Shipping can make the eCommerce business earn or lose customers. Learn how eCommerce websites should keep their shipping practices up to date to offer the best experience.
Product shipping and delivery are very crucial for the success of any eCommerce business. Your business might have the best products, a high-end website, and amazing offers.
However, if customers notice a lot of ambiguity around shipping and delivery, they might not return to place their order a second time.
To create a good customer base, you will need to have a transparent freight and delivery policy. A shopping experience for the customer does not end once he places the order and checks out. It becomes complete only once the customer receives the package on time and in proper condition. Let’s take a look at the 5 best practices in eCommerce shipping.
- Free Shipping Options –
Research suggests that high shipping charges and taxes are the common reasons why most customers leave the cart without proceeding to fulfill the order. Free shipping, on the other hand, woos more customers to a shopping website. However, offering free shipping can mean either reducing the seller’s profit margin or increased purchase price for the customer. A good practice is to provide free shipping once the total order amount exceeds a certain limit.
Leading eCommerce giants have premium membership accounts for customers that offer free shipping to all their orders. This will also help build a long-term association with the customer.
- Transparent Presentation of Additional costs –
Customers do not like surprises when they are heading for check out and note that the actual price they are paying involves higher shipping charges that are not disclosed at the check-out. Customers do not shy away from paying shipping charges. However, they look forward to a transparent pricing and detailed breakup of the various additional charges.
An eCommerce website should give a break up of the shipping costs and the tax, so people know what the extra charges are for. Ecommerce websites also follow the practice of having a flat rate for products with similar weights, shapes, or sizes.
- Give Option for Estimated Delivery Date –
Customers are eager to know when they can have the product. Always try including the estimated delivery date, so they are not left in the dark as to when the product will reach them. It is also worthwhile to have a few options for the estimated delivery date. For instance, businesses include an express delivery date so the customers can get the product as soon as possible by paying a premium price for fast delivery. You can also include the standard delivery options without any additional charges.
- Timely updates of the shipping –
Customers would like to be kept in the loop of the current status of their shipment. Customers can be alerted over SMS or E-mail messages on how to track their delivery. Most companies provide a shipment number that will help them know where their package is.
- Communicate delays and issues in shipping –
Shipping is often entrusted to third party delivery agents, and there can likely be a communication gap between them. If there is some delay in the shipment, you need to keep the customers informed. An eCommerce agency should try to include a helpline number or dedicated customer support that deals with shipping issues.
Conclusion:
Incorporating these best practices in the shipping process will make the shopping experience less cumbersome, and your eCommerce will witness lesser cart abandonments. This is one of the essential factors that will drive more sales and help exceeding customer expectations.