(MENAFN- Media Mic) By Saswat Samal, Ecommerce expert, ClickPost
With the growth of e-commerce, many brands are opting to sell their products directly to consumers. The last few years have seen exponential growth in demand for D2C products from the Middle East region; this has also been met with an increase in supply offered by retailers such as Amazon and Noon, which has increased customer expectations. The e-commerce industry was slated for 17.75 USD sales in 2020, about 24.5 times more than the previous year. And with a high youth population of 28%, the Middle East provides a perfect opportunity for the D2C industry to flourish.
How Important is Logistics for the Success of D2C Brands?
You may have an excellent website and quality merchandise, but none of that is really going to translate into customer satisfaction or retention if you don’t ensure a hassle-free shipping experience for your customers. The D2C industry requires a different approach to logistics and distribution for things like shipping and fulfillment to work smoothly. This is where logistics softwares can be of assistance. They can help D2C brands navigate through distribution channels and customs requirements while providing high-quality customer service!
This article will explore the 5 best practices a D2C brand should adopt to succeed at delivering their products to customers.
5 Key Logistics Best Practices for D2C Brands in the Middle East
1)Choose Trustworthy Carriers with Clear SLA Terms
Choosing the right logistics company for delivery is probably one of, if not the most crucial part of ensuring a seamless shipping process. While choosing carriers, be sure to consider the locations they deliver to and how much it costs, and what kind of services like packaging, scheduled delivery, route optimization features are available with them!
2)Provide ETAs/EDDs on the Product Page
Today’s customers want to anticipate when they can expect their orders. Providing Estimated Delivery Dates at the product page or the checkout page can help them make better purchase decisions. This also helps brands build a reputation for themselves by delivering the orders on or before the expected delivery date.
3)Enable Real-Time Tracking Updates
Online shopping is heavily dependent on customers’ trust and loyalty. Therefore, D2C brands must try their best to maintain a transparent shipping process at all times. One of the best ways to do it is by providing full visibility on shipment location and sending order status notifications to customers.
4)Draw Up a Return/Refund/Exchange Policy
If not handled well, returns can quickly pile up and cut into profit margins. Therefore, as soon as you start sending out orders, plan your return/exchange policy. For example, how long will your return/exchange be? What kind of items will be applicable for return/exchange? How much will you charge for return shipping? Answering these questions will also help your customers get a hassle-free return experience.
5)Figure Out a Way to Contain Failed Deliveries
No matter the logistics company or software you choose, you are bound to face some failed deliveries. While partnering with logistics softwares can significantly bring down RTO%, D2C brands must have a plan of action for when a failed delivery occurs. Although a courier company will attempt 3 deliveries before marking an order as an RTO, the rate of fake delivery attempts is also high.
Figure out how your brand will take care of failed deliveries, inform customers, ascertain the cause of failed deliveries and work to bring down such occurrences.
Conclusion
D2C brands thrive on customer engagement because, unlike brands from e-commerce platforms, they get to establish a one-on-one rapport with their customers. Therefore, in such a special relationship, D2C brands must strive to offer their customers an even better shipping experience than its peers. Following these best practices will ensure that your customers are always with the product and the shipping experience.
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