eCommerce has become popular in this digitised world, and many businesses have started applying this to their business to attract more customers. Some companies do not realise this, but ecommerce delivery is just as important. For enterprises to achieve ecommerce delivery success, they will need to focus on implementing an ecommerce delivery strategy, and we will highlight the importance of having one.
eCommerce Delivery Benefits
Over the last few years, there has been greater emphasis on ecommerce delivery. Simply put, ecommerce delivery focuses on the delivery services offered by companies that sell products over the internet. In an ecommerce driven-world, the customer experience does not end after someone places an order on the site, but customers also demand visibility, communication and control. eCommerce delivery also focuses on providing customers with the best online shopping experience for the lowest price. There are various benefits of using ecommerce delivery which include the following.
1. Find the carrier service
Choosing the carrier service for your business can be challenging as there are many options you can choose from, but only a few can meet customers’ delivery options. eCommerce delivery solutions allow companies to select from carrier options easily. With advanced platforms, users can easily compare services and carriers to choose the best service for all shipments. The delivery solution also allows businesses to meet their delivery objectives at the lowest cost for each shipment.
2. Streamline delivery process
The end goal of any delivery business is to deliver products to their customers with no damage, on time and at a minimal cost. With the rise in ecommerce, customers require more options when it comes to customising their delivery options, and businesses should enable them to do so. With the help of ecommerce delivery solutions, companies can meet customer delivery requirements. An ecommerce delivery system can automatically determine the best carrier that provides the best rates within a particular region and that follows the business’ rules ensuring that every shipment complies with each carrier’s labelling and communication standards.
3. Track shipments and resolve problems in real-time
An ecommerce delivery solution provides end-to-end parcel tracking, which is essential for two main reasons. When businesses can track parcels within the warehouse or distribution centre until they reach the final destination, they will be able to resolve any processing or transportation issues that might occur in real-time. Secondly, providing customers with timely delivery updates and the ability to personalise the delivery method will assist in enhancing the customer experience.
4. Gain accurate invoices
It is common for the numbers on invoices to be inaccurate. However, some surcharges or fees can be challenging to detect through manual invoice auditing. Luckily, ecommerce delivery solutions enable businesses to uncover savings opportunities through freight audit and analytics tools. Freight audit and analytics tools can streamline the financial management of delivery costs by automating carrier invoice matching to identify any invoice discrepancies. Additionally, if the ecommerce delivery solution has deep ERP integration, it will allow cost accruals and account allocation.
Why You Need to Have an eCommerce Delivery Strategy
Customers having a bad experience with delivery will always have a significant impact on your business. It will affect your company’s reputation and customer satisfaction and raise costs. Therefore, you must concentrate on your ecommerce delivery strategy. A good delivery experience is essential for the following reasons included in new statistics:
- Merchants are battling with meeting customer delivery expectations.
- Merchants do not provide customers with a positive experience.
- Customers prefer home delivery over shopping from a brick-and-mortar store.
When it comes to delivery, consumers require competitive rates, quick delivery, and versatile delivery choices. Customers with a negative delivery experience say they would not return to the brand, even if it is only one poor delivery. Making even one mistake can potentially erode customer loyalty and your brand image. It is also likely that these mistakes will add up, affecting your bottom line.
Proper fulfilment organises the people, technology and processes required to deliver online orders to customers. This includes all aspects of the online checkout process, payment providers, order management system, and the picking, packing and shipment of items. One of the key ways you can use to improve ecommerce delivery is through using a 3PL.
When evaluating current processes, start from the beginning. Ensure that your online checkout pages are short and easy to fill out and that the expected delivery dates and options are displayed. To ensure that payments are secure, use a trustworthy payment provider to give customers confidence when checking out.
Lastly, there are the picking, packing and shipping of items to customers. This step is the most stressful to businesses as this is when a lot can go wrong and where most merchants will struggle. During this step, many issues could occur that may result in delays and to avoid these issues; you can outsource your fulfilment to another company.
Conclusion
You must always have a plan for delivery services that will satisfy your customers and improve their experience with your business. When it comes to ecommerce delivery, companies have to constantly compete over the customer experience, which is why you should prioritise your ecommerce delivery strategy.