Are your ready for Same Day Delivery?
Parcels can be delivered in increasingly shorter terms. The fastest option is Same Day Delivery: ordered before lunchtime, delivered the same day. However, many entrepreneurs are still unsure whether they should offer this delivery option. The shipping costs are higher than with standard parcel delivery. And how do consumers actually experience this new option? And does it actually help to sell more products?
Unstoppable
Where in the past a consumer could easily wait a few days for an order, 24-hour delivery is now the basic rule rather than the exception. Fast delivery is on the rise that it's unstoppable.
A few years ago it was still difficult for small companies to make agreements with large carriers. Nowadays, thanks to parties such as SendCloud, you can quickly and easily get connected to a large carrier network, without having to run a lot of volume. In addition, prices are kept low by collective purchasing. Companies such as Red Je Pakketje are also responding to the growing demand for faster and easier shipping. Lunch time orders are delivered the same day.
Need something quick?
Consumers do not want to wait long for their order. Same Day Delivery is therefore useful for all those consumers who need something quickly and do not feel like or have the time to go to the city for that. At Schroeven-Online.nl, which has been offering Same Day Delivery since May this year, a customer wrote the following about this:
“I hadn't thought of ordering screws online. Now I found out that the quality is better than what they sell in the hardware store. I didn't have to go to a specialty store and it was delivered to my home in no time.”
Even if your website focuses on companies, offering this delivery option can be interesting. Many business orders are also placed on Schroeven-Online.nl. They too can help their clients even faster. An engineering company wrote this about it:
“Super fast delivery, same day, that is the service we need to make our clients even more satisfied. Thanks to companies such as schroeven-online, more people walk into the workplace with a smile.”
Competitive advantage
Despite the positive reactions, Same Day Delivery is only used sparsely in the Netherlands. Currently, only 15% of international retailers offer this shipping option. This is mainly due to the cost: Same Day Delivery is more expensive. And entrepreneurs do not know what the result it will achieve. Stefan Heijink, owner of a hardware store and three webshops selling screws online, was also skeptical about Same Day Delivery in the beginning:
“For shipping, I thought it was on the pricey side, because I would pay two euros more per shipment.”
Nevertheless, Heijink decided to give it a try.
“The competition didn't have it yet. Still not by the way. That is a huge advantage.”
More returning visitors
Schroeven-Online has been offering shipping options on the site since May 2018. Delivered tomorrow via PostNL or delivered today between 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM. No extra costs are charged for Red Je Pakketje. Schroeven-Online.nl has now sent more than 4,000 packages with Red Je Pakketje. The number of orders increased by 60% in the first three months. More than 40% of the visitors opted for Same Day Delivery.
But what was perhaps most striking: the number of returning visitors increased. The revenue from direct traffic (consumers who directly type in the URL of your website) also increased. So you can say that Same Day Delivery is an extra service to make consumers want to return to your webshop. If the first experience with Same Day Delivery is good, they will also order from you the next time.
Is your company ready?
Not every company will be ready for this way of shipping. But if you are, then you really have an advantage over other providers. Your business processes have to be adapted accordingly. The package packers are especially busy in the morning. Orders must be prepared before noon. It was not that bad for Scroeven-Online:
“We're starting a little earlier now. Other than that, not much has changed. If there are really many orders, we give a little extra. I have adjusted the layout of the packing table, so that we can pack faster now too.”
He also indicates that Red Je Pakketje is quite flexible as a carrier.
“I recently called at half past three in the afternoon to see if the address could still be changed. The package was already on its way, but it was still possible. This is no longer possible with PostNL. It would only be nice if they also offer Same Day Delivery for Belgium. Then the circle is complete for me.”
Are you in doubt about switching to the Same Day Delivery option, or do you want to know what we can do for you? Let's Talk!