Offering a Next Day delivery service for your eCommerce store can have an abundance of benefits ranging from improved customer experience to increasing web conversions. With the eCommerce industry growing exponentially, taking initiative and providing the most convenient services, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic, can help in taking advantage of these benefits. There has been a huge increase in online stores being established throughout the UK over the past 12 months which suggests that being ahead of the curve by offering premium products and supporting services such as next Day delivery is incredibly important to be one step ahead.
A 2021 report from Retail Economics and Natwest has discovered that, since the pandemic started, almost half (46%) of UK buyers have bought an item online that they would have usually bought in-store pre-lockdown.
Free Delivery vs Next Day Delivery
A customers ability to choose a delivery option is incredibly important for many reasons. From a business point of view, it’s not difficult to see how internet shopping has become a standard practice for most buyers. It has likewise brought about an interest for more premium delivery alternatives promising quicker delivery timescales. As important as having fast delivery is, the effectiveness of having FREE delivery shouldn’t be overlooked.
According to a report carried out by Oberlo, the straightforwardness and convenience factors of internet shopping dominates a purchasers’ rundown of top reasons to shop on the web, with around half of the reasons directly support this statement. The main reason for consumers shopping online according to this report is having the option of having free delivery!
Therefore, it is worth considering that maybe the question we should be asking, is ‘should I as an online store offer a variety of different delivery options?’ rather than simply comparing and choosing one of the two.
Now that we have identified that having free delivery is also extremely important, below you can find some beneficial reasons for having Next & Same Day delivery.
Reduces Cart abandonment
One of the biggest issues that many eCommerce stores find when selling their products online is customers not proceeding with their purchase once in the cart section. At the point when a client puts an item into their cart, there is regularly confusion that it is a done deal. Shockingly, that is a long way from the case. In fact, Statista announced in March 2020 that 88% of web-based shopping baskets were deserted (fun fact: the car and automotive business has the most noteworthy abandonment rate of 96.88%).
Having a next day or same-day delivery service can be a great way for a customer to be enticed to move forward with their order. If a customer can be reassured that their product can be within their grasp within 24hours it’s a sure way for them to be encouraged to take the next step.
On the off chance that you’ve at any point shopped online yourself, you’ll realize that now and again, you add something to your crate, see the potential delivery timescales and can’t be bothered to stand by that long. Or, on the other hand, you truly need something to come rapidly, so you simply go directly to Google and discover a contender who’ll give similar products with a faster turnaround. Assuming you’re not getting the conversion rates you need on your site, it could be on the grounds that individuals can’t be bothered to sit tight for an item to arrive.
Abandoned Carts in 2020
88%
Building a loyal consumer base
Offering an efficient service such as next/same-day delivery builds a better customer report which in turn encourages them to repeat their purchases, especially if it’s free. Sub-consciously, proving a reliable and great service on a first-order is essentially a test for a customer. Providing a premium customer experience from the get-go will always be left in a customer’s mind and will hopefully make you the first choice if they are ever looking for a product that is relatable to what they bought in the past.
Convenience
With convenience being arguably the most decisive factor to a customer choosing to shop online, next day delivery can be an extremely effective way of reducing abandoned carts. To find a convenient time within your client’s timetable, offering 24-hour delivery allows customers to shop if they have a tight schedule especially if they are unable to leave the house to purchase a specific product they need.
By offering 24-hour shipping you are guaranteeing clients can continue ahead with more important plans because they are not having to sit around waiting for their parcel to be delivered. Online customers need to feel in charge of their delivery experience so offering click and collect can also be a very effective way of having their items delivered.
Pricing
This isn’t so much an initial benefit but can become one with the right pricing strategy. In most cases selecting the option to have next/same-day delivery will bump up the price depending on the type of item you sell. We recommend that you take a look at what your competitors are charging for your specific product and offer a competitive delivery price.
One strategy you could consider is bumping your product price up ever so slightly so that you can lower your delivery charges. This means you can compete with your competitors delivery charges. Adding a few pounds to the item can have very little effect on the customer’s mindset especially if your product is in the double and triple digits. If you are able to keep within your financial margins it’s important you keep your delivery prices as low as possible and even in some cases making it free!
Offer a variety of delivery options
As we have already mentioned the question we should be asking is, ‘Should I offer a mix of different delivery options while offering a next day option?’. Each customer has a different mindset and is all in different situations. Some customers might be more inclined to spend less and arent concerned about the length of time it will take to have their product delivered while others might be vice versa. To reach a larger amount of individuals you should consider this however it doesn’t take away the importance of having next/same-day delivery as it will most likely become more and more used as the retail industry moves over to a digital platform over the future decades.