In eCommerce, delivery exceptions are inevitable. However, timely shipping notifications can easily turn a delivery mishap into a customer success story.
When placing orders online, customers feel a tinge of excitement, and soon after they start getting impatient about the whereabouts of their order. It is because customers want to get the item quicker. Also, they keenly wait for order updates from the merchant.
If the seller fails to notify customers about their order status or shipping update, their thrill of online shopping will soon turn into anxiety.
What Exactly are Shipping Notification Emails?
Simply put, shipping notifications emails are about informing customers about each phase of their order fulfillment process.
Ecommerce stores or shipping carriers notify through emails and text messages to keep customers updated about their shipping status, a parcel’s current location, estimated delivery time, and more.
In the following example, BASIC PIECE sent a shipping notification informing the customer when her order was shipped.
A retailer shares the update after confirming the receipt of an order by sending an email.
An Example of Shipping Notification (Source: jilt.com)
If the order goes through the usual process, customers can track the package status through the tracking link that comes in emails.
Now, if any unexpected shipping delay happens during the transit, the retailer has to keep sending updates to the customer about the latest status of the package.
Such timely updates will keep customers assured that they will soon receive their order. Or else, they will be anxious and send repeated inquiries to customer care.
Sending timely shipping notifications makes sure that customers have a smooth after-checkout experience, which will encourage them to come back to your online store again.
Why is it important to personalize shipping notifications?
Sending on-time shipping notification emails is crucial for retail stores because it reflects their sincerity and makes customer retention easier. Here are reasons why sending personalized shipping notifications is important:
Customer Engagement
Sending timely emails to customers informing them about their order shipping status will help you keep them engaged.
Commonly customers often run into situations when they are left clueless after placing an order. Situations like these make them anxious and stressed, and they start regretting their purchase decision.
It will also pave the way for further customer engagement.
With ShippingChimp, you may automate the email notification system to share shipping notifications for higher customer engagement. It will also deepen customers’ trust in your brand.
Revenue
A report by Forbes states that about 80 percent of a company’s revenues come from 20 percent of its existing customers.
Shipping plays a major impact on its revenue. This is why you can make the most of your shipping notification system to influence your customer conversion in the future.
On the contrary, a negative buying experience can spoil the possibility of getting repeat business.
When making or overhauling your shipping method, make sure to send automated shipping updates whenever package deliveries get delayed.
Feedback on Social Media
If your vehicles encounter unexpected situations that may cause shipping delays, sending updates proactively via email and SMS will keep customers informed.
Also, keep your social media channels open for customers so that they reach out to your customer care via live chat. This will ensure an improved shopping experience for customers and develop brand loyalty.
When customers have a memorable shopping experience with your brand, they will be rooting for you on social media platforms, which will create more social proof in your company’s favor.
How to Personalize Shipping Notifications
Currently, in the eCommerce sphere, customers get benefits, such as omnichannel buying, access to a wide range of product/service information, and a 24/7 shopping experience. With these handy features, customers have higher expectations when it comes to shipping updates.
You can develop a better rapport with customers throughout their buying journey by sending website push notifications. These are messages that customers can click to get updates.
This type of communication works like mobile app push notifications. The only difference is they work on websites and customers can access them on their desktop, smartphone, tablet, and laptop. Also, personalizing these messages can make them more effective.
Out of all the devices, desktops still account for 42 percent of total browsing time. It means web push notifications (including email) can have an impact on online shoppers.
Here are the ways you can personalize your shipping notifications:
- Think beyond Thank You
Many eCommerce companies are now using an automated system to streamline their communication with customers. It is a notification system for providing updates on pending order fulfillment by an external shipping carrier or logistics partner.
From the point-of-view of customers, the below shipping notifications are crucial:
On its Way
“Your order is on its way” is a confirmation email to customers that their order has been dispatched and is ready for pickup by the carrier. Many retailers also add up that customers will receive another email when their order is shipped.
