With new competition emerging from the online retail growth of the UK lockdowns, retailers are always on the look out for ways to make their shopping experience stand out. The checkout and delivery process is vital to customer satisfaction, and is one of the places where brands can make a difference, by using a trusted delivery management software system to fulfil a variety of delivery options.
In order to provide a quality checkout experience for customers, it’s important to provide a variety of delivery options. Whilst almost 90% of customers, in our home delivery survey, conducted with IMRG, say they prefer home delivery, between 2-7% opt for delivery to work or click and collect. In order to think ahead of competitors, it’s vital to ensure buyers are met with a range of options. Looking to the future, collection lockers and locations are rising in popularity too, and retailers should stay ahead of the trends by considering such methods.
Through our survey of 1,000 UK respondents, we also discovered that almost 40% of customers use home delivery more after the pandemic, and that they were beginning to expect faster delivery times too – see our blog on how buyer expectations have changed due to the lockdowns. We discovered that shoppers want the option to have next day, if not same day, delivery options. This can often be offered with a small fee, so that expenses are covered.
Thinking about how you now receive delivery of items you order online, how does this compare to before the pandemic? (2021)
(Source: Maru, nShift and IMRG Home Delivery Report)
It can be a challenge to offer such quick dispatch and delivery, but modern problems require modern solutions. Many ecommerce companies are investing in online marketplaces which are linked to local warehouses. The stock is then brought to buyers a little more locally, via bikes or scooters. Examples of companies adopting this rapid-delivery marketplace approach include Screwfix and Jiffy – both offering online browsing and purchasing, with delivery in as little as 20 minutes. These are great examples of industry-leading delivery options.
We know that the current customer is more demanding than ever, therefore it’s difficult for retailers to keep up with these demands. In order to offer a range of delivery at the checkout, such as next day, same day, to home and locker spaces, it’s important to invest in a quality delivery management solution. At nShift, we have just the thing you need - with our product Checkout, you can offer your clients a wide variety of options they can choose from, according to their preference. This way, your brand can stay ahead of expectations.
