Podcast Recap: How Shipping Plays Into Your Ecommerce Strategy
How you ship a customer’s package could ultimately determine if that customer makes a repeat purchase. While shipping is often referred to as the last moment of truth, it should start from the moment the shopper lands on the product page. While visiting the Blue Acorn office, Casey and I chatted with Karen Baker, Founder and CEO of ShipperHQ. In this episode, Karen shares her shipping expertise and provides insight on best practices, the biggest shipping myths, and what customers expect.
Where you can listen:
Not into podcasts? Here’s a recap:
How does shipping impact the customer experience?
- It’s an extension of the online experience: “Shipping is the first physical contact with a customer, so it’s important that you nail that. If this interaction isn’t positive, you’re going to lose a customer and likely get a negative review,” says Karen.
What’s the cost of upgrading the shipping experience?
- There’s a lot that can be done without a major investment: Research is key—you need to understand things like when and where to offer free shipping, when to surcharge for shipping, and the best time to promote shipping incentives. Research won’t require a large investment, but costs will start growing once you consider things like adding a second warehouse for two-day shipping.
How can brands and retailers use shipping as an initial hook?
- Offer free shipping: “Free shipping is the single biggest incentive for people coming to the site,” says Karen. With ShipperHQ, merchants can set rules so only certain shoppers get free shipping (for example, they have to spend X dollar amount).
How does shipping vary across verticals?
- It all depends on the product: Ice cream, for example, needs to be put into a package with dry ice. Chocolate packaging will vary by the time of year due to the temperature changes. Many companies think big items, like gym equipment, cannot be shipped. But today, almost anything can be packaged and delivered (including live sharks!).