How to deliver on your customers’ delivery expectations this holiday season

Here’s how to create an effective strategy that meets shipping expectations, and delivers on customer satisfaction – without breaking the bank.

1. Communicate delivery times clearly

Despite retailers’ best efforts, there’s always the possibility that shipping delays will occur, especially during major shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November, and Christmas sales in December.

To mitigate disappointment, it’s essential to communicate with customers about delays as soon as possible.

“One thing we know is that consumers don’t like a surprise,” says Brian Walker, CEO and founder of The Retail Group. “A lack of transparency and customers being caught by surprise can be pretty injurious to trust.”

To ensure communication channels are open, Walker says retailers should publish all shipping information – including approximate delivery times, prices and pre-Christmas purchase cutoff dates – online and let customers know about possible delays before they purchase.

And don’t forget to publish your return policy. Shoppers will want to know whether you accept returns or offer refunds, and whether they have to pay to return items.

2. Provide a range of delivery costs

Where possible, multiple shipping options should be provided. Don’t assume that all customers want the cheapest delivery option; some may be willing to pay a premium for speedy shipping (especially if they’re running late with their holiday shopping).

“Increasingly, we’re seeing retailers offering a choice of free, standard delivery or paid express delivery. The majority of customers will still choose the cheaper option, but having that optionality is becoming more important,” Walker says, reiterating, “it adds up to knowing your customer and providing them with the choices that are relevant to them”.

3. Offer super-speedy delivery

The concept of ‘fast delivery’ has been redefined in recent years, as more retailers, not to mention on-demand grocery delivery startups, seek to differentiate themselves with ever faster delivery times.

Today, many retailers are offering two-day, same-day or same-evening delivery times in addition to standard shipping options. Consider how quickly you can deliver shipments to customers – and remember that you can always offer same-day or next-day delivery to customers who live within a specified distance from your shop or warehouse.

If you do decide to offer super-fast shipping, ensure that your fulfillment, inventory and tracking processes are seamless and that your site and staff can handle large volumes of orders.

4. Offer pick-up services

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, when online shopping rates soared, consumer expectation has evolved; today, many buyers expect options like curbside pick-up, where stores will bring products out to customers' cars so they don't need to go into stores.

Studies have also shown that nearly 90 percent of customers expect to use curbside pick-up in the future, and that customers who enjoyed a positive experience with this option are more likely to ship with that brand again.

5. Keep communicating, post-purchase

Today, customers expect to know exactly where their package is as soon as they have pressed ‘purchase’. To offer customers reassurance – and a sense of control – consider providing real-time shipment tracking, text notifications (that alert customers when packages have been dispatched or delivered) and email updates upon delivery.

When clothing retailer Cue partnered with Shippit, which offers real-time delivery updates to customers, the clothing brand saw a 70 percent increase in sales conversions and an overall increase in sales of 130 percent.

“The more information and the more options a consumer has, the more confidence they will have in making a purchase because they know what to expect – and that all comes back to communication,” Chester says.

Real-time delivery notifications can also be personalized so that they become part of the post-purchase customer experience.