It’s no secret that uncertainty chases more customers away from eCommerce shops than concrete facts, even if that means you have to admit to something they might find unpleasant, like a no returns policy. It’s better to know in the mindset of most online consumers.
A lack of information is the root cause of so much anxiety for shoppers, especially when they’re trying out a new eRetailer. How do you avoid inducing “shopper’s anxiety” without scaring away customers entirely?
Knowledge is Power, But Speed Doesn’t Hurt
When it comes to order fulfillment, potential customers can get really antsy waiting around for their products to show up. Sometimes they don’t even get that far before they begin to worry. Some of those abandoned shopping carts are due to a lack of shipping details, after all. You can sell more and reduce shopper’s anxiety if you do these three things:
- Provide shipping options. Although it’s really nice to have an order at your door within two hours, just having shipping options can help shoppers feel more in control of their order. After all, package thieves are all over and some shippers are better than others. Give your customers choices, from more expensive, expedited shipping to value or free shipping. This way they know they’ll be able to afford to get their items in a time frame they’re comfortable with.
- Reduce order processing time. One of the easiest ways to speed up package delivery is to get orders out the door faster. You can’t promise two-day deliveries, for example, if you spend three days processing the order.
You may need to implement a lean or agile supply chain model within your warehouse, or turn that part of your operation over to a 3rd party logistics company that has the manpower to do order fulfillment faster. - Give solid delivery schedules. Many of the biggest shippers have shipping options that include promised delivery dates and even time windows. You can upgrade your shipments to provide this information to your customers once they’ve placed their orders. In other cases, you may be able to determine the actual delivery date with the help of past data. Either way, your shoppers need to know when to expect their package.
Shopper’s anxiety is a real thing and it can hurt your sales if you let it take over the lead conversion process. Instead of getting stuck just prior to purchase, give your consumers more information and choice to put some power back into their hands. If that means being more transparent about shipping costs or speed, then so be it. They’ll appreciate your honesty and won’t feel as anxious about making a purchase.
