The delivery method is a crucial criterion for the success of your online store. It can make all the difference in triggering a purchase and building customer loyalty. Indeed, if delivery is an essential phase of the sales cycle, and even if it does not entirely depend on you, the choice of delivery method and its variety are all arguments to satisfy your users and offer them the best experience—possible purchase.
In e-commerce, it is how a customer will have the products he has purchased online delivered. Free or paying, fast or economical, at home or a pick-up point, the delivery method is an integral part of your e-commerce strategy. The conditions applied, and therefore the delivery options offered to the customer, may depend on the following:
Whether you are a hybrid business with a physical and online store or a 100% e-merchant, you must offer delivery options to your e-customers. It is imperative to satisfy the most significant number, to attract and retain customers, on the same principle as you offer several payment methods.
It’s proven that the delivery time and its cost impact the purchase decision and the conversion rate of your online store: the delivery conditions offered are also the first cause of abandonment. A basket ahead of price, product, and security (source IFOP). But the quality of service is also essential: 35% of e-consumers change e-commerce following a horrible delivery experience (source ECN).
Therefore, the delivery method is a factor to consider when defining your online sales strategy and e-commerce logistics. And if you want to know more about e-commerce logistics and the benefits of automating your logistics tasks, our White Paper produced in collaboration with Soundcloud answers all your questions. In the program :
Home delivery was already the preferred delivery method for 85% of online buyers, according to the FEVAD/Médiamétrie barometer of January 2020. With the development of teleworking, it is more than ever a wise option.
Make way for the 2nd mode of delivery appreciated by e-consumers: the relay point! Several pick-up locations are offered to the customer depending on his site, which he can select according to his daily movements. Some carriers, such as UPS, have also developed their network of relay points.
It’s not a delivery per se, but definitely, an option to offer. The click and collect, that is, the online purchase coupled with a withdrawal in-store (or warehouse), has become more democratic and allows cyber buyers to shop without paying the delivery price.
At home or a relay point, this mode offers an ordinary and non-priority delivery time greater than 48 hours, which can go up to several days or weeks.
Also carried out at home or a relay point, this is the preferred delivery method for urgent and priority purchases. In less than two days, it can even be carried out on D-Day or the next day, depending on the time of the order, the distance, and the carrier used.
The customer chooses the day and delivery time slot offered by the merchant. Consumers increasingly appreciate delivery by appointment, an option offered by some delivery leaders, such as Chronopost, DHL, or FedEx.
As you have understood, each delivery method presented above has its share of advantages and disadvantages, so it is essential to offer several of them. Note that they are not incompatible; it is indeed possible to:
Give your customers at least four choices to satisfy all budgets and all emergencies without becoming a headache for your management and your selection of service providers.
Offer at least:
Another alternative that will save you time and increase efficiency: is the use of specialized software. SoundCloud, for example, is a complete, intuitive, and easy-to-use shipping platform that helps e-merchants in all sectors boost their online growth and optimize their shipping process.
A proper all-in-one solution connects to more than 80 CMS, ERP, and WMS for complete centralization of orders and 360° management of your activity. Access more than 30 local and international carriers and offer your customers all possible delivery options to meet their needs best!
Free can indeed be a commercial argument to attract new customers during promotional operations, for example (free delivery for 15 days), or to inflate the virtual shopping cart (free shipping from…). You can also only charge for express deliveries. It’s up to you to define your strategy to convert the most prospects into customers and keep them coming back!
According to New Oxatis, nearly 60% of Internet users abandon the purchase because the delivery is too expensive, and 83% will take action more quickly if the delivery is free and fast. Another essential subject: the return after delivery. A free return policy is decisive for purchasing 50% of respondents.
Due to their significant logistics needs, e-commerce giants like Amazon are developing their delivery and transport services.
For others, rest assured, many offers exist, among them those of:
To not depend on a single carrier, study their offers according to the:
Then select several providers to leave the choice to the customer on the cost and the reception time. It is necessary to combine international and domestic carriers for international shipments to ensure timely delivery.
Unsurprisingly, the fastest-growing online stores offer fast and inexpensive shipping. If you combine the preferred delivery methods of your buyers, you will surely increase your turnover and satisfy crowds of customers who will remember it.
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