Consumers care about shipping—its cost and its speed—now more than ever. Yet mistakes with shipping happen.
A 2019 survey about shopping online proves this point. An astonishing number of respondents, almost 65%, said that cost is the most important shipping factor. The second-most important, speed, was cited by 18.7%, which is nearly double from 2018’s responses.
Additionally, estimated delivery dates place a significant role in spending. 28.6% of individuals are more likely to order if delivery is promised within a week.
What does this mean for you as a business owner? It means you can’t afford to make mistakes with shipping. Only 7.5% of shoppers don’t care about shipping; as evidenced here, the majority does.
Here, we describe the common errors made by other companies and how you can avoid them. Keep reading.
Don’t Forget to Provide Cost Options
Some people expect overnight delivery, while others aren’t concerned with delivery times. Do you offer your customers the option to choose? If not, you could be losing some valuable customers.
Let’s say somebody forgot to order their significant other a birthday present, and they need it to arrive immediately. Your online store should provide them with an option—albeit a more expensive option—for 24-hour delivery.
On the other hand, some people order things well in advance, unconcerned about its arrival time. Are you forcing those customers to pay high shipping prices when they aren’t worried about receiving their item in 2-3 days? If so, they’ll likely move on to a business that provides free shipping rates.
Let your shipping prices run the spectrum, allowing you to have customers in both boxes. You’ll likely have to rely on air freight and cargo, among others, but you’re sure to reap the benefits.
Package With Care
How do your packages arrive at your customers’ homes?
Do they show up on doorsteps in pristine condition with unique, thoughtful, and sturdy packaging? Or do they arrive in dented boxes, broken, and ready to get shipped back as an exchange or return?
Your customers care about packaging. In fact, 81% of consumers try a new product based on its packaging alone. An additional 63% re-buy from a brand because of the quality of the packaging. Finally, 52% of buyers have changed brands because they didn’t like their product packaging.
With this in mind, invest in your packaging methods! The better the quality, the more perfect it will arrive after a night in its transportation.
If You Make Mistakes With Shipping, You Risk Losing Clients to Competitors
That’s as complex as this topic has to be! If you don’t focus on such an important factor in online spending, your business will get skipped in favor of those companies that are quick, provide options, and care about packaging. Your business should provide shipping to various places while also offering a spectrum of shipping costs and times.
Avoid these mistakes with shipping and watch your profits soar.
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