Customers switch retailers as a result of poor online shopping experiences
Shopping online is, for many of us, a very convenient solution. At the click of a button we can access a broad range of products and make purchases without leaving the house.
It might not surprise you to hear that 49% of UK adults did at least half of their Christmas shopping online last year: more and more people are avoiding stores during peak seasons.*
With the growing popularity of online shopping our expectations as customers are also increasing. We expect products to be in stock and want fast deliveries.
Online retailers must be able to offer a positive customer experience as mistakes can result in lost customers and undermined reputation.
A recent survey by YouGov has revealed that 19% of online customers bought from alternative retailers last Christmas due to stock not being available and delivery time constraints. 78% of them said they were likely to switch to an alternative seller as a result of a poor online shopping experience.*
Packaging is key in protecting your products and is also responsible for the very first “live” impression of your brand.
Show customers you care about their shopping experience by following a few tips below.
Ensure your parcel arrives intact
Packages that arrive crumpled or damaged can result in dissatisfied customers and increased costs for your business. Make sure you always use packaging that is suitable for its purpose and avoid using excess materials. Overflowing packages will not look aesthetically pleasing neither will they provide adequate product protection as they can simply burst in transit!
Make returns easy for customers
Buying products online can be tricky at times. Customers do not actually see products until they arrive and may want to return items that are the wrong colour or size. UK customers send back almost a quarter of their online clothes purchases according to a recent report by EY**. Save your customers time and money by providing packaging that can be easily reused to send items back.
Deliver a memorable brand experience
Consider adding a personalised message or a company logo inside or outside of your package to create a pleasant brand experience for the customer when opening. Ensuring your parcels are easy to open and easy to dispose will also delight your customers and encourage them to choose your brand again as well as recommend it to others.
Macfarlane Packaging can help you find the right packaging solutions for your products. Contact us today: https://macfarlanepackaging.com/contact/
References:
*JDA & Centiro Christmas Customer Pulse Report 2017: Voice of the online customer http://now.jda.com/rs/366-TWM-779/images/JDA_and_Centiro_Christmas_Customer_Pulse_Report_2017_UK.pdf
**U.K. consumers return near a quarter of their online clothing purchases: http://e-commercefacts.com/news/europe/6211-u-k-consumers-return-near-a-quarter-of-their-online-clothing-purchases
