Ultimately, there’s no way to avoid shipping delays, and a brand’s best approach is to focus on how to communicate with customers during these times. In addition to being timely and personalized, brands must engage customers on a daily basis, before the delay occurs, and continuously throughout the duration. To do so, start building relationships on social media and text messaging, and engage with your customers on other channels as well.
What Are the Reasons For Ecommerce Order Delays?
When it comes to order processing and shipping, online retailers experience massive spikes in demand during periods of high sales. This can cause order processing and shipping delays because retailers are not well-equipped to handle such massive volumes. As a result, customers experience longer shipping times than normal. These spikes can also impact the business negatively.
Merchants should communicate clearly with customers about shipping expectations and include an accurate shipping estimate in each email. Not providing timely acknowledgment to customers can turn them off, which will result in a disgruntled customer base. It is a good idea to send an acknowledgment email to each order, noting the shipping duration and offering other shipping options. Some merchants are also leaning toward conservative estimates of shipping times.
Delays in shipping can be caused by many factors, some of which are outside of a retailer’s control. But it is vital that retailers have a plan to respond to the common reasons for shipping delays so that customers don’t feel cheated. Delays are not just annoying – they also damage a retailer’s reputation. In this day and age of instant gratification, late delivery is a major source of friction in the post-purchase experience.
Another common reason for shipping delays is the weather. While there are many factors that cause weather delays, the most important one is the customer’s willingness to understand the delay. Sending a personal email will show the customer that you care. If an email is generic, the customer might feel like a number rather than an invested person. When an email is personalized, it will help them feel important. You’ll feel more invested in a customer when they receive a personal shipping update from you.
Large products, such as those that weigh over 150 pounds and are larger than 48 inches, can cause shipping delays. A large-format product can be anything from a piece of furniture to a huge piece of furniture. The average fulfillment time for these products doubled in the last six weeks compared to 32 hours at the start of the pandemic. It’s vital for eCommerce retailers to be vigilant about inventory and ensure they have sufficient stock.
Other reasons for order shipping delays include platform glitches. eCommerce platforms are dependent on their ability to run smoothly. If they are down for maintenance, make sure you notify loyal customers of the delay so they can prepare accordingly. And don’t forget about the logistics! If a shipping delay is too long, the customer may start looking for an alternative store. In any case, a delay in shipping a product could cost you valuable leads, growth, and acquisition.
Another common reason for ordering shipping delays is a lack of warehouse space. Warehouses are not equipped to handle the volume of orders and therefore, will not be able to complete the processing of the entire order. The result is that the order will lag by several days. Fortunately, there are some steps that you can take to improve your order processing and reduce the chances of a customer canceling the order.
How to overcome your Shipping Delays
Ecommerce orders can be a real pain. However, there are some ways to overcome eCommerce order shipping delays and make the experience more pleasant for your customers. When possible, provide customers with updates on delivery status regularly. Whether through SMS or emails, keep your customers updated on shipping progress through a dedicated customer support channel. If you can’t do so in person, try offering a gift card, a discount for a future purchase, or a refund. If possible, offer a refund to the customer or provide an alternative method of payment, as it will help to win back their trust and increase your chances of getting repeat business.
Another way to reduce eCommerce order shipping delays is to enable an automatic notification system that notifies customers when the items they have ordered are back in stock. This allows you to avoid manually tracking orders and managing back orders, which can take time. This can cost you business if your competitor offers a cheaper deal on a similar product. While shoppers are more forgiving than ever before after the recent pandemic, they are not ready to overlook every delay.
Sometimes, the causes of eCommerce order shipping delays are out of your control. In these cases, it’s best to create a response plan for typical scenarios. This way, you’ll be able to better address the issues and make your customers feel more relaxed. Especially during the holiday season, delays can cause customers to abandon a purchase and damage your business’s reputation. So, make sure to keep these factors in mind when planning for your shipping process.
Another way to overcome eCommerce order shipping delays is to distribute your inventory. The more product you have, the less likely you are to experience delays. Distributing inventory across multiple warehouses will reduce fulfillment costs and minimize the variables that cause shipping problems. Lastly, consider setting up a dedicated webpage for customer support. Customers will appreciate the transparency. By following these tips, you’ll find it easier to handle shipping delays and boost customer satisfaction.
Mistyped addresses are another cause of eCommerce order shipping delays. Even though you may have entered the correct address, this could be the cause of the issue. Sometimes, shipping agents enter the wrong address. When this happens, your package may not be able to reach its destination. So, plan ahead to avoid any eCommerce order shipping delays. This way, your customers will know about potential delays in advance and can take the necessary steps to avoid them.
Moreover, eCommerce order delivery delays are caused by a lack of structure. Without a proper order management structure, the team will not be cohesive and will process orders incorrectly. It will be more difficult to fulfill orders that are prone to delays. Lack of structure also prevents cohesion among the members of the team, which will lead to inaccurate order processing and delayed shipping. Likewise, an ineffective order management system can make it difficult to cope with peak shipping seasons. For example, road closures and unusual weather conditions can delay the delivery of some items.
