Member Article

Rural Retail: Three Steps to Improving the Christmas Shopping Experience

When it comes to online retail, for many consumers it’s a quick, cheap and easy way of shopping – but for others, it’s a lifeline. This is especially true for those living in remote locations – many of them are now dependent on the Internet.

So when the government summoned retailers and parcel delivery companies this week (Guardian – Online shoppers in rural areas hampered by high delivery charges) it was clear abandoned purchases were becoming the latest problem for the retail industry to solve.

What’s happening?

Delivery costs are too high and companies are unable to deliver to rural areas. This is not only a concern for customers, but also retailers who are gearing up for Christmas – their delivery and returns processes must be equipped to handle the chaotic period.

As the Guardian article explains:

Research from the consumer group Consumer Futures has shown that consumers living in remote rural areas of the UK – including islands – are increasingly abandoning online purchases because of unexpectedly high delivery charges, or after finding that companies will not deliver to them at all.

The summit came one month prior to Christmas, a time when the worth of the online retail spend is forecast to reach £20.4bn – and who wouldn’t want to take a slice of that sales figure?

Whether your shop sells to rural customers or not, here are three ways to ensure you provide a great shopping experience over the festive season:

• Transparency – any extra costs should appear early in the purchase process – customers can be put off by charges only added on at the checkout. Give customers options too, some prefer to use PayPal rather than a credit card. As an incentive, free delivery works well, but make sure you offer it to previously defined customer groups to ensure this doesn’t lose its value. If you are unable to do this, try a discount or set next-day delivery at the same price as standard delivery. One key thing is to make sure you consider all locations when setting delivery options and avoid customer disappointment.

• International – be prepared for selling abroad. Just like rural dwellers, those living in other countries using your site must be considered too.Make sure you can accommodate foreign consumers by complying with the local laws. Although certain laws apply in the UK, they might change once the consumer is purchasing from abroad. If nothing is agreed prior to a purchase, the law that governs the sale is the law applicable in the country where the consumer has residence. For example, the “cooling off period” in the UK differs from the cancellation period in Germany. In the UK the period for cancellation is 7 working days whereas in Germany consumers may cancel within 14 days.

• Mistakes – in the long retail chain, there’s huge scope for things to go wrong… And through no fault of your own they often do. Even if deliveries could go astray you don’t necessarily have to lose a customer because of it. Simple things like giving a small bonus to apologise will make the customer feel valued and acknowledge that their problem has been taken seriously. Now that social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are so widely used, ensure you have places for your customers to address problems and have their say – rather than letting them complain about you elsewhere (which does happen). A big part of this is also having a strategy in place so you know in advance exactly what actions need to be taken to resolve it

Being prepared, upfront and willing to accept mistakes is the best way to gain consumer trust. The last thing you want is for a customer to make a purchase and then fall off the radar. Customers should have such a great experience shopping with in your store, that they want to return. Using the three simple steps successfully – you should have a great Christmas shopping season.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt for successful ecommerce? Let us know @TrustedShopsUK

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Phillip Smith .