4 Reasons Why You Should Implement Delivery Transparency (SHQ)

Picture this — a customer goes to your website and wants to buy a product. Simple enough, right?

Then they get to your checkout page and you hit them with that vague “delivery in 5-7 days” shipping option. Well, what does that mean exactly? Will they get it in 5 days? Will it be packed and shipped and then that 5-7 day window begins? When does the clock start ticking?!

The buyer is not a fan of this spiraling thought process and decides they’d rather know exactly when their delivery will arrive. So, they go elsewhere to shop. Bummer.

You probably know already that a smooth eCommerce checkout is essential for converting more cart abandoners, creating upsell options for greater revenue, and retaining buyers for repeat business. However, imagine adding a checkout feature that shows the exact delivery date and time for a purchase. What a game changer!

The benefits of using delivery date logic as part of your checkout process go far beyond simply showing a customer when their package will arrive (though, don’t get us wrong —that is huge on its own). The perks end up impacting everyone from the consumer to your internal teams. Let’s dig into a few of these benefits, shall we?

It’s not hard science — people straight up love options. In fact, 45% of customers abandon their carts due to unsatisfactory delivery options.

With a delivery date selection feature, your customers will not only have better choices available, but will also be able to view them as part of their checkout experience. What does this mean? Converting those previously abandoned carts (come back!) into actual customers (welcome!).

Assurance in delivery dates also means there is more of a chance for repeat customers. A 2020 study showed that 56% of consumers shopped with a new retailer because they could not get timely delivery from their regular retailer. Oof, that hurts a little in the loyalty-gut, doesn’t it?

If you want to convert and keep the customer, they need to be sure they can rely on your consistent delivery options and timing.

Not only are customers more likely to complete their purchase when delivery date and time options are available, but 44% of customers are willing to pay more on an order if it shows the delivery dates.

An eCommerce checkout that provides easy and transparent choices for the consumer can also be an additional opportunity to encourage premium shipping options. Your customer gets even more control over their purchase, plus you get an extra boost with your sale!

It’s all about those “treat yo self” vibes, but also make it worth their while with smart options.

If you have a CS department that is overwhelmed with requests for delivery updates, then you know firsthand how much this can burn out a team.

With an order promise date as part of the checkout process, customers will get clear visibility into delivery dates and times before they even purchase the product. This means that your CS team won’t be inundated with package inquiries — the customer has all the information already.

Not only is this feature proactively supporting your internal teams, but it also makes your customer’s lives much easier as well. Once a buyer places their order, they can sit back and relax knowing that you are on the (shipping) case!

Buyers have grown accustomed to an Amazon-style eCommerce checkout experience, meaning people prefer to know when their order will arrive. Are we sensing a theme here?

If checkouts don’t have these delivery dates and times available, then customers will typically seek out another site that does show these details. And just like that, they close their wallets to your sale.

Implementing delivery date logic within your own checkout gives you big league retail resources that you need to bring those buyers to your website directly.

Now your checkout can also offer the same convenience as an Amazon checkout, but with that one-on-one buyer + merchant experience. Not to mention, you avoid the third-party seller fees that end up taking away from your total profit.

Showing delivery dates and times matters to your customers, so let’s get your checkout looking fresh and clean for all those new carts you’re about to convert.

With ShipperHQ, we calculate and show your customers all the relevant delivery options available for their purchase. Not to mention, you can set up tailored lead and cutoff times along with blackout dates that will show customers an accurate delivery date at checkout. You can even opt for calendar delivery, which allows customers to specifically select a delivery day, or include time-slot delivery for an even more curated experience.

Here is what a regular checkout flow looks like versus the ShipperHQ experience:

If your business model is particularly reliant on exact delivery dates, like online wedding retail (you do NOT want a bridal gown being delivered late) or frozen food, then you definitely understand the importance of customer trust in your promised delivery times. Take, for example, the importance of accurate delivery dates for Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream:

In addition to saving customers from melty ice cream disasters, Jeni’s also ended up saving 131 hours per year when they implemented ShipperHQ’s delivery date logic within their eCommerce checkout system.

Satisfied customers, smarter shipping strategies, and more profit for your business — talk about a win-win-win! So, what are you waiting for? Save yourself time and money and leave those cart abandonment woes behind with delivery date logic.