Why Transparency is Vital for Ecommerce Success

As an ecommerce owner or logistics manager, your number one priority is ensuring your customers are happy.

You want them to have an incredible experience shopping on your store. That includes how easy it is to buy products on your website to the moment they open the parcel and start using the item.

One of the best ways to keep your customers happy is by demonstrating transparency. Research shows that 60% of buyers prefer certainty over the delivery date as opposed to the time it takes to receive a parcel. Knowing when their package arrives means they can plan ahead and avoid a “We Missed You” card.

So how do you show transparency? There are many ways to build trust with your customers so they return and buy from you again. Here are some simple tips you can put in place quickly and easily.

What it Means to Be Transparent

Transparency can mean different things to everyone. But, it should always be linked to being open and honest with your customer. That’s how you will build trust with them. You’ll also increase your chances of them returning to make more purchases.

Being transparent can mean demonstrating your authenticity on social media or how you display products. It might also be in your business practices and how sustainable your brand is. Transparency can also refer to how easy it is for a customer to find the information they need to know about where their parcel is.

The Benefits of Showing Transparency

One of the biggest benefits of demonstrating transparency is that it can create long-lasting relationships. It can include providing detailed and accurate product descriptions that answer all questions they have. It also means displaying all customer reviews, even if there is a negative one or two. You also want to make it easy for them during the delivery process.

The UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper, which was conducted across the APAC region, highlighted the importance of transparency for brands. It stated that one of the three factors that can impact a customer’s decision to buy a product is the visibility across the purchase journey. That includes the delivery experience.

How to Become a Transparent Ecommerce Business

You can be more transparent with your customers in multiple ways. By following these steps, you’ll be able to gain the trust of your shoppers. They will reward your honesty by regularly returning to make more purchases.

• Be honest on shipping costs: One of the most common reasons for cart abandonment is price shock at checkout. Once the delivery costs get added to the total, customers might decide to find a better deal. By implementing live shipping rates, you can increase the chances of buyers continuing with their purchase by providing honest pricing and certainty on delivery timeframes.
• Be clear on delivery times: Your customers will want to plan ahead, so they are available to receive their parcel. By providing estimated delivery times at checkout and throughout the post-purchase journey, buyers are more likely to continue to shop with you if you keep your promise.
• Highlight your sustainability practices: The Australia Post 2022 Inside Australian Online Shopping report shows that 3 in 4 Australians consider some element of sustainability when they shop online. Be upfront about your eco-friendly practices and display them in easy-to-find locations on your website.
• Create a shipping policy: A shipping policy is a vital document for every business. It highlights all of the essential information about how you get a parcel to a customer. It also keeps you accountable and demonstrates to shoppers you’re true to your word.
• Offer SMS and email notifications: Knowing where their parcel is should be effortless for customers. You can provide the option to buyers to opt for email and SMS notifications, so they’re kept in the loop of where in the delivery journey they’re at and if there are any delays.
• Provide self-service post-purchase options: If customers don’t want notifications, you can provide them with a website link with all the details about where their parcel is. Use the Branded Tracking portal to customise it to your brand style, and don’t forget to include an offer to entice them to shop with you again.

How Interparcel Can Help

With Shopify no longer sending SMS notifications and customers wanting more transparency from ecommerce brands, it’s up to you as the owner or logistics manager to implement solutions for buyers. Fortunately, Interparcel can help you build trust and loyalty with shoppers with our multicarrier shipping solution.

From implementing live shipping rates at checkout to reduce cart abandonment to providing customers with SMS and email notifications on their delivery, Interparcel has everything you need to show transparency. The best part is that all of these shipping tools are free to use. You don’t pay anything upfront or ongoing subscriptions. Find out more about Interparcel’s multicarrier shipping solution and how you can become more transparent with your customers.