Research suggests that by the year 2021, the eCommerce market is expected to grow by 4.88 Trillion US dollars. In 2017, global eCommerce sales reached $2.3 Trillion.
Here we are talking about people who love online shopping. People who get attracted to the convenience of online shopping. There is no wonder that online stores are launching every day.
If you are planning to launch an online business, there is one aspect that you need to consider: delivery.
There’s a common dilemma that when people order online packages get stolen, delivery gets late, or there might be some problem with your rider.
As an online business, you must cater to all the concerns and satisfy the customer.
Let’s look at some of the tips that can make your eCommerce delivery smooth.
1. Pick the right fulfillment team
When you start an online business, you need to be aware of the marketing team, the website design team, and the content team. But what most business owners ignore is the order fulfillment team.
These are the employees that act as a bridge between you and the customer. They are responsible for selecting, packing, and shipping the package.
For an eCommerce business, the courier service is responsible for delivering the package on-time, and if the process of delivery is not smooth, then things will go south. Look for an order fulfillment company that provides fast services and same-day fulfillment. You can learn about same-day order fulfillment at this site.
Educate the fulfillment team of various delivery options and how to respond to an angry customer. Teach them about your business values and force them to stick with these values.
2. Develop strong customer support policies
Do you know why Amazon is the best eCommerce website in the world? It’s because Jeff Bezos has developed customer-centric policies that are aimed to satisfy the customer.
For an eCommerce company to succeed, you must give your customers what they need. Listen to them, fulfill their requirement, and train your team to make your customers happy.
When you start shipping, there will be problems. Packages will get lost, damages will be done, and sometimes customers will become angry for no reason.
To develop a strong bond with the customer, you must create customer supporting policies. Policies that support the buyer at all costs.
If a customer faces a lousy experience, ensure that you refund them, repay them, or ask them what will make them happy? Just do it!
3. Go for Multiple Delivery Options
Free delivery takes more time than usual, so people are willing to wait for it. Fast shipping, on the other hand, costs more but gives instant gratification to the customer. Some people prefer to go for free delivery while others opt for speedy delivery.
These are just two delivery options that you can give to your customers. Think of more delivery options like midnight delivery or time-specific delivery to attract more customers who worry about time.
Having at least two options is a good start.
Since you have these two categories of customers, it’s important to offer at least.
4. Mention clear shipping and return policies
What if the package gets delayed? Or lost, or the customer doesn’t like the fitting of the dress.
Or maybe the photo is different than the picture on the website. Whatever the reason be, the customer doesn’t need to know what the problem is; he only cares about what you do after that.
A clear shipping policy will help the customer know exactly what will happen when things go south. When things mess-up, customers will demand answers. And if you have mentioned them clearly on your website, it will be easy for you to inform the customers.
You might need to hire a legal team to develop policies that can serve customers and, at the same time, protect your business. If the system is too customer-centric, then you’ll bear the loss. And this is not the best way to approach a company.
You’ll get more returns, and things will go bad fast.
That’s why you must create transparent customer policies.
5. Choose the best delivery service
If you don’t have the means and resources for shipping, hire a courier service that can handle the problem for you. For you to succeed, you need a professional shipping service that understands the norms of eCommerce.
When you go for a delivery service, you’ll get a dedicated team with low rates, among other benefits. You’ll take control of the shipping service and the product returns.
In the end
The success of any eCommerce business depends upon the product and efficient delivery. What is the current state of your delivery service? Are you listening to customers? Are there any late returns or damage problems?
An eCommerce business needs strong delivery SOPs. When things go wrong, there must be a policy in place. If it isn’t one, create one now.