eCommerce logistics: what it is and how to improve it
Logistics in eCommerce
Logistics is one of the elements that influences the evolution of your e-commerce sales. Logically, your customers want to receive their orders quickly, without unforeseen events or inconveniences. Managing the logistics of an eCommerce involves maintaining agile and effective warehouse control, in addition to working with different carriers to be able to offer customers different shipping options.
From the Webmefy team we would like you to know some techniques that you can implement to improve your logistics and increase sales in your online store .
Logistics and eCommerce
Logistics is one of the factors that can make you lose sales . The work does not end the moment the customer has completed their purchase, or even when the package arrives at home.
A shipment that arrives days late, or damaged, or with the wrong product can lead to a dissatisfied customer who criticizes you on social networks, or leaves you bad reviews on Facebook, Twitter or Google My Business.
The logistics management process for eCommerce consists of various parts:
- Choosing the right carriers
- Estimate shipping times
- Consider delivery costs
- Efficiently manage orders
- Control communication with the client
- Have a good returns policy
All of these elements are important in the customer's purchasing experience . And a good shopping experience can influence user confidence and loyalty, which means an increase in sales.
It is enough for any of these elements to not work for a percentage of customers to feel dissatisfied. For example, if shipping costs are excessively high, you may lose sales. Or even the mere fact of charging shipping costs when many other stores of your competition are financing them also makes you lose competitiveness.
Improve logistics in eCommerce
Logistics management for eCommerce is a critical aspect. When depending on external suppliers, it is essential to be able to reduce risks as much as possible so that your clients can have maximum facilities, better shipping time and zero mistakes.
Good logistics and short, predictable shipping times can be synonymous with an increase in repeat purchases. That is why it is so important that you pay attention to the order and shipping management process to ensure the satisfaction of your customers.
At Webmefy we work with the SendCloud technological solution, which allows you to easily connect your online store and activate multiple carriers and optimize your store's checkout to increase conversions.
Let's see what aspects of eCommerce logistics you should work on to increase the sales of your online store.
1. Offer different shipping options to your customers
The ideal is that your clients can choose. If you prefer to receive the product in 24 hours and pay more, or receive it in 3-4 days and pay a little less.
Offering different carrier options and shipping costs helps the customer make the best decision. We are also more transparent, as a customer may prefer to choose a specific carrier.
This is a very important factor in sales, because there are customers who may have had a bad experience with a specific carrier and may prefer to choose another option themselves.
2. Allow your customers to choose a pickup point
Nowadays it is very common to make purchases online, but when the carrier comes, we are not at home. The most convenient way to pick up an order is that we can decide if we want it to be sent to our home, or later pick it up at a nearby collection point.
A customer could decide not to buy a product simply because they do not know if they will be able to receive it, since they are away from home most of the day. Don't let this happen and offer maximum facilities to your clients.
3. Optimize order management
Before a customer can receive their order at home, you must complete the order management. Your warehouse must receive information in real time through software about the orders that have been received that day and begin processing them.
The most convenient way to do this is with a tool like Sendcloud , which allows you to print shipping labels with one click, see the status of the order, the carrier that corresponds to each order, generate customs documents... The higher the degree of automation in order management, less chance of error and faster it will reach your customer.
4. Create a simple and effective returns policy
Customers look for trust and transparency. For certain products, such as fashion, a good returns policy is almost mandatory.
Therefore, our advice is that you offer a simple and easy-to-use returns policy, where customers are clear about how many days they have to return the item, what the return conditions are and how the process will be carried out. Ideally, you can leave the product at a collection point, or have a carrier come to your home, without the customer having to bear the costs of the return.
5. Let your customers track the order
The entire logistics process continues once the customer has made the purchase. From the confirmation message to the sending of an email with the order locator, all the details matter so that the customer has peace of mind.
Ideally, the user can check on the carrier's website what the status of their order is, whether it is in warehouse or in delivery, and when delivery is expected.
Keep in mind that these post-purchase emails are decisive in generating good vibes in your customer. Therefore, it is a factor that influences the purchasing experience and the loyalty of your customers, so you should take it into account.
A tool that can help you schedule automated email flows is Klaviyo , the most recommended email marketing platform for Shopify online stores.
A predictable and optimal logistics process can lead to positive reviews, repeat customers, and exponential growth in your sales. At Webmefy we encourage you to continue enhancing the logistics of your online store so that your customers feel satisfied and you can increase your sales in a sustainable way. Are you interested in taking your eCommerce logistics to the next level? We will contact you to tell you about the benefits that the Sendcloud technological platform offers you and help you boost your Shopify eCommerce sales.
