Small business series – Everything you need to know about delivery

The DX is all about the journey you show your customers throughout the entire delivery process. It starts as early as providing delivery information on the home page, through to the moment customers receive their parcel and beyond. It even goes as far as the way you handle any potential returns and exchanges or refunds. This is where the Sorted Returns Centre is a great solution.

From offering great products or services, efficient route planning and even next day delivery, there are plenty of things you can do to offer a five star delivery experience and keep customers coming back.

Have a clear and concise shipping policy that sets customers’ expectations for the delivery method, time frame and cost, so there are no surprises. The delivery experience is a competitive opportunity before customers even hit the buy button. So, spell out the delivery options on offer on the homepage, through to the product page, as well as in the checkout.

Be as upfront as possible and keep customers informed about delivery status, especially if there are any unforeseen delays. Let’s face it, problems will happen. But being transparent increases customer satisfaction and trust. So, let them know when their parcel is on its way and, if possible, make sure they receive in-flight notifications.

It’s a bonus if delivery updates come directly from your brand, rather than the carrier. Branded communications are something every retailer should strive for.

Use sustainable delivery methods and eco packaging where possible to impress and satisfy your eco-conscious customers. The way purchases are packaged and shipped has a major impact on the planet and customers want to see that you are taking action to reduce that. Think carefully about the size of the packaging, without compromising parcel safety, and use materials that can be reused or recycled.

Customers want convenience, and delivery options need to be appealing. By offering different delivery options such as click and collect, standard, or speedy, your customers can receive their parcel in a way that suits them best and it can encourage them to complete a purchase at checkout. In fact, 45% of customers will abandon their virtual basket because they are not satisfied with the available delivery options.

While bigger retailers have the resources to offer such a range of delivery options, this won’t be as easy for many small businesses to imitate. However, there are simple, free partner solutions available to take that problem off your hands.

It’s possible to offer a few different choices, using services which allow you to deliver orders to convenient locations like local shops and petrol stations. Or, try offering free delivery for customers who spend a certain amount. This means you aren’t losing out by shipping lots of lower-value orders free of charge and it gives customers an incentive to spend more on your site.

Offering a personalised delivery experience can increase customer spending by a huge 48%. Personalise their shipping email updates, add tailored recommendations for other items in the email based on their purchase, and include a thank you note with their parcel. It’s the little things that go a long way.

By managing some of the more time-consuming admin of delivery through third-party solutions, smaller stores can level up with the big retail names by accessing easy and cost-efficient deliveries. It means growing brands can always guarantee the best rate and free up valuable resources too. So, you can spend more time working on the other demands that stack up when growing an ecommerce business.

Finding ways to save more time to put back into the business is essential, and spending hours on manually inputting delivery details and sending parcels is not ideal. Or necessary.

There are lots of different carriers in operation, and all of them have different offerings. What works for one business might not be the best fit for yours, so it’s important to do your research.

And it’s worth doing if you want to deliver your parcels in a reliable, cost-friendly, and efficient way.

When investigating the best options, review the shapes and sizes of parcels each carrier can ship without added difficulties. Check that they can ship whatever you’re sending too. Some shipping companies won’t transport food or fragile items, for example. You should also check where they ship to and for what cost – especially if you have customers overseas.

Some carriers offer collection services which can save you precious time, as the courier will collect your items from you, giving you some time back. Alternatively, some carriers offer drop-off points, which tend to be slightly cheaper. Deciding which option is best for your business will really just depend on your needs and priorities. But it’s worth researching to find the best fit.

Whether we like it or not, customers want free or cheap shipping, but we know you need to protect your profit margins too. There are a few ways you can reduce the cost of shipping items to customers. These savings can then be passed onto the customers which can ultimately increase the chances of them purchasing from your store.

Customers may be willing to wait longer to receive their delivery if it means free shipping. This means you can select a more cost-effective carrier. Studies also show customers are willing to add products to their shopping cart to get free shipping when there is a minimum price that must be met. That’s bonus sales for your business!

By taking these tips on board, you can offer customers the delivery experiences that they want, while building efficient ecommerce shipping for your business. Small-to-medium-sized businesses need to focus on creating a cost-effective and customer-centric post-purchase experience that can drive loyalty and repeat purchases. To do this, delivery needs to be considered as an extension of the brand and customer experience.