Five steps to success for achieving delivery & experience excellence this peak shopping season

by David Carey, SVP Customer Experience

With retailers’ preparations for peak shopping season well underway, a new report, conducted in partnership between nShift and Retail Week has uncovered just how critical the role of deliveries are to the ecommerce customer experience. It also highlighted how influential the post-purchase period is for consumers if they are to shop with the same retailer again.

As we approach the end of the first half of 2024, the plans, strategies and processes retailers put in place now, will be the basis of how successful they are in the second half of the year.

Why shoppers abandon baskets

‘Shopper Unlocked: inside the mind of 1,000 consumers’ found that 95% of shoppers have abandoned a shopping basket. While this may not be surprising in itself, the reasons given for doing so are stark.

High delivery costs are by far the most popular reason for basket abandonment with 62% of shoppers citing this reason. Almost a quarter (23%) of shoppers blamed a complicated checkout process while poor delivery timeframes and unsatisfactory returns policies were also highlighted as an issue for around 20% of shoppers.

Differentiate through deliveries

The study also finds customers prize convenience above many other aspects of the post-purchase experience. Being able to choose the time and date of delivery is by far the most influential factor for respondents, with nearly two-thirds (63%) deeming it important. The research also found that nearly two in three customers (62%) would refuse to shop with a brand again after a bad delivery experience.

These results hammer home just how little patience the majority of consumers have for bad delivery experiences – and how important it is for retailers to get deliveries right every time. As we move into the second half of the year, and the peak shopping season, the most successful retailers are likely going to be those that focus on delivery & experience management as a business-critical point of difference.

Five steps to peak ecommerce success

In order to best-prepare for the forthcoming peak shopping period, nShift offers the following five tips for retailers:

1. Offer a broad range of delivery choices - To delight all customers, retailers must offer delivery choice at checkout, with a choice of delivery cost, time and location. Doing so can increase conversions by 20%
2. Clearly communicate on returns - Despite being overwhelmingly popular with shoppers, offering free returns may not make good business sense to all retailers. But, whatever your returns policy, it must be clearly communicated and well-signposted on your website.
3. Use returns to your advantage - Returns over peak period are inevitable. However, with the right processes in place that provide a slick and seamless returns ecommerce experience, retailers don’t need to take a hit on revenues and, instead, can convert up to 30% of returns-related refunds into exchanges and repeat custom.
4. Take ownership of the post-purchase experiences – The relationship with the customer doesn’t end at the checkout – that's just the start. Tactics like last mile tracking and personalized delivery experiences contribute to creating a joined-up post-purchase experience that builds customer loyalty and creates repeat customers  
5. Ensure your carrier capacity is up to scratch - Retailers must have access to multi carrier shipping software to ensure transport capacity during busy periods. They need to make sure they give shoppers the range of delivery options they seek, including a local pick-up point.

Read the full "Shopper Unlocked: inside the mind of 1,000 consumers" report and find out more.