Now that we are halfway through November, people all over Canada are getting immersed in their holiday shopping ventures. Beating the rush isn’t always easy. That’s why many Canadians are likely to flock to the internet in record numbers. How can you ensure that your online store attracts customers in the weeks to come? Free shipping is definitely one big way to help grow your sales!
It significantly improves the customer experience.
This is the time of year when customer complaints occur in abundance. As joyful as the season is meant to be, holiday shopping can bring out the worst in all of us. Save your brand from anyone’s ire by giving them something to smile about. Free shipping is a great way to cut down on customer call and emails, says Mageplaza.
“It is amazing the way free shipping cut down both pre-sale and after-sale questions,” notes their website, “Customers are likely to feel more comfortable and satisfied when committing a purchase that they do not need to pay for any extra cost. And if they return the good, commonly your store is not responsible for return shipping fee, they do not need to contact you regarding this cost refund.”
It helps to minimize cart abandonment.
An online retailer’s worst nightmare is having a customer fill his or her virtual shopping cart only to abandon it. In many cases, online shoppers withdraw from their purchases because of the added costs of shipping. By eliminating shipping costs in your online store, you’ll entice shoppers to go through with the entire checkout process. It’s a good idea to include your shipping expenses in the prices of the items so shoppers aren’t hit with surprises at the checkout.
“According to the Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate is a staggering 70.19%, with the hidden villain being none other than shipping costs,” reveals Monisha Fernando of Tyche Softwares, “Shipping costs and cart abandonment are closely linked, particularly for low-value orders facing modest shipping fees. These fees, exceeding product prices, often lead to hesitation or abandonment as customers seek more affordable options.”
It levels the playing field with the big boys.
As an independent online retailer, you have a lot of competition. Naturally, the internet is filled to the brim with online shops of all kinds. During each holiday season, big-named brands like Amazon and Walmart get tons of attention. What can you do to attract customers who would generally head to those huge e-commerce entities? You guessed it. Offering free shipping can give your brand a more competitive edge.
“Offering free delivery can accordingly put your store in the ‘free shipping club’ in customer’s mind, that ‘club’ members possibly are E-commerce giants such as Amazon, Walmart, Wayfair, or many other major sellers,” says Mageplaza, “If the shopper has information about your free shipping or has been once benefited from that program, your store will spring to their mind first, and give your site a chance instead of considering other major players.”
Is your company website all set up with an online shop?
You can seamlessly integrate Unity Payments’ online payment gateway into your website or mobile application to facilitate secure credit card transactions. To learn more, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca!
