There are some golden terms in the eCommerce business that are known to catch the buyer’s attention and boost sales in a short time. Some examples of these magical terms are free shipping, end-of-season sale, limited time offer, buy one get the second one at half price, and so on. Such marketing strategies are excellent for onboarding new customers and give a little push to the existing ones to make more purchases.
However, all of these ‘golden’ terms cannot be used all the time because well, we need to earn money to keep the business running. So, while something like a sale or a mega discount scheme from time to time is something that can be done, businesses have to look for strategies that are viable for them to offer for a good amount of time, unlike a sale that comes and goes. Free shipping for online businesses is one such strategy.
It has been found that 9 out of 10 buyers expressed that free shipping is important when purchasing something online. Around 93% of people who buy things online said they want to order more things online if the shipping is free. Online marketing experts claim that after studying the consumer behavior of online shoppers, it has been realized that added shipping charges act as a mental block and are one of the major reasons for cart abandonment.
When a customer is viewing products online and adding them to their cart, they are also simultaneously doing a mental calculation of how much they would be paying at the checkout. Once they have added all the products and move on to make the final payment, seeing an added shipping charge spoils their mood. Of course, the larger the charge is, the worse they feel.
We know that at times, during online shopping, consumers get convinced to buy things they don’t want due to factors like good reviews, hype or social media, etc. In such scenarios, they are already engaging in something that may not be a necessity. And when they see that there is a shipping charge, it acts like that divine voice that tells you, you are doing good without this product so let’s not buy it.
So, online business owners need to understand that free shipping on their products is not like any other feature that they should act on. It is in fact, a crucial one that will ensure that customers return to them while new ones get added to the brand.
What are the benefits of free shipping for an online business?
Free shipping benefits for eCommerce are several and very significant. They can help create a positive customer experience which will act as a solid foundation for the brand for years to come. Many eCommerce virtual assistants recommend ecommerce store online to consider free shipping for their online business as it improves overall customer retention rate. So, let us check out some of the most common and most useful benefits of free shipping for online businesses.
Improved customer experience
The customer is the king and when you give the king what he wants, you are definitely in for some benefits. Free shipping is a factor that makes them come back to buy more. The words ‘no shipping charges’ soothe the customers and encourage them to do business. Such customer-oriented policies help build a favorable image for the brand and add to your reputation.
Higher conversions and lower cart abandonment
When a potential buyer visits your eStore and likes a product, the free shipping policy will encourage them to make the purchase faster. The same holds for tackling cart abandonment issues too. As discussed earlier, cart abandonment is a major concern for online businesses. One of the primary reasons behind this is the higher amount of money that is reflected when the customer is about to checkout. With a free shipping policy in place, customers feel secure while browsing through the products because they know that they are in control of the money they will spend in the eStore.
Improved revenue inflow
With lesser cart abandonment and a better consumer experience, your eCommerce brand will certainly be making better sales. When you offer free shipping, customers are likely to buy more than what they were initially looking for. Hence, you will have a better income that is steady too. Also, such policies attract new customers faster. Even when you get a significant amount of first-time visitors to your site, a major portion of them will likely end up buying from you.
Stand out among your competitors
Free shipping for online businesses is an outstanding marketing tool. It makes your brand instantly popular in the niche segment which helps it stand out from your competitors. Creating your unique dominance in the niche segment is something that every online business aspires for. Once you have that position, you can enjoy customer loyalty and better business for as long as you keep up with the brand value.
Boost your average order value
If your brand has been struggling with getting new orders, or if you are not in a position to offer free shipping for every item. Then you can opt for free shipping on a minimum order value. This is a great way to help you cover the charges of offering free shipping. Also, this policy helps in clearing out your inventory faster. This way, you will not only enjoy better business but you can also think about bringing new varieties of products to the brand. The stock will be clearing out faster and you will have a better understanding of what your customers want and enjoy.
Is the free shipping policy cumbersome for an online business?
Even though there are several fantastic free shipping benefits for eCommerce stores, several owners are still wary of including it. This is because they think they will require vast knowledge about logistics management, customer support on shipping information,etc. And this can seem like some erroneous task for someone who has an online business to run.
However, you can easily fight off these fears and enjoy the benefits of free shipping for eCommerce by outsourcing these requirements. Several reputed companies are doing a great job by offering eCommerce-related services for online brands owners. You can easily experts in individual marketplaces and ecommerce websites also like hire Amazon specialist from a reliable outsourcing partner will take care of everything related to a free shipping policy.
Outsourcing to a virtual assistant will help you get high-quality service by expert resources at an affordable rate. Yes, you heard that right. Outsourcing providers are often known to offer flexible solutions that can be customized according to your requirements. This way, you will be able to keep track of your project at every stage and also enjoy the results at your desired time. Hence, now you can enjoy better business while someone else takes care of the nitty-gritty. You are also free to invest your time into more important aspects of the business and no longer worry about how to increase your customer loyalty and push for better revenue.
