Around 28 billion packages are sent by retailers every year in the UK; with Mother’s Day approaching this Sunday, retailers would have seen a massive influx in purchases. As convenient as online shopping may be, misled or stolen parcels have created a financial void, with lost packages costing around £270 million.

Addison Lee have put together 3 ways retailers can provide a better delivery service to customers, with over 40% of one star reviews related to delivery, creating a smooth customer delivery experience proves to be essential, particularly with Mother’s day coming up.

Three Ways Retailers Can Provide A Better Delivery Experience

UK SME’s admit one of their biggest problems is finding reliable couriers in the UK within budget. While there are several reasons why delivery might not go as expected, a missing parcel can damage the reputation of a small business and lead to loss of revenue over time. To counteract this, SME buyers must find the right balance between cost-of-service vs potential loss of items.

1. Respond Quickly

More than a quarter of shoppers cite slow response time as a considerable problem for orders and tracking. Select suppliers who can respond to queries in a live environment and have teams who work around the clock.

2. Set Clear Expectations

Although same-day courier is an attractive offering, more shoppers care about cost above all else, with free delivery important to 71% of online shoppers. Same-day deliveries are most appealing to modern-day shoppers, and all businesses should have same-day and free delivery options to compete in a busy ecommerce market.

3. Partner With A Reputable Courier Service

What to bear in mind when looking for a new courier:

• Range of products and services – Do they offer timed delivery, same-day, next-day, and international services? Do they use bicycles, motorcycles, vans or cars?
• Proof of delivery and courier insurance – Ensure the items you send reach their destination safely to build peace of mind and trust with your audience. Choose a courier that provides proof of delivery and insurance.
• Customer service – More often than not, a customer will equate an excellent or lousy shipping experience with your business, not the courier. And while you can’t always control what happens to packages when they leave your business, you can ensure the courier you choose offers stellar customer service and has a proven track record.

Almost 40% of all one-star reviews are related to issues with delivery:

1. Over 48% of shoppers admit that orders not arriving is the biggest driver for a bad review.
2. Late delivery and parcels left in unspecified places are a close second.

Research revealed that a quarter of the 900,000 complaints received last year were delivery related, with almost 70,000 around delivery couriers specifically.

The Most Popular Online Purchases

Despite coming out on top as the most popular online purchases, both fashion and food are the most complained about sectors.

“Last mile ecommerce delivery is the safest way to deliver online purchases. Deliveries travelling on dedicated vehicles, handled by one person and delivered to the desired location in a very short space of time. The cost of alternative delivery options and the risk of loss and damage should always be taken into consideration when exploring the cost of last-mile ecommerce delivery” Keith Doe, Head of Courier Services at Addison Lee

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