Expedited Shipping Explained For Ecommerce Stores [Mini Guide]

Expedited shipping is a value addition over standard shipping, and it promises to deliver the package quicker with higher priority over standard deliveries. With the dawn of the ecommerce industry, expedited shipping is becoming more common than ever before. 

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If you sell products that make your customers wait like this, you better read this guide to know all about expedited delivery, including when to pitch expedited shipping, top 4 benefits to offer it if you aren’t offering it in the first place. Also, tune in for a quick FAQ section in this article as I quickly start with the main content without making you wait like him:

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As mentioned above, it is a faster alternative provided at premium prices. The consignment is given higher priority in terms of using faster transportation modes and handling to ship the product in close deadlines. Faster deliveries are further classified as:

1. Express shipping 
2. Same-day shipping 
3. Next day shipping 

This type of prioritized shipping is generally provided by online sellers as either a value addition or if the customer asks their goods to be delivered urgently. This could be the case when the item is to be used for special occasions as gifts. 

To expedite means to make things work quicker or faster than normal. So, here’s the question: How fast is expedited shipping? Standard delivery takes over seven business days to ship products to customers, but ‘expedited’ deliveries take a maximum of three days, with the next day and same day deliveries making the biggest part of the customer preference. If the shipping destination happens to be an international location, the first option is offered, which may take anywhere between one and three days to fulfill the order.

It all started with Amazon’s next day delivery promise under the Amazon Prime program. The idea of ordering from the comfort of homes and getting it delivered the next day at the doorstep became an instant hit. Soon, all ecommerce websites had to comply, and it became an industry-wide norm to ship products quickly. 

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Businesses dealing in products that may have a time-sensitive element associated, be it gift articles or gadgets, all of them need it. Giving your customers an option to ship their products faster can have multiple benefits, which we will discuss later in the article. 

Also, having this option will benefit all online stores. The expedited shipping model is pricier than the normal ones, so this option won’t be feasible for low-value items ordered in smaller quantities. 

You will need a shipping management system to keep track of availability and coordinate the delivery with your logistics partner. This is necessary since committing to orders that you cannot fulfill wouldn’t be an exciting situation.

We saw why your customers like faster shipping. But what benefit does expedited shipping hold for you as an ecommerce business? Well, my thumb rule of benefits in any enterprise is getting revenue out of the benefits of your customers. The same applies here. I am listing down the top 3 benefits for ecommerce businesses in the below section:

#1 Living Up To Customer Expectations

This is the number one benefit according to me since your customers are now expecting the next day and two-day shipping with all major ecommerce stores following the market trend. While stores on Amazon do use Amazon FBA, you can also consider keeping order shipping in-house since it gives you many strategic benefits, especially in multi-channel marketing. 

You can cater to a customer experience at par with bigger online stores, and this is a great advantage for your branding game since you will have customers waiting for their parcels the very next day like this. 

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hoping to get your products to be delivered like this:

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#2 Improving Conversion Rates And Lowering Cart Abandonment

This is where your sales start showing the benefits of providing expedited shipping. Instant karma, now or never, FOMO, and go with the flow are some of the most popular behavioral terms associated with online shoppers. Fulfilling this instant need for gratification will surely help improve your conversion rates. For identical products priced at the same rates, faster shipping becomes instantly more attractive without you putting out any extra effort or dollars out of your pocket.

The average cart abandonment rate was 77.13% for the year of 2019. 

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Cart abandonment is the most disliked problem among ecommerce stores. Three fourth of the customers abandon their carts without making a purchase, and that means billions of dollars leaking out the sales funnels at the global level. Quick delivery will help buyers make the decision in favor of completing the purchase. 

#3 Attracting Window Shoppers And Reduced Pre-Delivery Cancellations

Window shoppers are one of the most aggressively targeted buyer groups as they shop for fun, hobby, or simply abandon their carts after hours of surfing. Regardless of this, they spent enough time for you to give it a try and faster availability of your product helps here too. 

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Now, here’s the one special benefit you shouldn’t miss on. A lot of shoppers cancel their order before it is actually delivered to them. This could be due to instant regret, or maybe they’re just not interested in buying the product after seeing something completely different that needs more budget. 

Getting them happy with your products quickly will save you from such cancellation-based losses, which have no mistake of yours to blame. I also find that in-house shipping will allow you to conduct return merchandise authorization in such a way that you can also redistribute such products to nearby customers.

#4 Customer Loyalty And Repeat Business 

However, I would like to point out the biggest advantage that you can get out of expedited shipping in the long term: Customer loyalty. The next day delivery promise is what makes ‘Fulfilled By Amazon’ attractive in the first place. Expedited shipping drives customer loyalty due to improved shopping experience, and this also brings repeat business- Cherry on the top!

Let’s hop on towards our FAQ section:

1. Are ‘Express’ and ‘Expedited’ Shipping Two Different Things?

No. They are one and the same things. Different brands use the term’ express shipping,’ but it all boils down to faster delivery with higher priority allocation. 

2. Does Expedited Shipping Cost Considerably More? 

Yes. Depending upon your logistics partner, your customers will have to pay a premium price for the fast delivery. Also, many online stores prefer giving expedited delivery as a value-added service under membership programs and offers, which they need to adjust to the selling price. In both cases, you can integrate your order management system with the logistics companies to provide the best shipping option to your customers and automatically select the most affordable option for yourself. 

3. Do I Need To Make Any Changes In Order Picking For Expedited Shipping?

Yes. You need to make necessary changes in your warehouse picking schedules so that the concerned products are available in the dispatch area when your logistics partner arrives for pick up. In many industries, this period may extend from a working shift to a few days. 

4. Which Shippers Provide Expedited Shipping 

The top carriers like USPS Priority Mail Express, UPS Worldwide Expedited Shipping, and FedEx (FedEx Express Same Day, FedEx Expedited Freight Services, and FedEx Express Saver) offer it, but you should always choose the shipper based on their rates and availability for your location.

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That’s all for this mini guide on expedited shipping for ecommerce stores. Ensure proper precautions for the Covid-19 disinfection as well as contactless delivery best practices and share any doubts in the comments section. I hope you find this guide insightful for your online store.

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