Challenges in eCommerce Shipping and How Software Can Help?

Introduction

Shipping has been no easy feat for e commerce businesses. The high demands and specific customer preferences have not only increased business growth but also invited several shipping challenges. These obstacles surface when a brand has to process large order volumes, offer transparency to customers, and manage multiple courier companies.

With the evolution of tech, the intricacies of moving goods have simplified, but difficult situations still arise in the delivery process, especially last mile delivery. Today, we’ll examine a few hurdles and ecommerce shipping challenges enterprises encounter in their shipping operations and how capable systems can help overcome them. 

4 Major Challenges in eCommerce Shipping

Ecommerce shipping challenges are part of ecommerce businesses. When online retailers face such common ecommerce shipping problems, they lose time and money if they're not prepared. Let us take a quick look at these difficult situations and how they hamper business operations.

1. Low Visibility

A common hindrance businesses face is a lack of supply chain visibility. When orders are visible for you and your customers, it becomes easier to deliver them and keep the recipient informed. Without its availability in logistics software, a brand may refuse to align with it. Insufficient order visibility can put customers in a tough spot and make them unsure regarding order deliveries. Shoppers can lose trust in the business and internal teams can slow down without enough supply chain visibility. 

2. High WISMO Queries

WISMO (Where is my order?) is an indefinite challenge for retail businesses. It is a query or concern by customers regarding the current location of their order in transit. Receiving numerous WISMO calls can question a brand’s reputation and create a negative impression. It can show that the brand is not fulfilling orders on time or taking a long time to respond to answer customers.

Ecommerce businesses encounter sizable amounts of WISMOs while processing hundreds of orders. In this scenario, a brand needs manpower, effort, and time to cater to its frustrated customers. A good customer support team can't handle this burden alone, especially during peak seasons for shopping online. Quality customer experiences have been delivered by many ecommerce businesses that use delivery and order processing software.

3. Unexpected Shipping Prices

Unexpected surcharges are commonly seen on labels or oversized goods at your customer’s doorstep. The extra amount may indicate excess weight, unreachable locations, delivery speed, or extravagant packaging. There are peak surcharges that can catch shippers off guard and cause your customers the distress they don’t need. 

The only way to stay above this is to have a better understanding of your products, carrier requirements, and shipping routes. Also, it's good to double-check whether your customers are paying extra for a specific shipping service they are opting for.

4. Loss of Items during Transit

Have you ever experienced a situation when you’ve just given up waiting for your order to arrive or it was damaged when you finally had it in your hands? Well, it happens to all of us and it can be frustrating. Items in transit can get lost or damaged due to poor handling, weather conditions, human error in cargo, improper packaging, or theft. 

The unpleasant situation can make customers lose their trust and confidence in your business, calling you unprofessional. This is a major problem for online retailers shipping internationally.

Improve the eCommerce Shipping Experience with Software Solutions

Delivery management software are capable systems that streamline the delivery process, offering businesses and customers visibility, faster shipping management, and resolutions to supply chain challenges. Here are a few ways software solutions improve your shipping operations and keep your business afloat.

1. Real-time Tracking

With real-time tracking, ecommerce businesses are taking a big leap to lessen customer anxieties. It helps customers track their orders at every milestone and know when to expect them. By expecting the order to arrive in time, customers can plan their schedule and prevent the order from returning to its hub. Logistics software offers real-time order tracking that enhances logistics efforts and allows customers to believe your commitments.

This proactive form of communication reduces WISMO queries and streamlines operations, leading to better customer satisfaction and business outcomes. A report from Coherent Market Insights shows that the live package tracking market is expected to reach 8.60 billion USD by 2020 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9% from 2023 to 2030.

2. Better Inventory Management

Inventory management is a key aspect and a shipping solution in e-commerce logistics, especially if you're tied up with multiple sales channels. It involves minimizing inventory costs, optimizing stock levels, and preventing stocks from going out to ensure successful order fulfillment. Businesses with significant production levels need to stockpile their products in warehouses and require expertise in managing inventory. They depend on inventory management software to automate tasks and eliminate supplier inconsistencies.

The software helps boost employee productivity, saves time, and keeps merchants updated regarding upcoming purchases before stock runs out. This results in improved customer relationships, team coordination, and increased revenue.

3. Automated Shipping Rate Calculation

Calculating shipping rates is one of the most vital and intricate aspects of logistics due to several factors and parameters. Business owners look for faster and affordable shipping prices which can be difficult to fetch with large order volumes. The industry is cutthroat when it comes to shipping solutions as all brands are battling for the best possible rates.

To stay competitive, ecommerce businesses use automated shipping rate calculators. The tool offers accurate shipping prices in several currencies to help you reduce shipping costs. The calculator allows brands to calculate based on several pin codes and fetch rates quickly.

4. Rapid Delivery Times

A big pain point for shippers is to meet customers' expectations by delivering orders on time. To ensure faster delivery, brands offer expedited shipping options, like next day or same day delivery. They also provide estimated delivery dates (EDD) to give shoppers the exact time to expect delivery. Keeping customers informed can ensure a positive customer experience even if they opt for slower shipping options or have to deal with delivery delays.

Rapid order fulfillment speeds are chosen for time-sensitive items that require urgent shipping and ensure a reduction in the likelihood of returns. Offering alternative delivery methods and different shipping options can also help you increase customer satisfaction and profit margins. Flexible delivery options can enable online shoppers to choose delivery times, allowing logistics companies to select the best delivery routes to reduce delivery delays.

Revolutionize your Shipping Process with Automation using ClickPost

ClickPost’s SaaS platform is a game-changer in logistics and delivery management. The software provider focuses on key aspects of various shipping operations for brands to have a competitive edge and keep their customers happy. It has been at the forefront of logistics automation since 2015 and boosted shipping for several brands.

The platform is pre-integrated with 500+ carriers and offers API (Application programming interface) to connect with systems for seamless order fulfillment. More than 350 brands rely on its logistics intelligence and expertise. For an in-depth understanding of its offerings, you can contact the ClickPost team.

Final Words

Ecommerce shipping challenges have been an unfortunate reality for enterprises. Ecommerce companies have incurred losses and wasted time resolving shipping issues. To deal with unavoidable challenges more promptly, merchants utilize logistics software and shipping automation. It provides real-time tracking, route optimization, a unified dashboard, and advanced shipping solutions to improve supply chain performance. The software does the job better and faster!