Global Freight Solutions (GFS) on the importance of ecommerce delivery and how it relates to customer experience.

 

The ecommerce industry has been steadily growing over the last few years. This year, its growth was further accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to a surge in demand for online products and services.

Whilst this is great news for retailers, the competition online is fierce. If the customer experience is anything less than exceptional, retailers risk losing up to 60% of business to a competitor. Customers know what they want and they will choose where they shop based on the experience they will get.

However, going up against competitors goes beyond just the quality of the product or how good your website is. Your delivery and returns process matters from the moment a customer lands on your website; and it continues to be vital throughout the customer journey.

Offering an agile and flexible delivery service to time-poor customers who are unwilling to compromise is essential to growing your business in a competitive ecommerce market.

Delivery expectations and the impact on sales

From the moment customers choose where they will purchase online, your delivery strategy matters. Every sale is different and every customer is different. Retailers must offer flexible, convenient delivery; 45% of customers say they would abandon a purchase when there is a lack of convenient delivery options.

In order to secure the sale, retailers must offer a range of delivery options to fit around customers’ lives. This includes next day delivery, nominated day and time slots, and click and collect locations.

Once the sale is secured, customers’ expectations over delivery continue to matter. Customers shop online for ease and convenience, so the delivery experience not living up to that convenience can be frustrating.

A good delivery experience makes customers more like to return and repeat purchase. Seven out of 10 consumers consider all types of pre-delivery notifications important, so keeping customers informed is essential.

Customers want full visibility over the delivery process for a seamless experience. Proactive warnings if there are any delays also help keep the customer happy.

Solving the problem with returns

Delivery isn’t the only aspect for the final mile that is important before a purchase is made. Returns are part of good customer experience and the key to persuading the customer to purchase; 78% of consumers consider the quality of a returns service when choosing where to shop.

Customers want to be confident that they will be able to return items quickly and easily in order to take a risk on items they haven’t seen. They want transparency over how long they have to decide whether to return and how long the return will take.

Furthermore, 85% of consumers have a preference of how they would like to make a return, so offering choice and convenience in the returns process is vital to securing the sale.

The rate of returns is growing and becoming a key part of the customer experience. A good returns process means that customers will be more likely to purchase from you again as they will have the confidence of convenient returns should they need it.

GFS Global Returns Pro is the brand-new solution that gives retailers the chance to offer a high-end experience for their customers. With access to 200+ countries across the world, retailers can tap into GFS’s global delivery and returns network to offer choice.

Both retailers and customers can have complete visibility over returns; meaning better planning for retailers and a better experience for customers. It enables customers to make a return online in under a minute on a fully branded portal to ensure that the customer returns experience meets and exceeds their expectations.

Dynamic multi-carrier solutions

A good delivery and returns experience can persuade customers to make a purchase and return to buy again. But it’s not easy. Customer expectations are ever-changing and get more demanding. For a seamless delivery experience they want choice, convenience and constant communication.

Working with just one carrier doesn’t give retailers the scope they need to offer all this. Having a network of multiple carriers means they can provide customers with more options whilst being able to switch between carriers based on the capacity to ensure the customer receives their delivery when they expect it.

However, managing multiple carriers isn’t easy, either. Your operations team can end up under pressure as they juggle multiple pickup times, contracts, carrier relationships and individual carrier technology.

Outsourcing delivery to experts like GFS enables businesses to work with different carriers without the operational headache. Retailers have access to the best rates, more choice for their customers and technology to help manage the entire delivery and returns process. With access to the expertise of GFS, retailers can perfect ecommerce delivery, give customers the experience they expect and grow their business.