You’ve finally launched your dream e-commerce business and are ready to take orders. What comes next is critical to its success—shipping.
Did you know that 60% of customers tend to buy from e-commerce stores that offer easy and convenient shipping solutions? Revving up your e-commerce shipping solutions can improve your business in ways beyond imagination.
Although the world of shipping may seem complex and scary on the surface, with thorough research and planning, you’ll be able to make shipping decisions that will give your customers a great experience. In this post, you’ll learn some useful shipping tips that will help you build a respectable brand.
Offer Free Shipping
Yes! You heard that right. Offer free shipping!
To many people, free shipping is a no-go zone because it’s a solution that can negatively impact your profit margin. But if done right, free shipping can be a profitable solution.
Look at it this way. Many people (40% of consumers to be precise) cancel their orders before they get to checkout due to the high shipping costs. You can eliminate this problem by offering free shipping.
Sure, your business expenditure will increase if you bear the shipping costs but you’ll make more money on fulfilled orders. Alternatively, you could include the cost of shipping or part of it in the product prices and still benefit from “free shipping.”
Use a Proof of Delivery App
For merchants offering local delivery, using a proof of delivery app can offer tremendous benefits. Besides increasing your reputation as a reliable service provider, it can also boost your profitability by reducing your overall liability.
For example, if your driver delivers a package and the customer calls to say they never received the package, you can use the signature collected on the proof of delivery app or the photo of the package that was taken on-site as reference.
Without the proof of delivery, you may find yourself in an awkward position where you’ll likely lose money on the goods themselves and also incur additional costs for the second delivery. All this can be avoided with the use of a POD app. Read more here to learn how to choose a proof of delivery app.
If you don’t have a delivery team, consider partnering with a courier service provider that offers similar functionality.
Represent Your Brand with Packaging
When you make a delivery to a customer, you’re not just sending a product; you’re also telling the customer something about your business.
Let your packaging represent your brand in the best way possible.
Keep in mind that your product, your labeling, and even the box represent your brand. So never make the mistake of reusing the boxes that were shipped to you from suppliers. Sending those worn-out boxes to customers provides a terrible impression to those customers.
Instead, produce your own branded packaging. A unique packaging style will communicate your brand’s message but it can also be costly.
Offer Same Day Delivery
According to a recent ShipBob survey, 61% of consumers said they are willing to pay extra few bucks for same-day delivery.
However, offering same-day delivery remains one of the top challenges facing small and medium-sized businesses.
If your business offers local deliveries, you can implement this strategy effectively as there won’t be any need for third-party services. But most startups often rely on courier companies for shipment. Nevertheless, if you can find a reliable courier that promises same-day delivery, you’ll be one step ahead of the competition.
By following these tips, you’ll not only be able to improve your delivery efficiency but also improve your business operations.