Why the delivery promise is a promise you MUST keep
Consumer buying habits have changed dramatically in recent months with the impact of COVID-19, the e-commerce boom and the rise of the omnichannel.
Web shoppers in particular have become accustomed to the new e-commerce ‘norms’ – the immediacy of the offer and the immediacy of the delivery promise… They want to be able to choose their preferred delivery method and receive reliable and accurate information on the deadlines associated with their order.
Delivery Promise: The cornerstone of customer experience
The Delivery Promise is a key omnichannel solution in the web customer journey. The goal is to provide information in real-time regarding the delivery methods and times, but also according to the criteria that are important to your buyers: speed, costs, carbon footprint, etc.
Some e-commerce sites use a unified commerce model, where all orders are processed via a single warehouse. This simplifies and speeds up the process, and also reduces operational costs. But we can do even better.
With omnichannel stock management (thanks to an Order Management System – OMS) web order processing is based on the stock of the entire network. The Order Management System provides a real-time image of the stock that is available. This is the basis on which the retailer then builds its delivery promise. It is through this process that the brand guarantees the reliability of the information displayed to the customer.
Environmental issues: Delivery Promise and new consumer expectations
As well as the Delivery Promise and the promise of immediacy, sustainability issues are also taking on new importance. Consumers’ demands are now combined with a heightened ecological awareness. Customers want retailers to use technology wisely in order to make delivery more environmentally friendly. Here are some figures from the OneStock omnichannel survey* that highlight these behaviours:
- 58%* of shoppers say they are willing to wait longer for delivery if it is a greener option
- 44%* of consumers would be willing to pay more for a more eco-friendly delivery
The retail sector is fortunately already taking an interest in the environmental impact of deliveries. For example, in July 2021, major e-commerce and retail brands (Veepee, Maisons du Monde, Fnac Darty, Ebay, etc.) signed a commitment charter to reduce the environmental impact of online commerce.
As OneStock is aware of the need to increase conversion rates while meeting new consumer demands (speed, choice, cost, environmental issues), we have developed our own highly efficient Delivery Promise module.
