When it comes to e-commerce logistics, making wise choices about your carriers and delivery methods is a key part of your strategy. Today’s customers expect fast, on-time, and intact deliveries, and meeting these expectations hinges on picking reliable carriers and suitable delivery options for both your brand and your customers.
How to pick the right carrier ?
Selecting a service provider is a pivotal step in launching your e-commerce venture. It’s important to align with your customers’ needs, considering factors like delivery speed, cutoff times, whether they prefer delivery to any pickup point, and environmental concerns. To address these customer needs, the carrier you choose must meet several criteria.
Ensuring carrier reliability
Reliability is paramount, especially for customer satisfaction. Meeting delivery expectations is essential because even one slip-up can lead customers to other brands. Reliability is not just about timely deliveries; it’s also about planning efficient routes and maintaining overall logistics excellence.
Coverage area for delivery
The geographical reach of your carrier matters for future partnerships. The ability to deliver to specific cities, both domestically and internationally, can be crucial for your brand’s success.
Carrier flexibility
Your chosen carrier should also be flexible. Some brands may prefer exclusive delivery to specific pickup points to maintain their brand image. The ability to adapt to unforseen circumstances is a valuable advantage for brands looking to manage their flow effectively.
Available delivery options
Diversity in the delivery methods your carrier offers is crucial. If these options don’t align with your brand’s vision, operations, or customer expectations, it can negatively impact your organization and customer satisfaction. To prevent order cancellations, some brands offer a variety of options that their carrier must be able to acccomodate.
Cost optimization for transportation
Cost-effectiveness is essential when seeking a carrier that aligns with your brand’s needs. Your goal should be to optimize costs to meet your brand’s requirements while ensuring fairness for all parties involved. Cost calculations depend on factors like distance, weight-to-volume ratios, delivery times, and transportation modes. Regardless of your chosen mode, economic and political factors can significantly impact transport costs. You should also consider seasonal variations, as driver availability can decrease during peak times, leading to increased costs and delivery times.
Reducing transportation costs
Combining freight shipments
Pooling shipments, whenever possible, can save your brand money. It’s preferable to transport a larger quantity of goods in a single shipment rather than numerous smaller shipments.
Efficient delivery route planning
Optimizing delivery routes not only saves time but also reduces the distance to be covered, thereby reducing fuel costs. Longer delivery times can be more cost-effective, so it’s vital to optimize routes as much as possible.
Leveraging a transportation commissionnaire
Working with a transportation commissionnaire has many advantages. Brands collaborating with transportation commissionnaires can benefit from their expertise and advice, saving time and allowing your brand to rely on their expertise. Working with C-LOG, for example, provide access to a range of carriers with whom we work daily to offer the best e-commerce transportation solutions, allowing you to concentrate on your core business.
Offering multiple delivery options : the significance of delivery methods
The delivery method can significantly impact a consumer’s purchase decision. In 2022, the top five preferred delivery methods among e-shoppers, according to FEVAD, were :
- Home delivery
- Pickup at relay point
- Click & Collect (excluding drive)
- Drive
- Post Office
Home delivery continues to be the most popular choice among e-shoppers, with 78% favoring this option, according to FEVAD’s report. However, the trend is shifting towards pickup at third-party locations, which reduces environmental impact and ensures package availability in familiar, convenient locations. Cost considerations also play a role, as most brands offer higher delivery fees for home delivery, discouraging consumers from choosing a more expensive and environmentally harmful option.
Some transportation commissionnaires may have a network of partners to tailor transportation solutions for brands with specific needs, such as C-LOG. With our international transportation expertise, we can offer a comprehensive, customizable transport solution.
Discover our wide range of transport solutions to support your brand’s growth.