How nShift can act as a strategic-growth enabler to help companies scale up and take advantage of increased seasonal demand
Years ago, it was a shopping sensation confined to North America. But today, Black Friday is a global phenomenon.
nShift data reveals that in 2021, Black Friday was responsible for 105% more outbound shipments than the typical Friday. Regardless of where they are in the world, or what they want to buy, consumers will expect discounts on their online purchases on 25th November.
For online retailers and web shops, it’s time to start preparing. Not only is Black Friday a major shopping event itself, it marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in many countries. Sellers must ensure that they can meet increased demand and give consumers the shopping experience they want. The better a customer’s Black Friday experience, the greater the chance that they will come back for more.
The way that packages are delivered is a huge part of the online shopping experience. Around 75% of consumers will abandon retailers over poor delivery service.[1] Just because a consumer is buying at a discount, doesn’t mean they are prepared to compromise on the speed or quality of delivery.
The team at nShift has been helping retailers and web shops scale up to meet increased demand for many years. Here are five tips on how businesses can get ready for Black Friday.
- Ensure supply chain resilience – few things frustrate shoppers more than finding the item they really want only to discover that the delivery time is far too long. At times of heightened demand, businesses must ensure extra capacity in their transport network. For this, they may need access to multiple carrier companies.
- Provide a range of delivery options – as more and more companies climb on board the Black Friday bandwagon, retailers cannot compete on price alone. Providing a range of delivery options, so that shoppers can choose how and when they want their product delivered, helps companies stand out from the crowd. Offering a range of delivery options can increase conversions by 20%.
- Scale up customer communication – when demand is high, customer service teams risk being overwhelmed by WISMO (“where is my order?”) calls. But by sending consumers regular updates about the status of their delivery, retailers can cut support calls by 60%. This also enhances the customer experience.
- Prepare for rapid returns – today’s online shoppers expect the returns experience to be seamless and easy. Some 84% of consumers will abandon retailers over a poor returns experience.[2] It’s important that companies introduce a digital returns process that makes it easier for consumers and is as efficient as possible for warehouses to manage.
- Create re-marketing opportunities – retailers and web shops need to see Black Friday as their chance to win new long-term customers. By taking control of deliveries, retailers can ensure the experience is fully branded, increasing loyalty. Offering “click and collect” delivery options can bring online shoppers in store, making it easier to market new products to them.
To ensure that companies are set for success ahead of Black Friday, they must choose the right delivery management software partner. One that has access to a large number of carriers, that can track deliveries in real time and help scale up quickly to meet increased demand.
Read more about how we can help retailers and web shops create an end-to-end delivery experience.