5 Common Questions About Transportation In eCommerce

There are many things you should take into account before opening an online store , for example, website design, social media strategies, digital marketing, the products you want to sell, how to sell them, advertising and yes, also transportation in eCommerce . But why is the issue of transportation so important for a digital business?

There are many aspects that make transportation and logistics the most important area of ​​eCommerce , and this is, in essence, the last step of the sale before delivering the final product to the customer. A good transportation and logistics service can make a big difference between your business and the competition. Now, if you are starting to plan your e-Business, you surely have many questions regarding endless topics, but this time we will focus on trying to answer all the most common questions regarding transportation in eCommerce .

How To Choose A Good Transportation Company In eCommerce?

Before choosing a transport and logistics company, analyze your product carefully, since delivering perishable products (such as food, fruits, flowers) is not the same as delivering something more fragile (such as glassware or makeup). So which one to choose? Make sure you choose one that specializes in the product you are looking to sell . Another factor to take into account is the price of shipping, you should opt for that company that offers you a really competitive cost with which you too can then enter the market with the best prices.

On the other hand, there is the delivery time . This is where you should evaluate the price-value relationship, because if your competition offers the same product as you, but their deliveries are in 72 hours, if you can offer it in 48 or 24 hours, then potential buyers will choose you.

Last, but not least, is the reputation of this transport company , and if a company has a good reputation, by hiring it immediately you will be raising yours. Regarding this, I have a small example: A transport company that over the years has acquired a bad reputation will not inspire confidence in potential customers, which will obviously affect your sales.

Is Free Shipping A Good Idea?

Clear! Free shipping will , without any doubt, attract many customers. But are you sure this is what you want to do? And free shipping can become quite complicated and sometimes can even affect your income. However, you don’t have to worry, you can implement free shipping, but taking into account certain conditions. Attract more buyers with an intermediate offer, “free shipping from a certain purchase amount” , and you can even do it by number of items: “Free shipping from 10 items or more”.

How Important Is Packaging?

Although we always leave it a little forgotten, the truth is that the issue of packaging is much more important than many believe. But what makes this aspect so important? Very easy, and if we choose poor quality packaging material, our merchandise will not be protected and what happens if our products are not completely safe? Well, the chances of the goods we are selling arriving in the hands of our customers in poor condition increase and the consequences of this are countless.

So, the best (and safest) thing is to invest in good packaging material , this way you will reduce possible expenses for those returns of possible damaged products.

How Can I Avoid Returns?

The previous point is undoubtedly of vital importance when it comes to avoiding returns , however there are other aspects that we must take into account. And, no matter how much we want it, the return of the merchandise (or in other cases, the money) is an almost inevitable issue. However, this does not mean that we should not do everything in our power to prevent it.

But how can we do this? And even in traditional stores the issue of returns is usually really cumbersome and many prefer to avoid it. However, when we talk about eCommerce , the first thing we should do (and as we already mentioned in the previous point) is invest in excellent packaging material , so our products will be much more protected.

Another thing that you must be very careful with is the information that you broadcast through your website and the social networks of your digital commerce, and that is that you must make sure that each aspect of the purchase is completely clear and understandable , in this way. This way you will avoid misunderstandings and therefore the client will get exactly what they want.

In the particular case of clothing items, make sure to develop a system that not only includes the size but also the measurements of each item . By doing this you will visibly reduce the number of items that customers want to return, since they will be able to better evaluate the clothing. and thus they will be satisfied with the purchase.

What To Do After The Sale?

Since we are talking about digital stores , a great resource that we can use to our advantage is social networks , and here we are already delving into digital marketing strategies. Once the purchase is complete, make sure to establish communication with your customer , of course this is much easier when it is a small store, however, if it is a larger store you can develop some type of system that allows you to do this . What is the OBJECTIVE? Establish feedback with the buyer, so that they tell us their experience of it (including transportation), this way you will be able to notice if there are areas in which you need to improve or not.

To do this, I recommend using a hashtag with which you can collect your clients’ comments much more directly . You can also contact them by private messages or directly through their cell phone, and (with their prior approval) use these conversations to increase the trust of potential buyers through your social networks.