5 Tips to Optimize your Shipment
When it comes to shipping, online shoppers do not want to make any compromises. It should be fast, smooth and free of charge.The shipping process of online shop giants such as Amazon and Zalando has had a clear impact on the expectations of online shoppers. A study by the EHI Retail Institute shows that more than half of the multi/cross/amnichannel retailers surveyed can deliver within 24 hours or faster.
As an online retailer, you are under increasing pressure to meet these demands. You want to convince the customer especially with the first purchase, so that the probability of repurchase increases.
In our article you will find five tips to help you support your shipping process.
Tip #1: Accuracy of measurement and weight
Even though this hint may sound too obvious, many problems already occur when franking. Shipping from US to Singapore causes high follow-up costs, which not only prolong the entire process, but also make it more expensive in the end.
Measuring and weighing parcels accurately is the A&O to avoid inconsistencies from the outset. There are also subtle differences in size and weight between shipping service providers that you should be aware of.
Tip #2: Error source addresses
Speaking of accuracy – this is also not to be neglected when checking addresses. Incorrect addresses, which cannot be coded by the parcel services, result in additional effort by a corresponding
Address correction. This in turn is reflected in further costs on your side.
In addition, unchecked entries are a frequent cause of incorrect or delayed deliveries. Therefore, make sure that all addresses that you hand over to your shipping service provider have been checked beforehand. In this way you prevent unplanned costs and dissatisfied customers.
Tip #3: Shipping communication as part of customer service
Thanks to the tracking link of the shipping service provider, your customer knows about every step of his order. So if one of the cases just explained occurs and there are delays in shipping, the next call or e-mail to your support is not far away.
At this point, use shipping communication to your advantage: good customer service reacts at the decisive moment. If, for example, the parcel has been damaged, send the goods directly to your customer again or offer your customer an exclusive discount on the next purchase. A direct intervention in case of problems will have a positive effect on customer satisfaction.
Tip #4: Free shipping
What would Amazon do? This is the question some retailers ask themselves when it comes to shipping costs. In order to keep up with online shops like Amazon, you should first take a look at the offers of the various shipping companies. If you do not generally ship free of charge, you should at least send goods free of charge from a minimum order value. Costs can be saved in particular if you pay attention to factors such as destination, package size and weight, which are handled differently from deliverer to deliverer.
If, for example, you have heavy but small parcels, Hermes could be the right shipping service provider for you. For shipments outside Germany, but within the EU, DPD may be suitable. For international shipping, however, you are using DHL
are well advised.
Tip #5: Return made easy
In addition to fast delivery, you should also enable your customers to have a smooth return process. The first step is to minimize the return rate. Ask yourself at regular intervals why customers return goods and evaluate them. Further tips for return prevention include a recurring assortment adjustment, detailed product descriptions, personalized purchase recommendations, possible financial incentives for few returners and still to ensure fast delivery.
But even the best returns prevention will not fully protect you from returns. It is a misconception that the return rate is reduced by making returns as difficult as possible for the customer. Make returns easy for your customer and automate all return related workflows as much as possible to save money in these time-consuming processes.
Intelligent IT support from the shop system to the software used helps you to manage returns efficiently.
Process optimization with ERP
Inspire your customers with uncomplicated and fast order processing, short delivery times, top service and smooth returns processing.
This requires the consistent automation of all operational processes, from purchasing to logistics to support. With the help of the appropriate ERP system, which can be seamlessly linked to your web shop, you can accelerate the shipping and returns process. This not only saves you time and money, but also increases customer satisfaction.
