There was a time —and not too long ago— when customers ordered an item from a retailer, eCommerce company, or an online marketplace and waited for it to show up on the front porch. They had a general idea that it would be there in a couple of days or even a week, which was enough. Today, they want to know when it is expected to show up, and they want visibility and the ability to track the item from order to delivery.
The COVID-19 pandemic boosted U.S. online shopping from March 2020 through February 2021 to $844 billion, a jump of $183 billion, according to Adobe’s 2021 Digital Economy Index.
As online sales continue to climb, having the right services to keep customers happy and engaged can make a difference in long-term success. One of those is the ability to provide customers with visibility into the delivery of their purchases.
According to a report in DigitalCommerce 360, 93% of consumers want to stay informed throughout the delivery process, from in-transit status to final arrival date. Even more critical to your brand and delivering an exceptional customer delivery experience, more than 40% said they wouldn’t buy from the company again if you don’t provide that visibility.
Research indicates consumers are making tracking requests an average of 8 times during the order-to-delivery cycle. So, having the right technology to track orders is essential for retailers and online stores to gain an advantage in today’s crowded landscape.
Delivery tracking technology comes of age
It is common for shipping systems to notify customers with an email or text that an order is on its way. Less common is proactive tracking and alerts. If customers, especially younger generations, are increasingly apt to track a shipments’ progress with greater frequency, why leave it up to them to pull tracking status. Why not use optimization services to push orders’ tracking status and alert them of impending deliveries or delays to reset their delivery expectations.
Technology is also available to include pictures of contents captured at the shipping point to help customers envision what they are about to receive or a personalized note from those responsible for fulfillment. Pictures of items left at point delivery can provide recipients with an acknowledgment of successful and secure delivery. Again, these personal touches only add to the quality of the delivery experience while reducing inbound customer service traffic.
Regardless of what you ship, where you ship, or to whom you are shipping, giving customers the ability to track orders quickly, easily, and TK is not considered a “nice to” service any longer it is a “have to.”
Tracking the delivery from your website
Of course, having the ability on your website can help increase return visits and reduce cart abandonment during the initial purchase.
The Transtream Tracking widget embedded into your webpage and provides customers with self-help shipment tracking, allowing you to:
- Improve service by enabling customers to track the status of their shipments.
- Embed plug and play tracking widget in your webpage
- Adapt to your company’s brand and style guide
- Select enter order number and see shipment delivery status
- Provide returns and pickup request capabilities
Book a demo of Transtream today to see how it can help you build brand loyalty with your customer base.