What if you became a beast in ecommerce thanks to logistics?

When creating e-commerce, we think about the product, the crowdfunding campaign, and the packaging...but did you ever think that one of the best ways to stand out is your customers' delivery experience?

Logistics can be a real secret weapon to boost your sales! A quick checklist to get started: 

• Have you chosen the best tools for your e-commerce?
• Are you comfortable with the terms "SKU" and "barcode"? 
• Is your returns policy perfect? 
• Do you have a handle on tracking emails?
• Are you 200% sure that you have selected the best carriers? 

If you answered no to at least one of these questions, then this article is for you! We present to you our best articles to help you develop your business thanks to your logistics. 

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1. The use of barcodes and SKUs:

Products are the essence of e-commerce. They attract customers and keep the business going, but only if the inventory is well managed: to be able to determine the number of products of a reference, the stock-outs, the unsold products... 

One way to manage stocks efficiently is to identify products. But there are different methods that adapt to the development stage of your shop: the SKU and the barcode. The difference between the two is sometimes a little blurred, yet they do not have the same use for your e-commerce.

• The SKU is a means of identification within your company, but it is not understood by other actors of the e-commerce (supplier, warehouse, marketplace ...)
• The barcode, on the contrary, is a "universal language" understood by all (carriers, logistician, marketplace)

Why is it essential to use barcodes to develop your e-commerce?

• Marketplace: the creation of barcodes will allow you to sell on other platforms and reach other customers. This means that you will boost your sales.
• Logistics: barcodes allow you to track your products, update your stocks, reduce order errors, limit losses, etc...

The process of creating and managing barcodes may seem long and complicated, but in reality, it is quite simple. 

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2. Choosing your carriers:

Delivery options can drive your potential buyers to order from you rather than your competitors. 82% of online shoppers abandoned their shopping cart because they found the delivery options unsatisfactory. 

Having a wide choice of carriers ensures that you don't lose your potential customers and can go after those of others.

Why your potential customers care so much about their choice of carrier:

• It is the reflection of your e-commerce image. For example, if you refuse to offer express delivery to reduce the environmental impact of your orders.
• It is one of the links in the supply chain. If it is defective, the whole delivery experience is impacted. For example, if a package is lost, your customer will remember it and may order from your competitor.

There is a wide choice of carriers from Colissimo to Relais Colis to DPD. All of them meet the specific needs of each e-commerce.

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3. Work on your return policy:

Once the customer receives their order, we tend to think that's the end of the delivery experience. Well, we must not neglect the potential returns! 

Returns management is the underestimated step in logistics and yet can become your ally in acquisition and retention. 

39% of Internet users check return policies before placing an order. Your return policy has the power to convince your potential customers to validate their carts!

The primary goal of the return policy is to improve the customer experience, which will boost your e-commerce sales. A satisfied customer is a customer who reorders. 

You can improve your return policy on several levels:

• Make it as clear and precise as possible for your customers
• Create a page detailing all the steps involved in a return 
• Design a packaging that facilitates returns 

A good return experience will keep your customers and improve your brand image. It is possible to make your return policy the most profitable operation of your year 2021.

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4. Insurance for your packages:

Once your orders are prepared, they will be delivered to your customers by the carriers. Many external elements can hinder the journey of these packages. Thisis when the following questions arise: 

• What happens if my packages are lost or damaged?
• Do I need to take out Ad valorem insurance for my products?
• How does carrier compensation work?
• What are the carriers' refund conditions? What about ad valorem insurance?

The idea of wanting to take out additional insurance in case of loss or theft of packages is sometimes a common misconception. But in reality, it is occasionally more profitable to lose products than to insure them. It is essential to understand how carrier compensation works and the conditions of Ad Valorem insurance. 

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5. Tracking email:

Once your customers have ordered one of your products, they will be waiting impatiently for their package to arrive. If they don't hear from you or the carrier, they will try to find out where it is by contacting your customer service department with emails, calls, or even messages on your networks.  

The personalized follow-up email allows you to inform your customers of the status of their orders in real-time (being prepared, sent, being delivered) while using it as a marketing and sales tool.

Areal Swiss Army knife, the follow-up email is at the same time informative, reassuring, and commercial.

• Informative: it gives information on the status of your customer's order
• Reassuring: the presence of your brand image (logo, color, tone) will relieve your customer service of worried emails and improve the customer experience (which is synonymous with retention)
• Commercial: you can add products in these emails that complement your customer's order or new product lines to push customers to recommend you to others.

It is your ally in converting your customers. We give you all the keys to create the perfect follow-up email to boost your sales in our article. 

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6. Conclusions:

The primary goal of improving the delivery experience is to boost your e-commerce sales. The role of logistics is sometimes underestimated, and yet barcodes, carriers, insurance of your products, and tracking emails will make the difference with your customers compared to your competitors.

It's up to you!