Anyone who has ever placed an order online knows that after the actual purchase part, the most important thing that comes next is the delivery. And now, when we have multiple options, from lockers where we can pick up the products over a longer period of time, or the classic home delivery, it is all the more important that the delivery steps are communicated on time and efficiently. Thus, the online seller ensures that the packages will be picked up or received in a timely manner, at the correct address, and the end consumer enjoys predictability and thus has a more pleasant experience.
So let’s talk about the key points that end consumers need to be notified of, and how you can do this.
Types of notifications
In general, depending on how your online store works, there are three broad types of notifications you can send:
- By email;
- Through the app – whether you have your own app or choose to sell online through a partner’s app;
- Through SMS.
Of course, all these notification methods have advantages and disadvantages. For example, email notifications can be a bit more complex and contain more information such as courier details, delivery time and so on. The disadvantage, in this case, is that not everyone constantly checks their email, especially when we are talking about their personal address.
In the case of app notifications, the main advantage is that they can be sent instantly and, for those with a smartphone, they are very easy to check. But they also have some downsides: depending on the settings each person has on their phone, it is possible that the notifications are blocked in a certain time interval or that they get lost among those sent by other applications.
As for SMS notifications, they have the same advantage as those sent via the app, plus the fact that they are stored in the phone’s memory for longer. In this case, the disadvantage is that these communications do not have a lot of information, because SMS is a small format.
Key times for sending notifications
From the perspective of end customers, the delivery process starts from the moment the purchase is completed. So while there are still a few steps for the seller to get to the actual delivery, it’s important to provide as much information as possible right now.
Thus, the key points for sending notifications are:
- Confirmation of the order: at this point, the end customer knows that the purchase made is confirmed by the seller and that it is to be sent to the indicated address or pick-up point;
- Order preparation: this is the point where the order is packed and ready for delivery;
- Placing the order with the courier: from this moment, the responsibility of the order passes from the seller to the courier, and the final customer can track its progress through the platforms offered by the courier services. Also, this is the time when the customer will expect an estimate, as accurate as possible, for the delivery date;
- Order in transit to the pick-up point or final address: from this point, the order is on the last leg of its journey and the customer is informed of the exact delivery date. Also, from this moment, the customer can contact the courier directly;
- Delivery of the order to the pick-up point: this step is only valid for orders delivered in lockers, in which case it is necessary that the information sent to the customer comes at the moment the package has arrived at its destination and contains information about the time period in which it can be raised.
Thus, with the help of timely notifications, not only the customer experience will be improved, but the entire shipping process may be streamlined!