Delivery is such an essential step in modern retail. With the increase in online shopping, customers have more expectations that they want to be met which can be challenging for businesses. This article will discuss the common challenges present for e-commerce delivery and how to resolve them.

Over the years, with the popularity of online shopping growing, there has been a more significant demand to offer customers with the best shopping experience at the most affordable price. eCommerce delivery refers to the delivery services that businesses use to sell their products over the internet. eCommerce delivery makes it easier for companies to sell their products to customers and at a rate that is manageable and affordable.

The delivery experience that customers receive will play a huge role in their perception of your brand. It will also influence your sales. Therefore, businesses must take all the necessary measures to ensure that their experience is always positive. However, many challenges occur with e-commerce delivery that can prevent the company from offering customers the best experience.

 

Below are some of the challenges involved in e-commerce delivery and some of the ways to resolve them.

 

1. High delivery costs

The high costs associated with deliveries can be the most significant challenge in the delivery process. The things that contribute to the high delivery costs are payroll, fuel, customer service and fuel. All these operational costs will eventually add up, and they will take away from your profit. The most significant problem about these delivery costs is that if your business does not find a way to keep these costs down, you will have to pass them down to your customers, which could push them away. Therefore, it is crucial to look for ways to keep these costs down constantly.

The solution to that problem is by embracing optimization. By optimizing your supply chains, you will increase efficiency and reduce the waste of resources. Businesses that choose to optimize their supply chains will experience a 15% reduction in costs than those that choose not to. The easiest way to optimize your supply chain is by using technology solutions that will enable you to optimize your routes and allow you to handle tasks automatically. By incorporating technology, you will determine which processes lead to waste and eliminate them to reduce costs.

 

2. Providing quicker deliveries

Part of a great delivery experience for customers is by having more convenience. When customers shop online, they are primarily looking to shop without leaving their homes while receiving their goods in the fastest time possible. It can, however, be difficult for businesses to fulfil orders in the quickest time possible. Therefore, companies must offer shorter delivery windows, such as next-day or same-day delivery.

The key to reducing delivery times is through streamlining processes. The way tasks are organized in the delivery process will determine the time it will take to deliver goods to customers. Therefore, to ensure that goods are delivered in the fastest time possible, it is necessary to simplify the supply chain. You can do this by ensuring that the business consolidates supply vendors to avoid stock shortages and use local suppliers to reduce the time it takes to receive more inventory. There should also be better planning regarding the operations related to deliveries. This will ensure that procedures are smoother and that the staff involved can better carry out these tasks as they know what is required.

 

3. Offering transparency during deliveries

Customers value businesses that offer a service that they know that they can always count on. Therefore to ensure that companies are always dependable, they should ensure that they provide better customer transparency. It is not enough to tell customers that you will deliver their orders on a particular day and time. There is always the possibility that unforeseeable circumstances and delays might occur during the process. In situations such as these, customers would expect businesses to be transparent about these delays.

The solution to this challenge is by offering customers the option to track their deliveries in real-time. There is e-commerce delivery management software that businesses can use to share the order’s current location with customers. Another solution that companies can implement is by allowing customers to choose their preferred delivery date and time. It will also enable you to avoid complications during deliveries while ensuring that you are transparent with customers.

 

4. Damage during deliveries

Transporting items safely during deliveries can be a considerable challenge. Customers often complain that they did not receive their products in the best condition or that they were damaged by the time that they received them. There is always the possibility that the products are damaged during the packaging process.

To reduce the chances of damaging products during deliveries, all items must be appropriately packed, especially those items that are fragile. Take measures to ensure that the packaging is rightly done before products are sent out for deliveries.

 

5. Processing return deliveries

Some unexpected issues could occur during the delivery process that you cannot control. These issues include orders being delivered at the wrong address or items being damaged or broken during the delivery process. Customers might also want to return the things that they ordered.

The way that you can correctly handle return deliveries to customers is through reverse logistics. Reverse logistics refers to the management of items that are returning to the store or warehouse. Reverse logistics requires you to have a team that will receive return orders, an inventory management system that enables you to find replacement items in the fastest time and a delivery management system that allows you to track and trace drivers involved in dispatching products in real-time. Reverse logistics ensures that your business can handle returns quickly.

 

6. Customer experience

The customer experience begins from the time that they start using the website until the point that their orders arrive at their door. Most customers will agree that the service quality that they receive will influence whether or not they make a repeat purchase.

For businesses to ensure that they achieve customer satisfaction, they should prioritize building and nurturing the relationships they have with customers. Some ways to do this is by allowing them to choose their delivery times and ensuring that the organization’s culture is focused on providing the best customer service. Every member of the company needs to know that customer satisfaction is a priority for the business.

 

 

 

 Learn about The Growth of eCommerce Delivery in South Africa.