Last Updated on September 1, 2023 by David
6 often neglected reasons to switch to quick deliveries today
This is a Guest Post by Isha Mandloi. Isha is the Content Creator at spocket.co. A friend of squirrels. Loves tacky stuff and new ideas.
A couple months ago, I decided to try purchasing a lapel pin from a China based dropshipper- the pin looked pretty fancy, and the shipping duration proclaimed was a fortnight. Fine, I reasoned. A fortnight was worth the wait.
Cut to two months later, I was still wrapped up in talks with the dropshipper, at my wit’s end. The lapel pin was still stuck somewhere, in limbo. I gave up hope at this point, and filed for a refund. A week after that- it finally arrived at my doorstep.
By that time, I was already over Game of Thrones.
The whole situation was accentuated with events that I would not want a customer of mine to experience: multiple follow-ups with customer support, failed expectations and eventual fall-out with the brand.
Fast-shipping is not an accessory to e-commerce anymore, it is a requirement. You could make it work with longer shipping durations, but it would require an intricate combination of 3 rare commodities: extremely patient customers, incredibly inexpensive but quality products to beat the competition, and unique products that customers can’t source from elsewhere, faster.
This unnecessary risk can easily be avoided by choosing products that make it in time.
The following article outlines the six major reasons why you need faster shipping to make it in the dropshipping market:
Instant Gratification is in, Prolonged Waits are out
Current times move with fast-paced trends, Twitter dramas and social media challenges: everything in this generation is quick. Society is defined by consumerism and people prize instant satisfaction– and with the evolution of society, the way e-commerce works has also undergone radical change.
It is no surprise that customers expect speed in their transactions online: whether it is support or shipping. If you manage to get shipping right, that’s 50% of your work sorted. Research has proven that customers expect delivery in a week, at maximum- in essence, when customers can just sit in their homes and order a product: they already feel a sense of ownership regarding the product. The longer their item takes to reach them, the higher the dissatisfaction.
Amazon sets the bar
Explaining this one is not a necessity: Prime consumers have grown by 49% over one single year, same day deliveries are raging with 51% online consumers in the age range 18–34 preferring same day deliveries and Prime Now Hubs for faster deliveries are located all over the country.
There is no denying that Amazon is the market leader for e-commerce, no arguments there. While small scale retailers will definitely find it difficult to offer the same delivery timeframes as Amazon, the giant sets the bar and consumer expectations.
Surviving in the same market as Amazon would entail shipping times below a week or two. Any longer than that, it is a bloodbath for your company.
Buying local is ever in fashion
The global market is a huge phenomenon now: every city in the world is linked to another. In this confusing and slightly overwhelming scenario, people are clinging to their regional and local identities. Knowing the product’s origin and the processes that went into manufacturing it have become important to consumers with rising ethical concerns. With local interests on the rise, you cannot afford to ship products to customers from abroad, where shipping times are high and the customer is unaware of the backstory of the product.
An e-commerce store that sources products from local vendors, creating jobs and boosting economy in the area: that is something to look out for.
Shipping from China is an outdated model
Dropshipping originated as a China-to-US shipping model, but there is growing concern about the quality of the products as well as the month long shipping times. Retailers online are now turning to alternate suppliers that have warehouses in their own country, or manufacture locally. Consumers are inching towards distrust as they find the same products on China based sites for cheaper, not to mention parcels occasionally never reaching the customer, and poor communication between the supplier and dropshipper- leading to a gap in customer service.
With Trump closing in on China with tariffs worth billions of dollars being imposed on Chinese goods, dropshipping from China is likely to see a fall. This means increased shipping times, multiplied rates of shipping.
In order to make purchases feasible for customers, dropshipping will need to shift a little closer to home.
Competition is closing in
With the internet, anyone, anywhere can start a store at minimal cost. The same products often end up on 15 different stores. The distinguisher for a buyer: Free speedy shipping. Every customer has multiple stores bidding on him- and you have to go an extra mile to convert him. Your store needs to one-up every other store in a unique, enchanting way- right from the top of the funnel to the bottom: this means improved advertisements and marketing strategies, great store design, amazing products, and finally faster, cheaper shipping. More than 55% abandoned carts are owed to shipping issues– an easily resolvable issue.
With domestic deliveries, you can make sure your shipping charges stay low, and delivery dates close. This advantage over your competitors will not only ensure customer retention, but the warm reviews will win you a bunch more customers!
Win customers that are around for a lifetime
Considering all factors, choosing products with faster shipping is a safer, smarter bet with dropshipping. Dropshipping is an interesting model to work with, cutting down on costs, lowering risks and reducing time: but if haggling with your customers is the outcome, it nullifies the benefits.
The time freed from dropshipping can instead be utilized building strong relationships with your customers and perfecting the customer experience. Re:amaze makes so many possibilities alive: seamless conversations with your customers through any platform make sure every customer is satisfied with your service, and you can proactively improve your services using Cues and Peek. One can never overstate the value of customer interaction in a company: such flawless collaboration with customers is equal to awesome brand with loyal customers!
But this is possible only if the product shipping process is streamlined with reliable suppliers such as those found on apps like Spocket- which allows easy product sourcing with timely quick deliveries.
For example, Spocket partners with local suppliers in the US and EU, guaranteeing your customers do not end up waiting months for their orders- and you spend your time on marketing and creating a consumer base that raves about your store to everyone they meet.
Conclusion
As 2019 draws close and the statistics from 2018 are tallied up, a greater and greater number of consumers show proclivity for quicker shipping, even if it costs them an extra buck. E-commerce is constantly on the move, but one thing is certain. To stand true and firm on the success line, merchants have to move with it. One single customer review can jeopardize your brand, troubled by long waits and inefficient support. Make sure you’re ready to tackle both issues head on- prevent before cures are required. Switch to faster and reliable suppliers now.
Time waits for no one, why are you?
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