In one of our recent blog posts, we introduced the concept of ‘fulfillment experience’. We also discussed the main stages involved in the process as well as how working with a reliable dropshipping agent would help you deliver a more satisfying shopping experience to your customers. To further expand on the afore-mentioned article, we would provide a more detailed guide on what you, as a dropshipper, can do to enhance the fulfillment experience.
1. Offer multiple shipping options
As the logistics and supply chain industry is advancing forward, consumers expect faster shipping at a more affordable rate. Moreover, free shipping has become the standard in some sectors such as consumer electronics. However, this is not always a feasible option as free shipping may lower the profit level of your store.
In order to cope with the rising expectations, you should consider offering multiple shipping alternatives to your customers. In particular, buyers who do not need to get their hands on the items immediately can opt for free shipping with longer delivery time, while those who cannot wait to try out can pay for premium shipping. Additionally, you can also offer premium shipping for free to shoppers with orders worth a certain minimum amount. This would help to boost your average order value as well as decrease the cart abandonment rate.
2. Customise your packaging
Branded packaging has grown its popularity in recent years because it brings retail businesses various benefits. More specifically, it helps to deliver a more fulfilling unboxing experience to shoppers and boost brand awareness. It goes without saying that the more unique and aesthetically pleasing the packaging is, the more likely buyers will remember your brand next time they need to buy the types of goods you sell. Besides, many surveys suggest that shoppers are more likely to recommend brands with appealing packaging to their families and friends.
Thanks to the advancement in printing technology, you now can print intricate patterns and sophisticated illustrations on almost any packaging materials. Besides exterior packaging, you can also insert personalised thank-you notes in the parcels as a token of appreciation. Most importantly, you should discuss available alternatives with your suppliers and/or dropshipping agents. They would be able to provide you with the best advice about what works well for your business as they are constantly updated about the latest trends in the industry.
3. Maintain good communication with customers
Many dropshippers think that there is no need to follow up with your customers after they make the purchase. However, this is a deadly mistake because it signals to customers that you view the relationship as transactional. They would most likely treat you the same way and do not come back to your store.
Therefore, it is crucial that you keep your customers posted even after their orders are confirmed. For instance, you could send updates about shipping status and tracking numbers of their orders. You can also ask for their reviews and what you could do to improve their shopping experience on their future visits to your website. Besides, you are advised to check with them if they have any questions or concerns about the products.
4. Establish your expectations with your suppliers and/or dropshipping agent
When collaborating with other parties, it is important that all sides understand what the others want and expect. This would foster a trusting and long-lasting relationship. Therefore, before forming a partnership, you should have a serious conversation with your suppliers and agent. Moreover, since the dropshipping industry keeps evolving, and businesses need to constantly reinvent themselves to stay competitive in the marketplace, you should reinforce and/or reestablish your expectations with other parties from time to time. This is to ensure that they are up to your standards and help you maximise your growth potential. In particular, the two most important elements that you should discuss with your suppliers and agents are as follows.
Shipping rates and speeds: Disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the recent Suez Canal blockage incident by the Ever Given cargo ship happen in the logistics industry all the time. Since shipping could be a good differentiator among online businesses, revisiting this matter is necessary to keep your customers happy with the delivery aspect of your store.
Product quality and specifications: The rising standards of living and advancing technology has significantly raised customers’ expectation in the quality of goods they would like to receive. Therefore, offering the products with the same quality over a long period of time might do more harm than good to your business because it means you are lagging behind the competition. Moreover, you can also consider customising the hardware components of your products to attract more customers.
If you are looking for reliable dropshipping who can help you scale your business, contact us today! With 30+ years of experience in logistics industry and 5+ years in dropshipping sector, Xianchao can help you handle most back-end matters and solve your pain points, ranging from product & supplier sourcing to ecommerce order fulfillment, or branded packaging & private labelling to quality inspection & product certification. Please feel free to reach out to us if you need to know any details about partnering with us.
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