Latest update on November 20, 2014 at 05:00 AM by deri58 .
Fast and inexpensive (or free) shipping: that's what a consumer expects when buying online. Customer order fulfillment has become a prominent issue for e-commerce websites.
Beside providing the best prices, e-commerce websites are also expected to provide the best services, to ensure customer loyalty. Innovations in this area are increasing (e.g Amazon drones delivery system) and this article aims to help you in choosing the right delivery service. A delivery made after the scheduled date is the primary cause of dissatisfaction for consumers. This information comes from the IFOP survey commissioned in 2013 by french based Get it Lab group (Chronopost, Colizen, Generix) in collaboration with Galeries Lafayette, Asos, Sarenza, Brandalley, Oscaro...
The key indicators where:
Fast delivery
shipping costs
schedule adherence.
Read the entire study here http://www.ifoom/media/poll/2559-1-study_file.pdf Before choosing a delivery service, you need to consider the following points:
The type of market - national, international or both? In the case of international shipping, do not forget the customs fees.
The type of products to be shipped including the weight and bulk.
Returns management - In some situations the clients need to be able to return the package or product. Make sure that your delivery service includes such options.
The transit times - The capabilities of your delivery service must be consistent with the expectations of your customers
With a conventional delivery, the package is delivered to an address specified by the buyer (at home or workplace). Private carriers such as TNT, UPS, and Fedex, are known for their speed and reliability. According to a study conducted by NextContent for Neopost ID, store delivery is a growing trend among online buyers.
The principle: the package is transferred to an approved withdrawal point (store, warehouse,...) and the customer can pick it up during the opening hours.
Online retailers possessing a physical store can also opt for a similar delivery mode. The Click & Collect mode: the consumer make his purchases online and retrieve the products from a store). Market places such as Ticketmaster, Amazon and PriceMinister usually provide a delivery service to their e-retailers.
Photo: Sergei Platonov