Free shipping!
It’s the pesky, two-word phrase that shows up on a plethora of eCommerce business sites. Although it’s nowhere on yours, of course. Do you recognize either of these?
Fast shipping!
Next-day delivery!
Those phrases are equally as annoying. Why would anyone offer free shipping? Won’t your eCommerce business lose money?
Not if you do it right! Here’s why your business should offer free and fast shipping.
It Catches the Eye of Potential Customers
Even if the cost of shipping is cheap, why not give customers one more reason to press that “Buy Now” button?
Think about it. Rather than going into a store to examine the quality of an item, they’re trusting that your online-only product isn’t too good to be true.
Help build trust with your target demographic by giving them free, fast shipping. Pretty soon, that first-time buyer will turn into a recurring, loyal customer.
This is especially effective if you market your free shipping feature. It’s just too tempting to give up.
It Keeps Them Coming Back for More
Many people who run eCommerce business sites worry that free shipping, fast shipping, or next-day delivery is not sustainable.
You may feel intimidated at first because the cost of shipping will harm how much you’re able to make. If it’s done right, though, free shipping can make you more money.
There’s some compelling research to prove this. If it weren’t for free shipping, 62 percent of consumers wouldn’t have made their latest purchase.
Even if you’re only capable of doing free shipping and not next-day shipping, you’ll still see results. This is because most consumers are willing to wait a couple of days longer for the item to arrive if they’re guaranteed free shipping.
You could also get customers to spend more money to reach the “free shipping” threshold.
Lastly, you might want to try offering a brief period of free shipping, especially during holidays. This will prompt consumers to make a decision quicker, thus driving sales.
To determine the retail sustainability of business shipping, click here.
Everyone Else is Doing It
You know it’s true.
What’s the difference between you and the competition? You offer similar products of the same quality at similar prices. Maybe you even have a similar target audience and the same mission statement.
Don’t underestimate the power of free shipping. Your competition will come out on top because of it.
You may be trying to save money on the cost of shipping, but you need to play the long game. Remember when we talked about customer loyalty earlier?
Choosing not to offer free shopping actually hurts you. While you might save money now, there won’t be money to save if everybody buys from your competitors.
Take Advantage of Free Shipping Option Today
Offering free shipping, fast shipping, or next-day delivery can be a scary step for eCommerce business owners.
Luckily, there are many ways to make it worth it. Implementation of a free shipping strategy will set you on a path that leads to higher sales and loyal customers.
For more business tips and insights, keep browsing our site.
