: From Sale to Scale – Mastering Post-Purchase Experiences
The post-purchase experience doesn’t end when the package leaves the warehouse. It continues until it reaches the customer’s hands—and beyond. This session focused on how brands can scale their operations while maintaining customer satisfaction.
Owning the Delivery Process
Penny Clay, our guest speaker from nShift customer Hotel Chocolat, made a crucial point: “We’re not just handing the parcel over to the carrier; we’re managing the process”. For premium brands like Hotel Chocolat, owning every step of the post-purchase experience—right up to the point of delivery—is essential for building customer trust and loyalty.
Flexibility Leads to Loyalty
Offering customers diverse delivery options, such as lockers, in-store pickups, or home delivery, creates a seamless experience tailored to their needs. Personalizing these options based on customer behavior can reduce cart abandonment by up to 20%, our speakers shared.
Poll Insight:
Our live poll revealed that 85% of webinar attendees have abandoned a brand after a poor delivery experience, highlighting just how crucial it is to meet delivery promises.
Reducing WISMO Queries
Proactive communication isn’t just a nice-to-have: it’s a necessity. Clear, informative and branded tracking reduces the need for customers to reach out about their order status, cutting down on unnecessary WISMO calls. Having the right systems in place to tailor and automate tracking communication is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction while scaling operations.
“We take a huge amount of pride in our customer care.” – Penny Clay, Hotel Chocolat
Session 3: From Returns to Revenue: Optimizing Returns for Growth
Returns are often seen as a cost burden, but they can become a growth opportunity with the right strategy. This session explored how businesses can streamline reverse logistics, improve customer satisfaction, and support sustainability goals.
Efficiency Is Key in Managing Returns
Tobias Forsberg, our guest speaker from nShift partner Ongoing, emphasized the importance of efficiency in reverse logistics:
"Our customers need the tools and processes to handle returns efficiently. Streamlining operations reduces both time and cost while ensuring a smoother experience for everyone involved."
This focus on operational excellence turns returns from a logistical headache into a competitive advantage. By improving internal processes, you can reduce costs, minimize manual interventions, and enable faster restocking of returned items.
Returns as a Competitive Advantage
Tobias also echoed a mantra that we often say at nShift: "If you do returns well, you may lose a sale, but not a customer". Offering seamless return experiences encourages customers to stay loyal, even if their purchase didn’t meet expectations. Per the insights shared during the session, with the right systems and processes in place, nearly 30% of returns can be converted into exchanges, turning potential losses into new sales.
Automation Drives Efficiency
If you focus on streamlining return workflows, you can cut handling time by up to 80%, according to our speakers—a significant boost to operational efficiency. This transformation shifts reverse logistics from a cost center into a growth enabler.
nShift Insight:
nShift’s integration with warehouse platforms like Ongoing simplifies returns management, allowing businesses to optimize costs, restock products faster, and improve customer satisfaction.
Circular Economy: The Future of Returns
During the session, we also highlighted the growing importance of sustainability in returns management. Our speakers pointed out that encouraging customers to combine returns with planned errands—like grocery shopping or commuting—can significantly reduce emissions while enhancing convenience.
Did You Know?
The circular economy is expected to grow by 10-15% by 2030, reaching up to €600 billion in value, according to our 2025 Predictions Report. Forward-thinking brands are already transforming returns into profit opportunities through refurbishment, resale, and recycling initiatives.
The Golden Thread: Aligning Logistics for Growth
The Delivering Growth webinar series underscored a critical message: brands that align their delivery promises, post-purchase experiences, and returns strategy will scale more effectively, retain more customers, and drive long-term growth.
To get you there, we’re recommending these four strategies:
#1. Streamline logistics
Consider simplifying multi-carrier management with nShift’s end-to-end delivery management platform.
#2. Offer flexible delivery options
Cater to diverse customer needs with options like in-store pickups, lockers, and same-day delivery.
#3. Communicate proactively
Branded tracking and real-time notifications enhance customer trust.
#4. Optimize returns
Make returns seamless and sustainable while converting them into revenue opportunities.
Your Next Step Toward Delivering Growth
If you missed any of the sessions, you can catch up on demand and dive deeper into strategies for delivery excellence.
Also, download our latest eBook, Delivering Excellence: How Leading Brands Are Winning in Delivery Management, to discover how industry leaders are optimizing fulfillment, tracking, and returns to boost sales and reduce friction.
