By Sean Sherwin-Smith
Research shows that frequent shoppers are 2.5 times more likely than occasional buyers to take their business elsewhere when something goes wrong with the delivery.[1]
This means that when the delivery experience falls short, a retailer's best customers are the most likely to shop around. But a great customer experience at each stage of the delivery journey can encourage repeat purchase.
Here’s my top five tips for delivering the best possible customer experience:
- Provide and clearly display a range of delivery options at checkout – some shoppers seek swift deliveries. For others price is paramount. Offering a range of options at checkout increases conversions. But it’s essential that these options are clearly and intuitively badged
- Ensure transport capacity – during busy periods, it’s crucial that retailers ensure they can keep their promises. This is best achieved through relationships with multiple carrier companies and ensuring that the company’s tech stack can quickly facilitate these relationships
- Maximize delivery success – giving shoppers the opportunity to identify and choose alternative Out Of Home (OOH) collection options is a welcome alternative to having to wait at home for a delivery. Parcel shops, parcel lockers and the store itself offer shoppers a more substantial choice
- Keep in touch – relevant communication keeps the customer engaged and helps contain any negative feedback. If a retailer distributes communication in their own look and feel, it helps build the brand at a time when shoppers are most engaged. This makes it easier to remarket to shoppers
- Make returns easy – countless consumers simply won’t complete their purchase if it’s not clear how they can return a product. Operating a simple digital returns process gives shoppers confidence in the brand. It also makes it easier for the retailer to track patterns and work out why items are being sent back. This can reduce the volume of returns
We enable our customers to connect to a ready-made library of over 1000 carriers. Its solutions enable ecommerce companies to create a seamless delivery experience from checkout to returns.
[1] UK shoppers most likely to abandon online purchases due to poor delivery options | Retail Technology Review
