The holiday season is among the busiest times of year for many eCommerce companies. The heightened business, combined with seasonal promotions and events, can create pressure to grow fast – often at the expense of other areas like shipping and delivery. It takes high shipping costs and time to handle returns; otherwise, it can add to a costly holiday season. According to a study, around 15% of all online holiday orders are returned, which means a retailer can expect to spend nearly 20% of their online revenue on returns. So, preparing for the festive season is critical for retailers looking to reduce costs and deliver a high-quality shopping experience. You need the best eCommerce shipping solutions in India and some guidance to avoid failed deliveries from taking place during the festive season.
Tips to Avoid Delivery Failures
Take a look at the below key points that can help you avoid delivery failures for your eCommerce business.
1. Map Out Your Shipping and Delivery Process
Your shipping and delivery process is more complex during the holiday season, especially if your business ships internationally.
Make sure you have a plan in place to ship all of your parcels on time, including any custom items that might be back-ordered. You need to know your costs for each shipping method and how quickly you can get a parcel delivered to its destination.
Ensure that all of your staff know what they should be doing at all times, especially those involved in the order fulfillment and transportation team.
2. Stock up on Shipping and Packaging Supplies
Stock up on plenty of boxes and protective packaging, especially if you’re shipping internationally. If you can’t get enough of a particular item locally, consider buying some from your supplier and storing them in case you run short later on. You shouldn’t wait until the last minute to order supplies, as you will risk having them arrive late.
3. Ensure You can Meet Important Deadlines and Plan for Delivery Delays
To deliver your shipments on time, you need to know how long it takes to get them from your supplier or warehouse into a parcel carrier.
Make sure you keep up with demand for customer shipments, including any incoming rush orders. Plan for delays by using different carriers or upgrading your service level to get your parcels delivered faster.
4. Set Your Busy-season Shipping and Delivery Strategy
Set up a busy season shipping plan to cover yourself if you need to communicate any changes or updates regarding your holiday deliveries.
It is especially true if you offer free delivery, which increases the stakes for delivering parcels on time. Be sure to communicate any delays or the possibility of missed deadlines through social media, email, and your website.
5. Follow the Postal Rules
Make sure you follow all postal regulations, especially when shipping overseas since different requirements are depending on your location.
For example, if you want to send parcels to Brazil, you might need a customs ID and additional documents.
While this might seem like extra work, it’s better than seeing your money tied up in returns because of insufficient postage.
6. Communicate your Shipping and Delivery Options and Prices
To have a successful holiday season, you need to communicate the different delivery speeds, rates, and requirements for parcels.
You should be clear about how much it will cost – mainly if you offer free shipping to encourage sales.
It’s better to have a few unhappy customers who paid for delivery than too many parcels being returned or destroyed because of insufficient postage.
7. Prepare Your Return Policy
Take your return policy into account when planning your holiday shipping and delivery strategy. You could offer free returns for a limited time to attract more customers, but you should let them know in advance if you plan to make this a year-round offer.
All of your staff must be aware of your return policy in case shoppers ask them questions. It is good to have a policy in place so that customers know what they can expect from your business.
8. Pay Attention to the Unboxing Experience
If you’re selling high-value products, your customers must have a good experience when they receive their purchase.
Use plenty of padding and robust and secure packaging that won’t break apart during transportation or vulnerable, delicate items.
Take photos of your products being unpacked so that you have evidence if the contents are damaged or incomplete. It is also a great idea to offer excellent customer service and ensure that any issues are handled quickly and effectively.
9. Set up Order Tracking
Consider setting up automated shipping notifications through your website to let people know when their parcels will be arriving.
You may want to implement this for all customers or just those who qualify for free delivery or have paid for a premium service.
Provide updates via social media, email, and your website’s blog if you run into delays or unexpected changes to your shipping schedule. It’s always crucial that customers know where their parcels are and when they’re expected to arrive.
10. Anticipate Customer Questions
Leveraging the right eCommerce shipping solutions in India is quite important. But, when people start receiving their holiday packages, they may have many questions about how everything works or what they can expect. Be sure you’ve got all the information you need to answer any queries without having to refer to your website or other resources.
If you don’t answer quickly enough, you could risk losing potential customers waiting for information before making a purchase. So, try to avoid delays and ensure your staff is ready to tackle any questions that come in.
Conclusion
With these tips, you can save yourself a lot of stress and wasted time during the busy holiday season. Ensure that your staff are well-informed about all processes, shipping requirements, and deadlines, and communicate this with customers before they place orders.
By planning for the holiday shopping rush, you can avoid lost orders and failed deliveries. For more guidance, you can also reach out to experts for better e-commerce solutions in India. They will guide you better.
So, get ahead of the game by following these tips and hiring the best eCommerce shipping solutions in India, and you’ll be more likely to have a smooth holiday season.
