Page 3 - CBM11

~ Welcome ~

FOREWORD

DELIVERY IS THE It is needless to say that customers expect convenience in virtually
every aspect of their online shopping experiences—and this fact
NEW BLACK also extends to shipping.

It is not just us at DHL stating this. A recent survey found that
hear those five words 56% of consumers were disappointed with retailers due to difficul-
with increasing regular- ties associated with shipping. Other research has shown that 91%
I ity the more I speak to of consumers want to see information on the available shipping
e-commerce sellers from and delivery options before reaching the checkout. If you ‘hide’
all over the world or attend this information only in the footer of your website or if you only
e-commerce summits. At display shipping and delivery information during the checkout
a recent summit, I had the process, you may disappoint 91% of your customers.
pleasure of being introduced
to this great initiative called Successful online sellers know that their website is the 21st cen-
Cross-Border Magazine. tury equivalent of a shop window with the world looking in, and
that they can easily control what their customers will see through
Based on the fact that you are that window. For these sellers, presenting clear shipping and de-
reading this magazine, I assume livery information presents an enormous conversion opportunity.
you don’t have to be convinced To take advantage of this opportunity, sellers need to think ‘before
about cross-border opportunities and that real opportunities for the cart’ and find effective and creative ways to communicate their
growth can be harnessed by crossing geographical boundaries. shipping information the very moment a customer lands on their
store and on the first page the customer sees.
Furthermore, successful (online) entrepreneurs understand how
shipping and delivery options play a crucial role in a customer’s Our unique insights have driven innovative ways to support you as
decision-making process. Their customers often select one seller a seller in order to expand your business. One important element
over another solely based on the variety of delivery options offered we use to consult our customers is a Website Health Check, which
and the shipping information made available to the customer. Al- provides 10 simple steps to increase your e-commerce site’s ap-
low me to elaborate. peal to international customers. Tips include being clear on your
homepage that you ship internationally, and adding an express
The rise of e-commerce has unsurprisingly led to incredible growth delivery option, which we highly recommend. This one action
in global parcel shipments, with some estimates forecasting global typically results in a 70% increase in the amount that customers
parcel volumes to surpass the one hundred billion mark in 2020. spend — and a 20% increase in returning customers. Finally, lo-
calising your website is also paramount, without undermining the
As the world’s most international company and the world’s largest unique brand values that make you stand out from the crowd.
logistics company, we draw on the experience of all these orders
and on the knowledge we have gained from helping thousands of In today’s world, technology has driven a tremendous rise in
businesses of all shapes and sizes successfully access new markets. e-commerce. It is now incredibly easy to sell to customers in new
markets which, only a decade ago, would have been inaccessible
As the only point of human interaction between a seller and their to smaller companies. Remember that if these technologies are
customer, the delivery of an order plays a vital role in the creation combined with using shipping and delivery to your advantage, the
of a memorable customer experience. Furthermore, if the last mile world can be your oyster.
is done right, your new and existing customers will keep coming
back for more. Great shipping equals great conversions and, in other words, deliv-
ery is the new black. Let’s be fascinated by growth. ••
But even before those parcels reach a customer’s door, shipping and
delivery are essential at every stage of the customer’s journey. With this Leendert van Delft
in mind, our advice is always to offer clarity on this as early as possible. Global Vice-President Sales Programs and Digital Marketing at
Nobody likes (unwanted) surprises at the checkout or afterwards. DHL Express

3