Consumers are becoming more demanding about their delivery experience. They want what they want when they want it. However, even as retailers and eCommerce sellers look for ways to deliver an experience that matches the demands, they face financial and carrier service issues that make that more challenging than ever.
UPS Limits Amazon Deliveries
United Parcel Service (UPS) said late this month that it would not increase the number of parcels it delivers for its largest customer, Amazon, as it focuses on shipments with the highest financial returns.
This move comes in the face of softening eCommerce sales as consumers shifted some money to travel, dining, and other entertainment—while also spending more on fuel and food as inflation soared.
And as UPS keeps to its negotiated shipment limits with Amazon, consumers may face even more slowdowns as FedEx Ground announced that it would suspend Sunday deliveries in some U.S. markets in mid-August.
This will reduce the coverage from about 95% of the nation to just under 80%, according to reports.
Of course, the typical shopper doesn’t know—or care—about the ongoing strain carriers face and how that impacts retailers and eCommerce shippers. They just know they want their orders in hand by a specified date and for as low of a cost as possible.
Shippers need to deliver an outstanding last-mile customer experience
So, what can shippers do to continue the services level that more customers demand from the shipping experience?
Here are a few things that can help keep customers happy in the face of tightening budgets and carrier capacity issues:
Provide Tracking and Visibility:
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.
Sustainable packaging and shipping:
47% of consumers participating in The 2019 IPC Cross-Border E-Commerce Shopper Survey said they want parcel packaging to be recyclable, and 28% said they prefer carbon-neutral delivery. Give them this by utilizing AI-powered cartonization to reduce packaging waste and an omnichannel shipping strategy to shorten delivery distances to their homes.
Personalization and special instructions:
Even when working from home, people want their parcels delivered how they want them. Therefore, eCommerce sites must have a place for customers to input special instructions. It is equally crucial that labels can be printed with these instructions so drivers know what they need to do to deliver the best customer experience, as it is the retailer that will be held accountable. Also, having a multi-carrier parcel management system that allows you to shop for services such as weekend delivery can help you deliver the customer’s desired experience.
While you won’t be able to satisfy every demand of every customer –especially if variables are outside of your control – by doing what you can to deliver a final-mile shipping experience better than the competition, you’ll gain an advantage and boost repeat and referral business.