As ordered: How to optimise your shipping management

The boom caused by the corona pandemic is over and after very successful years with extraordinary growth, the growth rates in online trade are currently stagnating. That is why it is now especially important to offer the best service - among other things in order processing.

The impact of the war in Ukraine, the ongoing energy, inflation and supply chain crises are all putting pressure on this year's growth curve - now it's time to keep customers coming back with the best possible shopping experience. A key factor in customer satisfaction is timely, complete and error-free delivery to the doorstep. But when it comes to shipping products, online retailers face several challenges:

• Logistics & storage: organising an efficient storage system and managing inventory is crucial. This includes storage, inventory control, order assembly and packaging of products.
• Shipping costs: Calculating and managing shipping costs can be a real challenge: online retailers need to ensure that their shipping charges are fair and competitive in order not to lose out on shipping.
• Delivery times & reliability: Customers today have high expectations of delivery times. Delays or unreliable deliveries can quickly lead to dissatisfied customers.
• Packaging: Choosing the right packaging materials and methods is important to ensure that products reach the customer safely and intact. At the same time, sustainable packaging is in demand these days. Both factors can have an impact on the amount of shipping costs.
• Choice of shipping service provider: Online retailers need to choose the best partners to optimise costs and ensure reliable delivery at all times.
• Returns management: Even if free returns are no longer considered the gold standard, making it as easy as possible to return products is an important criterion for successful online retailing. Online retailers must develop effective processes for returns management in order to satisfy their customers and ensure long-term profitability.
• International shipping: If an online shop offers international shipping, it has to deal with additional challenges such as customs clearance, import regulations and shipping costs.
• Customer communication and service: Shoppers want to be kept up to date and accurately informed. Providing real-time tracking information and support during the shipping process is therefore important to gain and maintain customer trust.
• Packaging & Environment: The sustainability of the shipping process has become an additional requirement in recent years. Online retailers must offer environmentally friendly packaging options and, at best, climate-neutral shipping to fulfil their environmental responsibility.
• Security & theft prevention: The security of products during transport and the prevention of theft must be guaranteed to minimise losses and customer frustration.
• Legal requirements: Online retailers must ensure that they comply with all relevant legal requirements and customs regulations, especially when shipping internationally. After all, if a product is held up at customs due to failures on the part of the online shop, this will have a negative impact on buyer satisfaction.
• Cost efficiency: Optimising shipping processes to keep costs low while not compromising service quality is a constant challenge for online retailers. Here, it is important to regularly review one's own processes and existing partnerships.

You can successfully meet these challenges as an online retailer if you have implemented careful planning processes and efficient logistics - and use the right technology. After all, the right tool can make the processes involved in shipping goods much easier. But what does a software solution do to offer retailers and customers the best possible shipping process that ensures high customer satisfaction?

Our tip: Technology-supported shipping and returns processes

Blackbit has tested various technologies and tools in recent years. In practice, Sendcloud in particular has stood out as a provider, which we have already successfully implemented several times and are happy to recommend. And for good reason, because the software solution offers the following functions for online merchants:inside:

• Shipping options in the check-out
  With Sendcloud you can offer your customers a wide range of delivery options in the check-out. With more than 100 logistics providers, which in turn support different shipping methods, buyers enjoy a huge choice of shipping options. Additional choices, such as same-day delivery, further enhance customer satisfaction.
• Standardised shipping
  Create a scalable and error-free shipping workflow with Sendcloud. Thanks to an automated shipping process, orders are ready for dispatch within a short time, e.g. with the help of useful features such as printing shipping labels directly from your own dashboard.
• Optimised returns management
  A stress-free returns process is as satisfying for your customers as it is for you. Manage returns from all your sales channels via a central returns management software and let your customers process returns via your returns portal in your corporate design - including the user-friendly provision of print-ready returns labels.
• Sendcloud shipping protection
  Orders processed via Sendcloud are protected against damage, loss and theft during shipping and return - including a quick and easy claims process.
• Sendcloud Tracking
  Tight communication between check-out and delivery ensures an excellent order and delivery experience that promotes customer satisfaction and loyalty - even for international shipments.
• Pack & Go
  Sendcloud's packing solution enables faster order processing and increases your shipping capacity. Error-free picking, either by click or scan, reduces returns and follow-up costs and increases customer satisfaction.
• Multi-carrier shipping API
  With the Sendcloud shipping API, you can easily add the full range of shipping functions to any shop, WMS, ERP or marketplace without having to consider the requirements of individual parcel services.
• Individual shipping conditions & exclusive contracts
  You have individual agreements with shipping providers? No problem: You can activate your existing contracts and thus have the option of using the conditions you have negotiated directly with the providers. For providers with whom you have no contracts, use the Sendcloud conditions.

Would you like to integrate Sendcloud?

If you would like to learn more about the possibilities that integrating Sendcloud into your company opens up, please contact us. We will advise you individually and work with you to find out whether Sendcloud is also the right solution for your requirements.