Poor shipping policies are one of the major causes for conversion failure. The cost for shipping is not the only reason shoppers abandon their carts before checking out. Potential customers can also be turned off by the shipping carrier provided, slow packing and shipping times, no access to tracking and poorly packed goods.
Here is how you can build trust in your shipping policies and convert more shoppers into buyers:
Give Customers a Choice of Carriers
For a variety of reasons, many shoppers prefer one delivery carrier over the rest. Of course, online merchants have preferences too, and there are a number of pros and cons for choosing UPS over USPS, or FedEx over UPS. The goal, however, is to improve your customers’ trust in the delivery process. You can provide more checkout appeal by offering a choice of at least two carrier options.
Consider how packages will be delivered to your customers. Is the package too bulky to fit in a USPS mailbox? If no one is home, will the carrier leave a notice for redelivery, or simply leave the package unattended at the recipient’s door? Do the delivery drivers take care to protect packages from inclement weather and direct sunlight?
While no carrier is the perfect choice for every merchant, you will make more customers happy by providing a choice of carriers.
Make a Same-Day Shipping Promise
Online shoppers do not want to wait for their merchandise, and they shouldn’t have to. A comScore poll of online shoppers found that 29 percent of respondents want more choices for delivery dates. Whether the customer chooses first-class ground, priority mail or overnight, it should never affect the speed at which you pack and ship.
Even when shipping is free, consumers will expect to receive their packages within a week’s time or less. You can reduce cart abandonment and improve recidivism rates with the promise of same-day packing and shipping. When shoppers know that their purchases will be packed and shipped on the same day, they are much less likely to abandon their carts.
Make Use of Tracking Services
Online shoppers experience a lot of satisfaction in knowing the whereabouts of packages in transit. The onsite presence of appropriate tracking software can stimulate consumer confidence and convince shoppers to complete the buying process. Most of the major shipping organizations provide tracking tools for online merchants to enhance customer service, but not all of the systems are configured for multi-channel selling.
Online merchants can take advantage of ecommerce management systems with advanced shipping tracking tools. High-quality platforms such as Appath can work seamlessly with major selling channels and social media outlets too. For the benefit of eager buyers and for your own convenience, make tracking software a permanent feature of your shipping services.
Pack It Nice
Although packing for shipping does not directly affect conversion, poorly packed items can spark a firestorm of social media complaints, and that can definitely affect your bottom line.
The way merchandise is packed for shipping has a profound effect on the level of customer satisfaction. Excessive use of tape, messy packaging materials, sloppy or misaddressed labels and unprotected merchandise can give the impression of seller negligence. Whether you pack the merchandise at your own facility or rely on a shipping service to pack for you, do your utmost to ensure that all items are delivered in pristine and undamaged condition.
Conclusion
The shipping tips provided here are not earth-shaking, but they are easy to initiate and proven to boost customer confidence. Don’t be surprised if they boost your conversion rates as well.