• Home
  • Solution
    • Shipping
    • Dynamic Checkout Options
    • Tracking
    • Returns
    • Reporting
    • Own Fleet
    • Click and Collect
    • Scan App
  • Carriers
  • Partners
  • Industries
    • Consignor for Retail
    • Consignor for Logistics
  • Plans
  • Resources
    • About
    • Blog
    • Careers
    • Case Studies
    • Contact Us
    • Legal
  • Support
  • Login
  • Support
  • Login
  • About
  • Solution
    • Shipping
    • Dynamic Checkout Options
    • Tracking
    • Returns
    • Reporting
    • Own Fleet
    • Click and Collect
    • Scan App
  • Carriers
  • Partners
  • Industries
    • Consignor for Retail
    • Consignor for Logistics
  • Plans
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Careers
    • Case Studies
    • Contact Us
  • English
    • Norwegian Bokmål
    • Finnish
    • Danish
    • Swedish (SE)
Request a Demo
Online shops: Identify delivery and returns as your USP rather than a cost

Online shops: Identify delivery and returns as your USP rather than a cost

17th September 2020

Online shops should stop looking at freight and delivery as an expense and instead view them as a way of attracting customers. It is a fact that online shoppers check out an online shop’s delivery and return terms before making a purchase, so having the right terms is essential for converting visitors into sales.

You should evaluate your delivery and return terms like you do with the rest of your product range, to ensure that your delivery and return terms are attractive, transparent and priced competitively.

Attractive delivery options tailored to your target group

In order to attract customers, you should know how they want their online orders delivered. Research from Bring shows that more Nordic customers want their online purchases delivered at home instead of picking them up themselves. However, this is only if home-delivery is cheaper than other delivery options and more flexible in terms of delivery time. This is surprising as self-pickup is the most widely used delivery option in the Nordics.

Read more: Fine-tune your shipping process for picky online shoppers

Returning items should be convenient for your customers. Research from UPS shows that as many as 81% of consumers expect that they can return online purchases in a physical store or send the items back to the online shop with pre-paid return labels. In other words, make returns as hassle free as possible for your customer.

Transparency is key

If your delivery and return terms are hard to find on your website, customers will most likely leave your online shop without buying anything. You have to put the terms right in the face of your customer, on the top of your frontpage in a banner and on every product site. Remember, most customers don’t enter your online shop through your frontpage. They have probably Googled and found a product that way.

Make your delivery and return terms easy to understand. In short describe the delivery method, time and price. Regarding returns, write a step by step guide on how to return. If your customers have to figure out for themselves how they return a product to you, they will most likely leave your online shop before buying.

This how-to-return information should appear in multiple places, including on your website and in information sent to your customer e.g. order confirmation sent to their e-mail and enclosed in the parcel of their order. Also, let the customer know when they can expect to have their money back. Instant refunds are preferable.

Convenience beats price

Free shipping is a powerful tool to drive sales. But if online shops don’t know how to cover the costs of offering this, it is unsustainable.

There are several free shipping strategies you can use. However, free is not the only option available to online shops. Research shows that online shoppers are willing to pay for delivery, if it is faster and more convenient.

The same thing goes for returns. A study shows that 79% of consumers want free return shipping, whereas 92% of consumers surveyed said that they will buy again if product return process is easy. This shows that free returns are important to online shoppers, but not as important as an easy return process.

In conclusion, making your delivery and return terms as much attention as attractive as the actual products you sell, is essential for winning customers over in today’s competitive e-commerce business landscape.

Read more: 10 simple tips on how to succeed with delivery in the Scandinavian markets

Consignor Button (Sign up for our newsletter)

Categories: Delivery Management, Ecommerce, Logistics

Back to blog

Related posts...

Cut your delivery times and reduce costs by automating and consolidating your shipments

Cut your delivery times and reduce costs by automating and consolidating your shipments

19th January 2021

Integrate your key systems to gain control of your logistics supply chain

Integrate your key systems to gain control of your logistics supply chain

14th January 2021

QUIZ partners with Consignor to enhance their customers’ delivery experience

QUIZ partners with Consignor to enhance their customers’ delivery experience

12th January 2021

Sign up for our newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter and stay regularly updated on shipping, logistics and delivery management.

Sign up

Request a demo

Discover how Consignor can make delivery a competitive advantage for your company and a seamless experience for your customers.

Request a demo

© 2021 Consignor. All rights reserved

Quick Links

  • About
  • Legal
  • Blog
  • Contact us

Resources

  • Carriers
  • Partners
  • Plans
  • Case Studies

Solutions

  • Shipping
  • Tracking
  • Reporting
  • Scan App
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.Ok, thanksRead more