Dropshipping is a form of e-commerce where you sell products online without having to handle inventory, packaging, or shipping. You simply partner with a supplier who fulfils the orders for you and ships them directly to your customers. This way, you can focus on marketing and customer service, while avoiding the hassle and cost of managing a physical store.
However, dropshipping also comes with its challenges and drawbacks. One of the biggest challenges that many dropshippers face is long shipping times. Depending on where your suppliers are, and what shipping methods they use, it can take weeks or even months for your customers to receive their orders. This can lead to frustration, dissatisfaction, and negative feedback from your customers, which can hurt your reputation and sales.
How can you deal with long shipping times and keep your customers happy? Read this article, to learn some tips and strategies for handling long shipping times and improving customer satisfaction, which helps you to reduce the impact of long shipping times on your business and increase your chances of success.
To handle long shipping in dropshipping:
1. Choose Reliable and Fast Suppliers
2. Set Clear and Realistic Expectations
3. Offer Free or Flat Shipping Rates
4. Provide Excellent Customer Service
5. Add Value and Incentives
Curious? Read on!
1. Choose Reliable and Fast Suppliers
To deal with long shipping, go for dependable and fast suppliers.
A good way to find dropshipping suppliers is to use online platforms or directories that connect dropshippers with suppliers, such as AliExpress, Spocket, SaleHoo, or Doba. These platforms allow you to browse and compare thousands of products and suppliers, and filter them by various criteria, such as price, rating, location, shipping options, etc. You can also read customer reviews and feedback to get an idea of the supplier’s reputation and performance.
Another way to find dropshipping suppliers is to do your research and contact them directly. Google, Amazon, eBay, and other e-commerce sites can help you find dropshipping providers for products or niches. Alternatively, consider tools like Jungle Scout, Helium 10, or Dropified to find and analyze potential suppliers and products.
After identifying potential suppliers, evaluate them based on shipping methods, delivery timeframes, tracking, and customer evaluations. Order samples, check their shipping rules and conditions, ask questions, and read their reviews and ratings. Find vendors that offer rapid, reliable shipping solutions like ePacket or DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), which can cut shipment time and cost. Choose providers with accurate and fast tracking information so you and your clients can follow order status and location. Finally, look for providers with continuous positive customer evaluations and ratings, indicating dependability and quality.
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2. Set Clear and Realistic Expectations
To deal with long shipping times in dropshipping, set clear and realistic expectations for your customers.
To achieve this, communicate the shipping times to your customers on the product page, the checkout page, the confirmation email, and the shipping details page. You need to be honest and accurate about how long it will take for your customers to receive their orders, and avoid making false or vague promises.
Use positive, honest language to describe shipment schedules, highlighting your items’ benefits and worth rather than the drawbacks and delays. For instance, instead of saying “Shipping may take up to 6 weeks due to high demand”, you can say “Due to the popularity of this product, we are experiencing a high volume of orders. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. We appreciate your patience and support.” This way, you can acknowledge the shipping time but also show your gratitude and appreciation for your customers.
3. Offer Free or Flat Shipping Rates
To navigate long shipping as a drop shipper, offer free or flat shipping rates to your customers.
This means that you either charge no shipping fee at all, or charge the same shipping fee regardless of the product, quantity, or destination. This can make your products more attractive and competitive, and reduce the friction and confusion that variable shipping rates can cause.
Free or flat shipping has drawbacks and issues. You must carefully assess and establish product delivery charges to avoid losing money or profit. You must also evaluate how free or flat delivery charges affect conversion rate, client satisfaction, and loyalty. After calculating and determining product shipping expenses, discover strategies to cover them to avoid losing money or profit.
By offering free or flat shipping rates, you can improve your customer satisfaction and loyalty, and reduce the impact of long shipping times on your business. However, you need to calculate and set the shipping costs for your products carefully and find ways to cover the shipping costs effectively.
4. Provide Excellent Customer Service
To handle long shipping times, provide excellent customer service to your customers. You need to handle customer inquiries, complaints, and feedback regarding the shipping process in a polite, professional, and empathetic manner. Show your customers that you care about their satisfaction and that you are doing your best to deliver their orders as soon as possible. Respond to their questions or issues promptly and effectively, and provide accurate and helpful information to your customers.
Here are some of the common questions or issues that your customers may have regarding the shipping process and some examples of how to respond:
- Where is my order? “Thank you for your order. Your order is on its way and should arrive within the estimated delivery time. You can track your order status and location using this link: (tracking link). If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us anytime.”
- Why is it taking so long? “We apologize for the delay in your order. Due to the high demand for this product, we are experiencing a high volume of orders and shipments. We are working hard to ship your order as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Thank you for choosing us.”
- Can I cancel or return my order? “We are sorry to hear that you want to cancel or return your order. Please note that we can only accept cancellations or returns within (time period) of placing your order, and only if your order has not been shipped yet. If your order meets these conditions, please contact us with your order number and reason for cancellation or return, and we will process your request as soon as possible. If your order has already been shipped, you can still return it within (time period) of receiving it, but you will be responsible for the return shipping cost and a (percentage) restocking fee. Please refer to our return policy for more details.”
- How can I track my order? “You can track your order status and location using this link: (tracking link). You will also receive an email notification with the tracking number and the tracking link once your order is shipped. Please allow some time for the tracking information to update. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us anytime.”
- What if my order is lost or damaged? “We are sorry to hear that your order is lost or damaged. Please contact us with your order number and a photo of the damaged item, and we will investigate the issue and offer you a solution as soon as possible. We may either resend your order, issue a partial or full refund, or provide you with a store credit, depending on the situation. We value your satisfaction and we will do our best to resolve the issue for you.”
By providing excellent customer service, you improve your customer satisfaction and loyalty and reduce the negative impact of long shipping times on your business. However, providing customer service can also be time-consuming and tedious, especially if you have a large number of customers and orders. Therefore, consider using some tools or apps to automate or streamline the customer service process, such as chatbox, email templates, or helpdesks.
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5. Add Value and Incentives
To manage long shipping in dropshipping, add value and incentives to your products and services.
Create a positive and memorable customer experience by offering something extra or special to your customers, such as gifts, samples, or warranties, creating loyalty programs or referral schemes, sending thank you notes or follow-up emails, asking for reviews or testimonials, and many more. By adding value and incentives to your products and services, you build trust and loyalty with your customers and reduce the negative impact of long shipping times on your business.
However, keep in mind the need to add value and incentives that are relevant, valuable, and appealing to your customers, and consistent with your brand and niche.
Recap
To handle long shipping times as a drop shipper, select quick and reliable suppliers, communicate shipping times clearly and optimistically, offer free or flat shipping rates and cover the costs, provide exceptional and automated customer service, and incorporate value and rewards to create a memorable customer experience.
