Not all heroes wear capes. Some just help their company save money and time when shipping while meeting customer demands for same-day delivery. Incorporating same-day delivery into your omnichannel shipping strategy can be complicated. Get it wrong, and you are the customer service “Riddler.” But getting it right will make you the hero.
Increased delivery speed, as well as white glove and specialized services, are ways that your heroism can give customers more choice and a better experience with your brand. B2C shippers can get a wedding dress to the chapel on time. B2B shippers can get a mission-critical part delivered before excessive downtime.
According to “The Future of Retail 2019,” a study published by Walker Sands, a full-service B2B marketing agency, 39 percent of consumers say same-day shipping would make them more likely to shop online, and 20 percent are looking for two-hour (or less) shipping. Doing it right takes an understanding of how to manage the ins-and-outs of same-day delivery as part of an omnichannel shipping strategy. Doing it wrong, on the other hand, can lead to lost revenues, time, and customers.
*UPDATE--That hasn't changed much during the COVID-19 pandemic. And it isn't expected to following it. Retailers are listening as several of the largest have recently focused on their same-day delivery and shipping logistics.
Target Corp. recently announced it will invest $4 billion annually over the next several years to build out its supply chain, and open more stores and upgrade existing ones as the retailer hopes to shore up gains made during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Walmart is also focusing on its logistics, particularly its same-day delivery business.
Walmart has rapidly evolved its last-mile operations during the pandemic. After piloting its Express delivery service consisting of more than 1600 grocery, consumables, and general merchandise items for less than a year, the retail behemoth announced that it would drop the $35 order minimum for two-hour delivery to customers doorsteps. It does still charge shoppers a $10 fee for the service.
Of course, not every retail store or eCommerce site can afford to use same-day delivery as a marketing tool or loss-leader. That's why we wanted to share again three of the “powers” needed when it comes to being a same-day superhero:
1. X-Ray vision
OK, that may be a bit extreme, but the ability to accurately track and report costs with clear visibility is vital to optimizing customer service. Large enterprises, especially public companies subject to Sarbanes Oxley, are accountable for tracking and reporting on local, same-day messenger services and courier expenditures across hundreds of office environments.
2. Be faster than a speeding bullet
Most customers will abandon their shopping cart based on shipping costs and delivery choices. In fact, according to a BigCommerce survey, 77 percent of global respondents said they had abandoned an online purchase based on shipping policies. Same-day delivery is increasingly becoming the retail norm. Customers will move quickly to the next seller on Google search if it is not a delivery option.
3. Super strength to lift heavier loads
Freight used to be about line haul, hub-and-spoke supply chain distribution. Not anymore. Local freight carriers are getting in on the last-mile delivery act, offering over-the-threshold, white-glove services (“last inch”). Consumers are more comfortable than ever ordering furniture, appliances, and other large, bulky items online. So, as omnichannel shipping shifts to a more consumer-focused model, being able to incorporate a same-day strategy, regardless of the size and weight of the item, is essential for success.
As same-day shipping becomes a pillar of the omnichannel shipping strategy of today’s B2B or B2C retail world, having the right tools in your utility belt can help you become a shipping superhero. Watch this on-demand ConnectShip REACH webinar, “Same-Day Saves the Day,” featuring Pierbridge Managing Director Bob Malley, Jim Clifford, Business Development Senior Manager for ConnectShip, and Lance Healy, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer for Banyan Technology, as they talk about how same-day delivery can save your day.