Online shopping is accessible and convenient – but it can even be very stressful for your customers.

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Why? Because while e-commerce may be a byword for ease, your customers still invest plenty of your time and energy into the web shopping journey. But once they hit ‘purchase’, all consumers can do is wait – then the anxiety builds.

But staying in constant communication together with your customers and providing them with the knowledge they have will go a protracted way towards easing delivery anxiety.

What is delivery anxiety?

Delivery anxiety is that the feeling that a lot of consumers experience when faced with a scarcity of knowledge about the price or status of their online order. It causes customers to fret whether they’re visiting get their purchase as promised – and may even drive them to cancel orders and seek alternatives elsewhere.

So, what makes e-commerce so anxiety-inducing? It comes all the way down to the dearth of tangibility.

Unlike in brick and mortar, internet buyers don’t get the immediate gratification of receiving a product and taking it home. They’re emotionally and financially invested in an exceedingly product they haven’t seen in the flesh. Until their order arrives, consumers don’t have any way of knowing whether it’s suitable or in shape – and this often creates a way of unease.

Why is delivery anxiety an issue for e-commerce businesses?

Being as seamless as possible, customer satisfaction relies on the shopping journey In e-commerce. But delivery anxiety adds a serious source of friction – and this is often an issue for customer retention.

The post-purchase experience holds plenty of significance within e-commerce thanks to the delay between purchasing and gratification. When a customer places an order with a vendor, they expect to receive ongoing care until their purchase arrives and therefore the shopping journey has concluded.

So, if your business abandons customer care once a buying deal has taken place, your customer goes to feel neglected – and they’re unlikely to buy with you again. In line with eMarketer, 55% people consumers say that only one negative experience would stop them from shopping with a brand again.

By working to ease delivery anxiety, you’ll be able to massively improve the post-purchase experience – which implies more loyal customers for your business.

 

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1. Be transparent about shipping costs

It’s sometimes overlooked that may delivery anxiety can start before an internet order is even placed – when your customer reaches the checkout.

Why? Because this is often the instant of commitment, and where they may be surprised by unexpected delivery costs. Unsurprisingly, this lack of transparency can put a true damper on the customer experience – and might persuade them to abandon their purchase altogether.

Surprise delivery costs are the most important reason for cart abandonment, with 74% of consumers have done so at some point, consistent with a study by Barilliance.

To alleviate anxiety, the most effective thing you’ll be able to do is to disclose your shipping costs on all of your product pages. This suggests consumers can make an informed purchasing decision – instead of being sabotaged at the last moment.

Consumers are showing a powerful preference for free shipping, but this isn’t possible for all businesses. Alternatively, you’ll give consumers more flexibility by offering multiple shipping options at different price points, which provides them greater agency over the delivery process.

2. Provide regular status updates

Ever heard of the old saying ‘No news is nice news?’ When customers are awaiting their online orders, This definitely doesn’t apply!

3. Reduce last-mile delivery times

The so-called ‘last-mile’ of delivery is that the most challenging stage for retailers and 3PLs. Slower time period, more idling, and failed delivery all add up to the last-mile costing retailers over 1/2 an order’s total shipping costs – and slow or maybe delayed delivery for your customers

With a late delivery, there’s nothing more likely to cause anxiety. While circumstances can occur that are beyond your control, specializing in eliminating last-mile delivery issues will go a protracted way towards speeding up delivery.

So, how are you able to lessen last-mile delivery anxieties?

  • Route optimization. Variant miles are lost per annum through trucks taking indirect delivery routes to customers’ homes, which may lengthen travel times significantly. Technologies like route planning and GPS enable your drivers to optimize their schedules and shave unnecessary break-day delivery.
  • Real-time tracking. Allowing your customers to trace delivery in real-time, using platforms like DHL Tracking, means they will reassure themselves that their delivery is on its way and measure its progress – which takes plenty of pressure off your customer care team.
  • Multi-node fulfillment. rather than fulfilling orders from one warehouse, think about employing a network of facilities that may process orders per their proximity to the tip customer. This cuts down last-mile transportation time significantly.

The last mile is a difficult area to navigate without experienced logistics guidance, so it’s worth considering partnering with a fulfillment provider to deal with these inefficiencies.

4. Be open about the returns process

While it’s deeply intertwined within the context of the post-purchase experience, returns might appear to own little to try and do with the delivery process. Because after asking when their order goes to arrive, a customer’s next question is probably going to be “what happens if it isn’t right?”

Reassurance about this process will go an extended way towards easing delivery anxiety in your customers as returns will be a serious hassle. Better of all, this actually encourages them to form that initial purchase, with 49% of consumers saying that they actively check a retailer’s return policy before purchasing.

Conclusion

Delivery is that the most vital touchpoint within the e-commerce customer journey – and it’s critical for online retailers to urge it right. They’ll experience much lower levels of delivery anxiety when customers feel informed and supported during the post-purchase experience. This suggests a better likelihood of repeat purchases and more support for your brand because it grows.

 

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