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Ecommerce Shipping and Delivery Options: What your Customers Want

Published: Jan 03, 2025

Delivery Experience

Providing a choice of shipping options, courier services and delivery times is essential for catering to all of your potential customers, securing their orders, and providing a positive customer experience – and it can be the key to growing your ecommerce brand and boosting your sales.

However, different customers want different delivery options, so we’re taking a look at the different types of shoppers you might encounter, and the delivery options that these customers want, so that you can ensure you’re making the most of your website’s traffic. 

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Loyal customers

It’s a well known fact that it costs far more to attract new customers than it does to keep existing ones – so a loyal customer is an ideal shopper. They often already have their favourite, familiar brands that they return to again and again. It’s important that you immediately impress these customers as a reliable, trustworthy business that can offer a great delivery experience every time.

What these customers want from ecommerce delivery options: 
  • Accurate delivery dates

According to DHL’s 2024 Delivery and Returns Report, for 60% of online shoppers, an accurate delivery date is important, so being open about your delivery estimates is key. With Zenstores Convert You can easily display an accurate delivery promise on your product pages, and at checkout. 

  • Clear returns policy

Returns policies are increasingly important for customers, with 84% checking the returns policy before making purchasing decisions (up from 76% the previous year). Ensuring your returns policy is clear on your website can aid potential customers in their decision making. 

  • Tracked services

90% of customers will track the status of their order at least once online. Offering a tracked service that allows them to keep an eye on their parcel ensures that they’ll have a great delivery experience, living up to their expectations.

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Impulse buyers

Impulse buyers often have no real, immediate need for what they’re buying – they won’t have spent much time considering and researching the purchase, and they’ll probably want it as quickly as possible. They’re also likely to be more receptive to any offers, upsells and quick but cheap delivery options.

‍What these customers want from ecommerce delivery options: 
  • Express Shipping 

Research by RetailEconomics has found that a speedy delivery is one of the top factors that online shoppers care about the most, and impulse shoppers are likely to be among those who want their orders sooner rather than later, so offering an express delivery option may be key to securing their orders. 

  • Free Delivery Threshold 

Impulse buyers are already purchasing on a whim – which means they may be more susceptible to adding an extra product or two to their shopping cart, especially if it will help them qualify for free delivery! After all, research shows that 73% of shoppers admit to overspending to qualify for free delivery.

Last minute shoppers

Speed is of the essence for last minute shoppers. Anyone looking for a last minute gift will immediately want to check whether or not your product will arrive in time to meet their needs. . Last minute shoppers are often out in full force around key holidays such as Christmas. 

What these customers want from ecommerce delivery options: 
  • Next Day Delivery

69% of consumers paid extra for next day delivery in 2023, compared to only 38% in 2020. Customers who need their orders to arrive as soon as possible are more likely to be among those who want next day shipping – and are willing to pay for it. 

  • Clear Shipping Estimates

While speed is key, the main thing that last minute shoppers need to ensure is that their order arrives in time, whether that's the next day or before a particular date. By displaying clear shipping estimates, you can ease delivery anxieties and help last minute shoppers feel more confident in their purchase’s arrival. 

  • Cut off deadlines for next day delivery

If you’re offering express or next day delivery make sure that you include cut off times for when an order can be placed to ensure timely dispatch. This helps set realistic expectations and avoids disappointment for customers placing last-minute orders. Displaying this information prominently ensures that customers know exactly how much time they have to complete their purchase.

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Bargain hunters

Not all shoppers are on the lookout for a quick delivery service, there’s a large number of shoppers that will only make a purchase if they don’t have to pay for delivery. For most ecommerce businesses it’s unrealistic to offer free delivery on all orders, but a minimum spend threshold can encourage higher order values and persuade them to place an order.

What these customers want from ecommerce delivery options: 
  • Free delivery

Free delivery remains a powerful incentive for online shoppers, especially those who are already on the lookout for a bargain. Research shows that 95% of Brits are more likely to make a purchase if delivery is free, so offering free shipping can be the key to ensuring sales from many customers. 

  • Cheap delivery 

If free delivery isn’t an option for your brand, providing a low-cost economy shipping alternative alongside premium options can help satisfy budget-conscious customers without compromising your margins.

  • Minimum spend thresholds

One way to make free delivery easier to offer is by setting minimum spend thresholds, which will encourage higher order values. However, as customers are still gaining free delivery, they will likely feel more positive – DHL found that 46% of shoppers would prefer to pay for delivery if the cost is incorporated into the product price rather than displayed as a separate charge. 

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How to offer multiple delivery options with Zenstores

Offering a range of shipping options to suit different customers doesn’t have to complicate your fulfilment and dispatch process: it’s simple to connect multiple couriers to your Zenstores account then manage your orders, print shipping labels in bulk and mark orders as dispatched. 

Zenstores offers direct integrations with Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DPD, DPD Local, APC Overnight, Evri, Yodel and Parcel2Go and will import orders from eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, Adobe Commerce and WooCommerce. 

Additionally, if you don’t have access to a shipping service you wish to offer, you can also ship with leading couriers at exclusive rates and discounts with Zenstores Swift. With a wide range of shipping services, we’ve teamed up with market leaders to offer a wide range of options at competitive rates.

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How to display delivery options with Zenstores 

Having the right shipping and delivery services to offer your customers is all very well, however if they can’t see this information clearly on your website, you may still end up missing out on sales. 

Research by Baymard found that before adding a product to their cart, 64% of online shoppers look for the shipping costs on the product page. However, 43% of ecommerce brands do not display any shipping or delivery information on their product pages 

To ensure your customers have all the information they need, Zenstores Convert allows you to display clear and accurate delivery promises and shipping costs directly on your product pages and at checkout. By communicating delivery information clearly, you can reduce confusion, build customer confidence, and ultimately increase conversions.

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Delivering success with the right shipping options

Providing shoppers with flexible delivery options tailored to their needs is no longer just a perk — it’s a key part of the ecommerce delivery experience. When customers can choose a shipping method that suits their budget, timeline, and preferences, they’re more likely to feel confident in completing their purchase.

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Ready to improve your customer’s delivery experience? 

Whether you need a straightforward way to manage multiple carriers, access to discounted shipping rates with top couriers, or tools to display accurate delivery promises on your website, Zenstores has you covered.

Discover how Zenstores can:

Not sure what your ecommerce brand needs to excel? Get in touch with us and we can help you identify the best solutions for your ecommerce business.