Why Delivery Transparency Is Essential

We all know how frustrating abandoned carts can be for your business. A customer gets so far into making a purchase only to divert and change their mind at the last minute. 

What was it? Was it a lack of payment options? Expensive postage costs? Or maybe a lengthy checkout process? These are the culprits most brands will suspect when a cart is abandoned. However, there’s one element that can really interfere with a customer’s purchasing journey and is often overlooked by online merchants.

Lack of delivery transparency.

A shopper heads to the checkout only to discover a vague delivery window is given, with no other shipping options. When a brand states an item will be delivered in 4-5 days, does that mean 4-5 days from the date ordered? Or from shipping? And when will that be?

This lack of transparency causes confusion and uncertainty, particularly at this time of year when many are buying their Christmas gifts online and are anxious to receive them in time. This is when a customer abandons the cart and heads to their trusty ‘Next Day Delivery’ marketplace, Amazon, because at least then they know where they stand. 

A smooth checkout process is essential for converting more site visitors into shoppers, and that includes making sure all your delivery information is clear, precise and visible. 

Steps to Total Delivery Transparency

• Provide multiple delivery date options so your customers can choose the option that suits them best.
• Be clear with the process. When is the item likely to be shipped? How many days after that will it be delivered? Better yet, provide actual delivery dates for your items.
• Tracking information is an important way to keep your customers up to date with the whole delivery process. It also builds trust and reliability in your brand.

Assurance with your delivery process means your customers are likely to keep coming back. They can count on you to deliver, literally, and that can go a long way for customer retention. 

A lack of delivery transparency can be the difference between a sale and an abandoned cart. If customers are seeking to receive an item by a certain date and that information is displayed at checkout, they will seek out another online store that does.

Our partner ShipperHQ can implement data logic within your checkout. This means that delivery information is calculated on a customer by customer basis and shows them all the relevant delivery options available to them. You can provide more accurate delivery dates and even allow your customers to select a delivery day or time slot that suits them. This exemplifies the customer shopping experience, ensuring you’ll have less abandoned carts and more profit.

If you’d like to talk about an integration with ShipperHQ, one of our ecommerce experts can help. Contact us today!