With so much riding on efficient and reliable deliveries, it’s not enough to have a standard shipping process and hope for the best. If you want to attract and keep customers, you must have a strong strategy. 

This doesn’t simply mean choosing a supplier that will handle your shipping for you, nor does it mean offering one or two shipping options to online shoppers. It means having a strategy that gets ecommerce orders from A to B with guaranteed precision, efficiency and reliability. 

Putting time and effort into getting an ecommerce shipping strategy right has its advantages. 

The top five benefits are;

1. You Can Spend Time on Other Aspects of Running a Business – When you have a strong ecommerce shipping strategy in place, you have more time to spend on other aspects of running a business. Instead of having to keep on top of complex shipping processes and rectifying frequent mistakes, you can relax knowing that your strong ecommerce shipping strategy ensures everything goes according to plan.

1. It’s a Cost-Effective Shipping Solution – Operating an ecommerce business has a lot of costs, many of which are overheads that cannot be ignored. For example, storing and shipping products comes at a price, but it’s impossible to remove the cost of these tasks completely. However, having a strong ecommerce shipping strategy can be a more affordable solution. Regardless of the ins and outs of your specific shipping strategy, having a reliable and efficient process in place can help to cut costs. 

1. It Can Increase Successful Leads and Conversions Online – With so many competing businesses out there, it’s important to stand out as being a retailer that is simple and straightforward to shop with. A strong ecommerce shipping strategy shows customers that you take the safe delivery of their items seriously, which could be all it takes to convert an ‘on the fence’ lead into a sale. If customers find your shipping processes to be confusing to navigate, it’s likely that they will take their business elsewhere, boosting a competitor’s revenue rather than your own. 

1. You Will Keep Customers Happy and Loyal to Your Business – There is no denying that first impressions count, and this is especially true in the world of ecommerce. Shipping is the first time a customer is likely to see your brand and your products in real life, so a flawless experience is vital. If a product arrives damaged or delayed, customers might think twice about shopping with you again. This also goes for poorly packaged orders and expensive shipping costs; both of these could result in a previously loyal customer going elsewhere.

1. Customers Remain Up to Date Throughout – Shipping has come a long way in recent years, and customers have come to expect seamless service. The majority of online retailers now offer next-day delivery options, and customers are used to being kept up to date throughout the journey, knowing when an order has been dispatched, tracking its journey from your warehouse to them, and they know exactly when to expect the delivery. With a strong ecommerce shipping strategy, this is something that you can offer. Without one, customers could feel like your shipping strategy is lacking compared to other businesses.