Why Your eCommerce Delivery Strategy Is More Important than Ever

(This post was originally published on July 6, 2017. We’ve updated it for accuracy and completeness.)

Can your customers rely on your shipping policies? How often do you miss a date or ship the wrong item?

A negative shipping experience can have an irreparable impact on your relationship with customers. 84% of consumers say that they won’t return to a brand after just one poor delivery experience.

All it takes is one mistakes to erode your brand image and customer loyalty. These mistakes add up and affect your bottom line too.

If there’s one business area to focus on next, consider making it your eCommerce delivery strategy. Statistics show that a good shipping experience is more important than ever for customer retention.

Why CSV File-based Integration Can Be Better than API-based Integration

Merchants often need to move large amounts of data (such as product catalogs, orders or customer data) from one system to another for processing or organization. The issue is that how one system structures and accepts data might not be the same as the destination system. How do you transfer and share data between systems then (other than entering it by hand)?

many rely on integration that uses CSV (comma-separated values) files to export and import text files of their data between systems. CSVs are a universal file type that many systems support and merchants feel comfortable managing. While file integration is often an integration option, it also has its limitations. As you evaluate this data integration approach, this article considers why file-based integration via CSV files can be better than API-based integration.  (more…)

How to Find Manufacturers or Suppliers for Your Products

(This is a guest post from our friends over at Private Label Sk.In, a  private label manufacturer for high quality skin care solutions.) 

Building a strong business depends on making a steady profit while also meeting your customers’ expectations for a good product and a positive buying experience. Selecting the right manufacturer or supplier is one of the most important steps you can take toward meeting these goals – and making a less than ideal choice can drag down your profits. These tips below can guide you through the process of finding the best source of products for your business.

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Start Improving Your Last-Mile Delivery Today

As eCommerce sales continue to rise, so has consumer expectations of delivery transparency, accuracy, and speed. With pressure from Amazon and Walmart, most retailers are scrambling to find innovative ways to lower costs and increase shipping speeds of packages.

It’s no surprise then that last-mile delivery has become top of mind for most retailers. Those willing to invest in optimizing their processes could turn their logistics into their differentiator. In a time when customers no longer buy based on price alone, retailers must meet expectations on all other aspects of the customer experience.

If you want to improve your last-mile delivery this year, check out our overview of it that includes its challenges, innovative ways brands are tackling the issue, and what you can start doing today to improve your logistics. (more…)

eCommerce Order Fulfillment: Picking the Best Fulfillment Strategy for Your Online Business

One of the most frustrating experiences for online shoppers is receiving an online order late or never at all. A bad experience like this can ensure that customer doesn’t shop with you again.

Despite its importance, online merchants tend to overlook their shipping and fulfillment strategy. Others might know it’s important, but find it’s too confusing or complex to optimize. Either way, you could be losing sales and wasting money by not improving your fulfillment strategy.

To help merchants navigate the complexities of eCommerce order fulfillment, this guide helps you determine the best fulfillment strategy for your business. (more…)