As an eCommerce business owner, you have probably invested time and money into creating your website and finding the right shipping strategy. You have an attractive website design, well-showcased products, optimized SEO headlines and descriptions, and a marketing strategy in place. However, one thing that would make or break your eCommerce website is your shipping strategy.

In this post, our team looks at what you need to consider when creating a shipping strategy for your eCommerce website to ensure the success of your business.

Customer expectations

Before deciding what type of shipping you will offer, who you partner with, or any other strategic decision, you need to know what your customer wants and expects.

Customer experience is what will drive sales in your business. A good experience will make your customers purchase more, but when they return, customers tend to spend 67% more than the first time. So, what are customers looking for?

Customers are getting acquainted with 3 main trends:

Speed

On-demand and same-day deliveries are some of the biggest trends in the last-mile industry. Customers expect to have their parcels delivered ASAP, and businesses understand this. According to PWC, 86% of customers are willing to pay more for faster delivery, while 80% believe that reliable and fast shipping is vital for a good customer experience.

Sustainability

43% of customers are more likely to buy from your business if you offer sustainable shipping, and 8 out of 10 consider sustainability as of essential when researching a business. In fact, World Economic Forum (WEF) research shows that the CO2 emissions in the cities will rise by 32% if no steps are taken. Therefore, sustainability is no longer a trend, and customers and government know that.

Convenience

When it comes to customer expectations and preferences, 73% of the people in a recent Capgemini Research Institute study said they preferred their fast delivery to come at a convenient time slot that fits them. However, only 19% of businesses see this as a priority. The takeaway here, it is not only important to be fast, but it is also essential to find the right time that first your customer.

Shipping Zones

Shipping zones are the geographical areas you will be shipping in. When creating your shipping strategies, you must find different shipping providers that can cover your zones. When considering your shipping zones, here are some things to keep in mind:

Location of fulfillment centers

When choosing your shipping partners, you need to consider the location of your fulfillment centers. Some questions that will help you understand the role of your shipping location:

• Where will you be shipping from?

• Do you control your hubs, or are you outsourcing to a 3rd party partner? 

• Do you have physical locations you want to turn into dark stores and micro hubs? 

• Do you have local fulfillment centers, or will you use regional and national hubs?

• How sustainable are your choices?

• Is this how you can reach your customers best?

The answers to these questions will help you better understand your shipping options and what you’re looking for in shipping partners.

Local fulfillment - Ship from store

Ship from store is a strategy omnichannel retailers use to boost customer experience and sales by shipping directly from store to door. Ship from store is a popular method of fulfillment and shipping that has been gaining popularity in the past few years. 

Shipping directly from your brick-and-mortar store or turning it into a dark store will help you boost your local customers’ experience by shipping faster and saving fulfillment and warehousing costs. However, be careful; urban shipping can be highly polluting.

With Packaly, you can ship sustainably directly from your brick-and-mortar stores by connecting them to your eCommerce store.

Shipping regulations

Each country has its own regulations when it comes to shipping and warehousing. It is vital that you understand the regulations in your shipping zones. One of the most prominent regulations is the green zones. The green zones are locations where the government forces regulations to limit pollution and ban non-public transport.

Packaly’s completely CO2-neutral delivery model allows you to reach your customers, stick to regulations while making the world a greener place

Start looking for eCommerce shipping partners

After realizing what you are looking for in a shipping strategy, it is time to start looking for potential shipping providers. You will want to look for separate partners that meet your customers’ needs. Let’s look at a few things to consider before choosing your partners:

Technology

As an eCommerce website, it is important to have your shipping partners integrated into the shopping experience. For example, you would want your customer to be able to add the shipping details on the website, track their order, and choose the shipping method or speed. 

Make sure that your eCommerce shipping partners have the technology to match your business’s.

Speed

Customers no longer want the regular 3-5 days shipping. They are looking for faster and more convenient shipping options. Same-day and next-day shipping is becoming the norm, and customers expect their order to be with them in the time that meets their needs the most.

Cost & delivery success delivery rate

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Most eCommerce shipping partners offer a pay-per-parcel model. This will allow you to save money on the off-season and only pay for what you ship. However, cheap is not necessarily good. Make sure to look at the company’s delivery success rate.

Read our full guide on how to find a reliable last-mile delivery partner.

Packaly as your eCommerce shipping partner

Packaly’s last-mile delivery solution offers you sustainable, fast, and reliable eCommerce delivery solutions for your inner-city local deliveries. Helping you reach your local customers, Packaly’s Delivery Dashboard, easy-to-connect integrations, CO2-neutral express, same-day, and next-day delivery options help you meet all your customers.

Other benefits of having Packaly as your eCommerce shipping partner:

• Pay-per-parcel model

• Easy-to-use Delivery Dashboard

• 7 days a week operations

• Age verification if your product requires it

• Damage and loss insurance

• Professional bike fleet that ensures proper communication with your customers

• Live support team 7 days a week with an average response time of 1 minute

• Delivery verification through a uniquely generated code