Order on its Way Email Example (Source: mailigen.com)
Just Shipped
“Your order has shipped!” It sounds like music to a customer’s ear. This is an important notification for customers, as they will feel assured that their order will soon reach them. Make sure to send a message soon after shipping the order and place the text at the top of the email.
Shipping Confirmation by JOYBIRD (Source: easyship.com)
In Transit
When the tracking system shows the “in-transit” status, it means a package got stuck during transit.
To clarify more, when a shipment is in transit, it indicates that the carrier collected the package and is moving to its destination. The order status keeps showing in transit until its delivery.
Often when the in-transit status happens, no new update reflects in the tracking system. It makes customers wonder about the whereabouts of their package. So, keeping them informed is important.
In-Transit Notification (Source: ninjavanph.zendesk.com)
- Educate shoppers on order-update emails
Throughout your customers’ buying journey, you need to educate them on the order status, whether the good or bad news. Even a small update can keep a shopper from staying on the edge.
If your shipping vehicle runs into a problem, causing a potential shipping delay, let customers know right away. Sending timely updates will reduce their anxiety and bring down the volume of customer inquiries.
Studies reveal that nearly 82 percent of shoppers consider order updates important. When sending emails and text messages on the latest shipping status, it is ideal to mention a new delivery time.
- Predict delivery issues such as delays and turn a delivery mishap into customer success
Shipping delays can pose a major challenge for online retailers. Nearly 6 percent to 12 percent of packages encounter delays, and it goes over 30 percent during the peak season like Christmas.
Despite giving your best effort to streamline your shipping process, delays will still happen. The secret lies in doing the damage control with the right response to protect your brand reputation. Here are some ways to turn your delivery mishaps into customer delight.
- Stay Connected with your Customers
The first step to deal with shipping delays is to stay connected with your customers and explain what has caused the delay. You can use emails or a social media platform like Facebook Messenger to update customers. However, making direct calls to them is a better option.
- Free shipping offer
Offering free shipping to your customers can help pacify them, even though they will not expect same-day or next-day delivery anymore. You can try your best to improve the shipping time and avoid any delays to have a competitive edge over other retailers.
- Easy Shipment tracking
A shipping process that allows your customers to track their orders in real-time can lower their frustration. By following the tracking number, customers can check the shipping status themselves.
- Discounted offers
Offering discount coupons or some gifts to your customers can neutralize their negative feelings about your brand. Although it will cost you some money, it is still way better than customers venting their frustration writing negative reviews on various online platforms.
Example:
Email to Customer Predicting Order Delay (Source: nngroup.com)
- Timely feedback request
Your shipping notification emails will not only help you get repeat purchases from existing customers, but they can also attract attention from other prospects. For this, you need to send a feedback request email to customers.
Positive customer reviews are effective as social proofs. Almost 63 percent of consumers will more likely buy from an online store if it has positive customer ratings and reviews.
Here are the things that you should mention in your feedback request:
- Explain what you need: Explain in your email that you need the customer to leave feedback and why it is important for you.
- Mention their order details: Buyers have short memories. So, make sure to add the product (s) they purchased along with images.
- Add Call-to-action (CTA) buttons: To make customers’ job easier to write product reviews, add call-to-action buttons, which should say something like “Write a Review.”
Example:
Feedback Request Email (Source: Easyship.com)
- Re-stock depending on average order frequency
Even if your business is growing fast, many customers might slip through the cracks.
Simply put, you are missing out on your revenues. It happens when your products are out-of-stock, and your customers are turning to your competitors.
To bring your customers back, re-stocking emails come in handy. These emails can help you recover some lost revenue by informing customers about re-stocking an in-demand product that is available for purchase.
Example:
Restocking Notification (Source: milled.com)
ShippingChimp is a post-purchase experience platform that facilitates brands to craft the entire after-checkout journey to grow repeat sales by 3X. ShippingChimp has natively integrated 50+ shipping carriers such as FedEx, UPS, DHL as well as eCom storefronts like Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce.