Keep Your Ecommerce Customers Happy with Personalized Shipping Notifications

By Jack Ship
Mar 20, 2017

Keep Your Ecommerce Customers Happy with Personalized Shipping Notifications

Customers are presently enjoying privileges such as omni-channel buying, 24/7 shopping, and access to extensive product information. With these advances, they are getting farther and farther away from following old-school methods of tracking purchases.

The retail industry is continuously expanding its operations in online shopping with technology at the center of this evolution. Brick-and-mortar stores have also joined the race, putting customers in a much better position to control their buying experiences. People now buy what they like, whenever they like, at the price they seek. This has also created ample opportunities for retailers to improve their relationship with customers.

One way to build rapport with a customer from purchase to delivery is through Website push notifications. These are clickable messages that are sent by a website to their subscribers’ browsers. They work very similarly to mobile app push notifications – notifications sent by a mobile app that land in your notification tray – except they work on websites instead of apps and can be accessed on all devices (desktop, mobile, tablet, etc.).

Desktop usage still accounts for 42% of total internet time. Web push notifications deliver the power of real-time push notifications to this important segment of internet users. They differ from app push notifications in that while app push notifications are limited to mobile devices and tablets, website push notifications span any device with access the internet through a browser. Another important feature which makes website push notifications important for ecommerce is the cost factor. Building a quality app is an expensive affair, and the ROI can be difficult to justify. In fact, for small and medium-sized companies, messages sent via web push can reach more people than messages sent through app pushes.

Personalized web push notifications have opened up a world of opportunity for ecommerce sellers to let customers stay on top of their order status with real-time shipping alerts. Here are some order-related Web Push Notification examples that are devised to increase ecommerce purchase conversions.

Order confirmation and expected arrival date

Although many online retailers send emails and SMS alerts to customers after they place an order, changing screens and waiting for an email to hit their inbox, or looking for the relevant order confirmation on their cell phones can be a hassle. Many customers would prefer an instant notification on their screen right after the purchase.

Such Web Push Notifications confirm the order as well as mention the expected date of delivery. This not only saves precious time checking email, but also keeps customers updated with real-time order confirmations.

Recommendations for other relevant products

Right after buying some tops from a preferred online retail site, a customer receives a Web Push Notification which reads, “Did you forget to purchase the trendy palazzo pants to go with your long-sleeved shirt?” Many times, the customer will return to the website for an add-on purchase.

Recommending additional products through Web Push Notifications is an effective marketing strategy online retailers can leverage. Not only is this an economical mode of cross and upselling relevant products, it helps the brand build personal rapport with the customer.

Ready for dispatch

When customers receive tailored services from online retailers, they are often more willing to continue purchasing from the same website. Individualized messaging has taken over the world of ecommerce as people want their needs to be met right here, right now.

To earn and maintain trust, keeping customers informed about their order status through timely Web Push Notifications is a good option. For instance, when Jeff receives a notification stating “Your Duracell rechargeable batteries are ready for dispatch,” he knows his order has been processed. Keeping customers informed goes a long way toward repeat business.

Shipping confirmations

Ordering a product is just the first step, but being certain the product will be delivered on time is what customers look for in any online website. As a customer-centric online retailer, it therefore becomes a prime responsibility to relieve customers of this concern. One way to do this is through prompt Web Push Notifications.

For example, when Jean receives a notification, she not only learns that her product is on the way, but she also gets the opportunity to track the product using the consignment or tracking number.

Out for delivery

Informational notifications keep customers posted about the status of their ordered product. It also lets them plan and schedule their day so as not to miss out on accepting the delivery if a signature is required.

A notification which reads, “Your copy of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is out for delivery. Expect it between 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm today” allows Nick to be aware of the time the order will reach him and to be available.

Delivery confirmation and feedback push

Once a product is delivered to the customer, a Web Push Notification closing the specific order and confirming the delivery is necessary. This is also your chance to ask the customer to share feedback on the product. Customers won’t need to be on the retailer’s website when the notification is sent. The customer can be on any device or any website and receive the notification.

Such user-generated content, when added to your website, is considered one of the top methods of marketing with a low cost involved. If a potential customer is researching online, these reviews are immensely helpful.

Apology note for delayed delivery

Quite often, frustrated and unsatisfied customers call customer care because they haven’t received their products on time, or because they have been informed of an anticipated delay in delivery. A poor service experience not only kills the customers’ trust in the brand, but also increases the likelihood the customer will share negative feedback about the online retailer on social media. An ecommerce seller cannot let this happen.

Customer service can’t be flawless, but efforts to mend fences shouldn’t be compromised. There are occurrences when an order gets delayed due to late processing, a lag with the logistics section, or because of mismanagement on the retailer’s end. Whatever the reason, proactive communication about the delayed delivery through a Web Push Notification is important to keep the customer informed. This small and real-time gesture reflects that an ecommerce brand acknowledges its mistakes and is empathetic to customers.

People are virtually connected at all times these days, so why miss out on the opportunity to communicate with customers? An ecommerce retailer can become more human to customers by using Web Push Notifications. Customers will stay in the loop after they place an order and wait for it to be delivered. Ecommerce sellers can also observe a gradual increase in profits generated through repeat purchases from loyal customers.

About the Author

Kaustuva Bhattacharjee is a Content Marketer at Vizury Interactive where he helps marketers understand the world of digital marketing better. Vizury helps ecommerce companies to boost up their sales with new marketing tools like web push notifications. You can reach him out at [email protected].