Physical stores have always offered a lot of opportunity to create an in-person experience to lure shoppers in, build brand recognition, and drive more sales.
Now, almost everyone shops online without ever needing to leave the house.
Online shopping is very convenient, so it’s no wonder that many shoppers prefer it. But how do you enhance the customer experience without a physical space?
In ecommerce, it’s all about establishing a strong post-purchase experience, from offering fast and affordable shipping to putting extra care in the unboxing experience.
The post-purchase experience relies heavily on the retail fulfillment process. Receiving a delivery is the first interaction that your customer has with your brand physically, so you want to leave them with a great first impression to help encourage a repeat purchase.
In this article, you will learn what the fulfillment experience entails and how you can optimize your supply chain to enhance the customer experience.
The fulfillment experience refers to the process of picking, packing, and shipping packages to customers to get orders delivered efficiently and accurately.
The customer experience relies on successful ecommerce fulfillment. Even though the customer doesn’t see this process in motion, supply chain efficiency impacts the customer’s unboxing experience and is tied to brand loyalty.
Below outlines the order fulfillment stages that influence a customer’s experience with your online brand.
When a customer clicks “buy,” the customer journey is not over. Though many online brands focus a lot of attention on the pre-purchasing experience, the post-purchase experience is what keeps customers hooked and coming back for more.
It starts with establishing a communication process with your customers, starting with order confirmation. Once a customer makes a purchase, it’s important to provide any updates on estimated fulfillment and shipping time as soon as possible.
There are several ways to communicate order confirmation with your customers, whether it’s through a simple transactional email or sending a text message.
Once you fulfill and ship orders, customers expect an update during the last-mile delivery stage. Ecommerce order tracking allows you to monitor all of your online orders and shipments and communicate the order status to your customers (e.g., estimated delivery dates). This plays a key role in the customer experience, letting buyers know what to expect for their delivery and be notified of any delays right away.
With the rise of on-demand logistics, it’s never been easier to optimize for a speedy delivery.
Major shipping carriers, including Purolator, FedEx and even last-mile providers, such as Atripco and Tytlgo, offer different levels of services based on your needs, from affordable ground shipping to expedited shipping via air. With that said, paying for premium shipping to meet customer expectations isn’t your only option.
Along with establishing strong carrier partnerships, a third-party logistics (3PL) provider operates multiple fulfillment centres in different regions and major cities across the country (not to mention they negotiate discounted shipping rates with carriers).
A 3PL’s distribution model allows merchants to allocate inventory in different locations based on where there is the most demand. Once you connect your online store to the 3PL’s software, orders are automatically routed to the nearest fulfillment centre.
A 3PL partner enables an ecommerce business to provide fast, efficient delivery for all customers, no matter where they live, at an affordable price that doesn’t cut into profit margins.
The unboxing experience
The unboxing experience is often the first real-life interaction customers have with your brand. An unboxing experience can help you stand out from your competitors. Getting creative with packaging is a great way to delight customers and enhance the fulfillment experience. Not only will customers be excited to shop from you again, but they are also more likely to share their experience with their friends.
For eco-friendly brands, there are several options for eco-friendly packaging. Pack Freshpartners with several custom packaging solutions, including noissue and Arka, which specialize in eco-friendly packaging. Along with standard packaging at no extra costs, Pack Fresh offers more control over your packaging along with SIOC packaging and poly mailers options that can support your brand’s unique needs.
Consider the following tips when creating an unboxing experience:
By focusing on the unboxing experience, you can create a memorable and positive experience for your customers. This can help you stand out from competitors and build brand loyalty. Don't be afraid to get creative with your packaging and think outside the box.
It's no secret that a great fulfillment experience can drive customer loyalty and boost sales. In fact, research shows that nearly 60% of customers won't return to an online brand after a bad experience. That's why it's important to invest in the infrastructure, technology, and support necessary to create a seamless and consistent fulfillment experience for your customers.
With Pack Fresh, you can take advantage of our growing network of fulfillment centre locations, real-time inventory reporting, and easy integration with your existing systems. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing personalized and proactive communication to help you create a scalable and reliable fulfillment experience.
Outsourcing your fulfillment to Pack Fresh allows you to focus your time and energy on other important aspects of your business, such as product development and customer service. We take care of the logistics so you can focus on growing your brand and satisfying your customers.
If you're ready to take your fulfillment experience to the next level, contact us today to learn more about our services and custom pricing options. We look forward to helping you create a memorable and efficient fulfillment experience for your customers.