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Shipping is a crucial part of the customer experience, but it often gets overlooked. In fact, customers often expect faster shipping times than retailers deliver. Shipping is also one of the biggest factors that determine whether a buyer will purchase from your brand or not. The good news is that there are many ways to improve your shipping process so that you can go above and beyond your customers' expectations. You just need to know where to start!

Why shipping is often overlooked

Shipping is often overlooked by brands because it's not part of their core product.

Most brands see shipping as a cost and not an investment. They don't take the time to think about the entire process, from order to delivery, and how to best optimize each step along the way. They think about shipping as a necessary evil that gets in their way, rather than as one of their most strategic levers for delighting customers in today's market where every touchpoint counts and customers expect customization options at every stage of purchase.

The importance of shipping on the customer buying experience

Shipping is a critical part of the customer buying experience. From how fast your package arrives at their door to who is responsible for paying for it, shipping processes can be a source of frustration or delight, and they can also be a critical source of revenue for brands.

For instance, Amazon has been offering free two-day delivery on eligible items since 2005. The promise of fast delivery has helped them sell millions upon millions of products worldwide and become the top online retailer in the United States by market share—and it's in part thanks to strong shipping processes that give customers confidence in purchasing from them again and again.

Similarly, when shipping times are slow or incorrect information is given about an order’s status (or lack thereof), customers often abandon their carts without making any purchases whatsoever — which means lost sales opportunities.

Simplify your shipping options

If you don’t already offer free shipping, consider offering multiple shipping options that are all equally quick but vary in price (e.g., overnight delivery for $12 versus 3-day for $6). Not only will this increase your revenue, but it will also improve customer satisfaction by reducing the cost of their purchase.

Also, be sure to make it easy for customers to choose the right shipping option for their orders. For example, if one of your products is small and lightweight, don't offer a bulky shipping option for it. Instead, you can offer a padded envelope for example. This way customers who want to keep their order as light as possible will be able to do so without having to worry about paying extra for the more expensive services that would be required for the product's weight or size.

Give buyers accurate delivery dates

Shippers have an obligation to be transparent about delivery times. Customers are often shopping online because they want to buy items quickly, so it’s important for them to know how long their order will take. For example, if you sell furniture and your website promises that your products will arrive within a week of when they are ordered, but in fact the average delivery time is three weeks, you’re setting yourself up for customer dissatisfaction and negative reviews.

Provide clear shipping estimates on each product page or allow customers to choose their preferred shipping option before checkout by offering multiple choices such as ground delivery versus overnight air freight. If you have specific delivery dates available (such as “in stock now!”), make sure these are prominently displayed on each product page along with any fees associated with expedited shipping options.

Getting the data needed to offer delivery dates as accurate as industry giants like Amazon can be hard. Tools like FenixCommerce make it easy to add ‘Get it by’ dates with pinpoint accuracy, increasing conversion rates by up to 40%!

Keep customers informed with shipping notifications

You can use shipping notifications to make the customer experience better. One thing to consider is whether or not you are using notifications at all. The best way to do this is by making sure that you email your customers when their package is shipped and also let them know exactly where it's going and when it should arrive.

SMS notifications are also hugely 'in-fashion' which is a great tool because it allows users to get updates without having to check their emails frequently. You might also consider personalizing each of these messages so that they feel more human and friendly than an automated service. Let them know about any delays or changes in plans for shipment or delivery dates ahead of time so that no problems occur later on down the line when someone tries contacting customer care only.

If there were any special circumstances surrounding why something wasn't ready yet then now would be another good opportunity too because those details could help make sure everything goes smoothly during transit!

Provide customer-centric tracking pages

Everyone who has ever ordered something online knows the pain of having to wait for their package to arrive. Packages are delayed, lost, and sometimes never show up at all. This can be frustrating for customers that have already paid for the product and are eager to get it in their hands as soon as possible. To improve your customer’s experience with shipping, you should provide them with tracking information right on your website or app so they know exactly where their package is during every step of its journey. You should also ensure they have multiple channels available when they need to check on the status of their order: automated emails, text notifications, or even phone calls if needed!

You must also provide tracking information for all delivery options so people can choose which one works best for them (especially important if there are only certain carriers available in certain areas). Finally, don't forget about creating unique landing pages for customers who want more information about how long shipping will take or what carrier was used on each item within a shopping cart! These pages should also contain relevant other products that would increase loyalty among frequent buyers - which will hopefully lead them back again later without needing much prompting from you and your team.

Shipping experiences are essential to a great customer experience

Shipping is an integral part of your customer experience. It doesn’t just get the goods from point A to point B—it can also be used as an opportunity for you to create a better buying experience by focusing on details like accuracy and timeliness. By simplifying your shipping options, giving buyers accurate delivery dates, keeping them informed with notifications, and providing tracking pages that are easy-to-use, you can improve the customer experience and supercharge conversions!