Well, it’s delayed, now what?
Communication with customers
Optimizing customer experience before and during shipping delays begins with proactive communications. Customers need to know the status of their order, which may be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Email marketing is an effective way to communicate these issues because it offers plenty of room for detailed information. For example, an order confirmation email should include the item’s price, shipping cost, taxes, and delivery address. Transactional emails should also provide updated delivery times.
Communicating with customers as soon as possible can go a long way. While customers are generally understanding and accepting that some delays can be out of a company’s control, they still want to be notified as soon as possible. While it can be tempting to use a negative tone and blame third parties, it’s best to avoid doing so. Regardless of the type of communication channel you choose, the following tips can help you improve the customer experience before and during shipping delays:
Email and SMS are two excellent methods of communication. Social media has increased the number of consumers interacting with brands. By expanding your digital presence, you’ll broaden your audience and become more competitive. Remember to avoid directing customers to a dedicated shipping page. A header in an email can alert customers to possible delays and provide a link to a more detailed page with information. For even more effective communication before and during shipping delays, consider adding links in headers.
During peak shipping season, eCommerce businesses face the challenge of communicating with customers. However, shipping delays are inevitable. With proactive communications, businesses can ensure that the customer experience is aced and the narrative controlled by the brand. By sending out transactional emails and SMS messages, businesses can keep in touch with their customers and improve the overall customer experience before and during shipping delays. By leveraging the consumer base, businesses can leverage the power of email to keep in touch with their customers.
In times of crisis, showing empathy is crucial. When communicating with customers, use a clear tone. Automated responses can generate confusion and ill will. Personalize communication and use a human voice to build trust. The customer will appreciate the personalized touch. If you’re dealing with disruption, communication strategies to optimize customer experience before and during shipping delays can help maintain a positive brand image and retain customers.
Providing options for customers
If a shipping delay is inevitable, the company should provide multiple options to the customer. If possible, the company should inform the customer in advance of the shipping delay and encourage them to purchase their items earlier. It can offer them an apology gift or discount on their next order. Providing multiple options helps the customer to take control of the situation and restore their confidence. In addition, the company should make the customer aware of the reason for the shipping delay.
Speeding up the process of returning items
A simple return policy is one of the most effective ways to speed up the process of returning an item. Make sure to clearly state the time frame for returning the item, what it must be in good condition, and the proper packaging required. By making this process as quick as possible, you will increase customer satisfaction and retention. To ensure a smooth and convenient returns process, you should also make sure to include return packaging and labels in your original order.
Online portals that allow customers to view and print a return label can streamline the process for both parties. For customers, this means that they can return items much faster, while merchants benefit from faster turnaround times. Additionally, if the item is returned in good condition, the merchant can easily resell it. While this approach can be time-consuming, it will improve both customer and merchant satisfaction.
To increase customer satisfaction, consider using digital prepaid shipping labels. This type of shipping label is incredibly helpful for customers, and it can speed up the return process by up to 50%. Many customers are happy with their purchase but it’s important to ensure the return is handled quickly. It’s important to note that 30 percent of returned items are damaged or faulty. In addition, three-quarters of consumers plan to shop with a retailer that offers sustainable returns. Fortunately, most companies’ existing returns policy doesn’t fit into this category. This is a huge problem because it creates 15 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, and that’s just one example.
Fortunately, most online retailers will refund the purchase price when an item is returned. While 18% of online retailers offer gift cards or exchanges, many consumers expect to receive a refund within 30 days of purchase. However, if the return process is lengthy or inconvenient for the customer, it may have a negative impact on their customer experience. Fortunately, there are many ways to speed up the process of returning an item.
Transparency with customers
One way to minimize the impact of shipping delays is to be more transparent with your customers. While the effects of late deliveries can vary by product category, the general idea is that consumers want to know as much as possible about the time it will take to get their products. It is especially important to be upfront about the delay, as this can damage your customer relationship and tarnish your reputation. But in many cases, customers are more forgiving of such situations if the retailer tells them about the delay ahead of time.
In the same way, you should be transparent with your customers before and after a shipping delay. While customers may not complain or leave a bad review, delays still hurt your reputation and make your customers unsure of your business. Being transparent with your customers before and after a shipping delay will help to increase customer trust and help you retain a loyal customer base. You can also offer free gifts as a gesture of goodwill and thank your customers for their patience.
Radical transparency will help you maximize the opportunity presented by less-than-ideal circumstances. By providing the customer with information about when and where the item will be delivered, you will give them enough time to adjust their expectations. This will help your customers feel more comfortable with your business, and they will be more likely to come back to buy from you again. If you want to increase your customer base, radical transparency is the best way to do so.
Final Thoughts
Be proactive about contacting customers who have signed up for automatic shipments of household essentials. Most retailers offer subscriptions that allow users to set up an account and forget about it. But if you run out of a particular item, you must notify customers before they run out. If you do not have the product in stock, make sure to follow up with them through automated messages. If your shipment is delayed, be upfront about it and offer advice.
