SUMMARY
Brands need to focus on both the pre- and post-purchase stages to build trust and retain customers
D2C brands can leverage this "restless shopper" mentality to their advantage by providing visibility and timely updates
Communication and visibility are key factors in delivering superior post-purchase experiences
D2C brands across the world are born with a mission — a desire to supply today’s tech-savvy consumers with hard-to-source goods and trend-focused designs. When one opens social media today, we are thrust into the world of targeted sponsored ads that truly speak to our souls. But how does one trust a new brand and separate the wheat from the chaff?
We tend to rely on the information on the ‘buy now’ page. We look at details like EDD, returns policy, customer reviews, and even, in some cases, the embedded Instagram feed to check the ‘real-life’ appeal of the product. Clearly, the pre-purchase experience is important to us. Post-purchase experience equally, if not more so.
I recently procured two beautiful bedspreads from a long-running D2C brand and was quite excited about the purchase. I couldn’t wait to receive the package. Unfortunately, the brand provided little to no visibility into the shipment’s progress.
The predicted 3-4 days did not really stick, and I was left wondering if I had been conned. This is a critical moment, a churning point, in consumer psychology. Vexed, I decided never to re-purchase from that brand. The only solace was that I did receive the beautiful bedspreads a week later, but the post-purchase experience had been so marred that it completely threw me off the brand.
What Makes The D2C Customer Tick?
Over 95% of online shoppers track their orders. Nearly half of them check the order tracking page every day until they receive their package. About 20% check the status of their purchases multiple times a day. Yes, this points to delivery anticipation and post-purchase excitement, but 7 out of 10 shoppers also said they would rather check tracking status for updates than reach out to customer care in case of delays.
Consumers today are attuned to an ‘instant’ lifestyle. They are no longer used to the speed of dial-up internet and scheduled TV programmes. They are accustomed to having answers right here and now. This trait is evident in their desire for visibility on packages. The state of the ‘restless shopper’ psyche can be a good thing for D2C brands.
And Then There Was Vision…
The crux of superior post-purchase experiences boils down to the quality of two things — communication and visibility.
When combined, they form a formidable force for establishing customer trust and loyalty. Here are some key features that every D2C brand needs in their bandanna to get their board on the visibility wave.
Tracking Page
A personalised tracking page is a must for every D2C brand. It is such a simple offering, but it does so much to elevate the brand’s positioning in the eyes of the shopper. Consumers used to be fine with going to a courier page to check the status of their airwaybill number. This unnecessary rigmarole can be safely stowed away thanks to the spectacular range of shipping software currently available.
The trick is to make the tracking page clean, detailed, and tasteful and design it per the brand’s theme and style. Kushal’s, Plum Goodness, Wow Science, and The House of Rare — all offer a clean tracking page in line with their branding, ensuring customers never need to look elsewhere for information.
Real-Time Alerts
When the phone pings saying the package is out for delivery, it better be! More often than not, shoppers receive their packages days after receiving this message that’s ripe with false promises. Should they stay home? Should they head out? Should they give a heads-up to their partner, neighbour, or security person?
Real-time alerts via SMS, IVRS, WhatsApp, or Email should suffer no lag, nor should they jump the gun. It’s time to chat with the best-in-biz service providers to ensure you don’t pitch your customer into a fit of anxiety. Decathlon has perfected the art of providing real-time status updates.
Holistic Brand Experience
How many times have shoppers become wildly disoriented seeing the abbreviated name of a courier company in their SMS list? Especially considering most shoppers shop for multiple products from various online brands at a time. White-labelling is a genuine no-brainer.
When it comes to visibility, it’s time to stop hiding behind third-party doors and display your brand name loud and proud in all forms of communication. When I purchased a watch from Fire-Boltt, I received accurate tracking information from a white-labelled WhatsApp brand account.
Automated Resolutions
If there is one thing a shopper despises more than being confronted with a strange name, being told their order is ready for delivery when it isn’t, and having to visit a courier page to track their purchase, it is this — Non-Delivery. It could happen for multiple reasons, none of which is the customer’s problem.
Set up an automated resolution flow to instantaneously resolve non-delivery reports. Reach out to customers with an automated communication flow to sort out any issues ranging from ‘customer unreachable’ to ‘incomplete address’, and ensure that shoppers get their goods on their doorstep right on time. Kapiva and Plix Life recently sorted out their NDR issues with a well-structured communication flow and successfully brought down their RTOs.
Conclusion
It’s time this best practice of offering visibility became standard practice. By providing transparency in delivery, you can expect to see an immediate reduction in customer churn and a spike in brand trust and loyalty. And these are good armaments for any D2C brand that desires to become a household name.
