The on-demand shopper: Three tips for seamless, speedy shipping in an e-commerce world

Walmart recently announced that it expanded its free, two-day shipping across the entire United States through a program called ShippingPass. This move directly rivals Amazon Prime, which launched in 2015 and prompted the consumer demand for expedited shipping. It’s no wonder that the average consumer is becoming increasingly comfortable with online shopping while growing less tolerant of slow shipping.

In fact, software development company Euro IT Group predicts that U.S. online shoppers will spend $327 billion in 2016, up 45 percent from $226 billion in 2015. And according to Ovum, the desire for immediate access, fast turnaround, and 24/7 service, will be the norm by 2026. This e-commerce explosion paired with the rampant need for instant gratification is making shipping a competitive advantage for many online companies – and it is why fast, free, and easy shipping is a “must have”.

So, what does this trend mean for your company’s online shipping offerings? Regardless of whether or not you offer free and fast shipping, a customer may abandon a purchase altogether if they cannot easily and effectively use your site or app. Administering a seamless online shipping experience is key. Here are three quick A/B testing tips to ensure the best online shipping experience for your customers:

• Experiment with placement, spacing and level of detail of shipping information. It is important to A/B test different placement scenarios and adjust the level of detail to see whether the changes positively affect conversion rates.
• A/B test different shipping offerings. Consumers are each on their own journey and like choices, and it is worth exploring whether the number of shipping options, having a promo code, displaying order totals, international shipping, etc. have an effect on sales. Allowing a customer to dictate where (home, office), how (engraved, gift wrapped) and when (same day, next day) can also impact conversion rates.
• Try different aspects of personalization. A/B testing certain personalized features, like shopping cart reminders and including the customer’s name on the page, may help customers avoid abandoning a purchase.

With e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart leading the charge, we’ll continue to see advancements in shipping as more companies attempt to keep pace – making A/B testing your site’s shipping experience a top priority.

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