The importance of logistics in corporate structures grows. Today, it’s not just about packaging a parcel and sending it to a customer. Thanks to modern logistics processes, you can build customer loyalty and gain a real competitive advantage. What improvements should you implement in your store in order to win the market?
Customer loyalty should be built in a multi-stage way. You have to start with marketing, then take care of a well-designed website, an attractive offer, seasonal promotions, user-friendly communication, and, finally, logistics. Logistics is a crucial element that puts the entire purchasing process together. In fact, the quality of the logistics service is the reason that your customer is satisfied or not. One small mistake in the entire process can cause customer churn, put your store on the risk of negative opinions, and discourage future customers.
Thankfully, there’s also the other side of the coin. Efficient logistics operations, quick delivery, and custom packaging can become a true distinguishing quality. In this article, we present five improvements that you should carry out in your online store.
1. Free delivery
Customers are reluctant to pay for the delivery, and this is particularly true when the shopping cart value is low. 30% of your customers will refrain from placing an order and will wait for a promotion that will allow them to choose the free delivery option. Another 30% will pick personal collection, and 27% will look for the same product elsewhere, where the delivery is free. Moreover, for about 80% of customers, free delivery is one of the crucial aspects of choosing an online store. If you don't want to lose half of your customers, make sure that delivery in your store is free.
The good news is, free delivery doesn’t necessarily mean less income. You can include delivery in the product’s price, or set the minimum shopping cart value that makes free delivery accessible.
2. Customer-friendly return policy
On a global scale, 30% of all online store orders are returned. For the brick-and-mortar stores, it’s just 9%. A customer-friendly return policy is an aspect that customers pay extra attention to–80% of customers expect returns to be free. Many stores combine the free delivery option with the minimum shopping cart value, which encourages people to buy more to reach that limit. This approach is especially important in the fashion industry, where returns count up to 60% of all orders. It is vital not just to ensure free returns but also to reduce their combined number. How can you do that? Interestingly, by extending the return period. The customer that has more time to send a product back can eventually forget about it.
3. Quick delivery
Your customers expect not just free but also quick delivery. Not every store can combine these two expectations, but if only you can offer such an option–you should, even if express delivery will be more costly. According to the PwC report “Poles are shopping–5 pillars of modern commerce”, 36% of eCommerce customers expect the next-day delivery, and for 35% two-day delivery is the limit. 11% would like to receive their order the same day. 65% of surveyed customers are willing to pay more for express delivery.
How can you speed up the delivery process to meet these expectations? You have to take care of efficient integration between your eCommerce platform and warehouse software. When utilizing the order fulfillment service, you should pay attention to the cut-off time. For instance, at Omnipack, orders can be packed and shipped the same day, couriers pick up orders even after 8 p.m.
4. Custom packaging
We have already written about the power of branding in this article. Well-thought-out packaging is one thing, but the other is the content. By surprising your customers with freebies or a card sent by a person who packed their order, you can evoke positive emotions that will be your ambassador. If you don’t want to spend too much money on packaging, you can just use branded duct tape or stickers. These are cheap but noticeable branding elements. Currently, ecological packaging is also very popular, and more and more customers demand it. By utilizing this eco-friendly approach, you show that your eCommerce business is sustainable and responsible. Your customers will surely appreciate that policy!
5. Cross-border shipping
Did you know that just 4% of the Polish eCommerce companies and 7% of the European stores offer cross-border shipping? To a large extent, that’s due to the logistics-related questions–duties, high delivery costs, extended delivery time. And this is the place where a logistics operator comes into play. Such a partner not only will help you solve all of the problematic legal and customs issues, but also will significantly lower the delivery costs. From the customer’s perspective–it’s a massive convenience. More and more people travel, change places of residence, and have friends all over the world–all of these people can be your customers. Don’t limit yourself just to the local market; that’s a huge waste of potential possibilities.
As you can see, the logistics issue is far more complex than just packaging and shipping. There are many options available that will help you amaze your customers and stand out. If you don’t feel like doing it on your own–you can always use our support!
