For online stores, delivering orders to customers is a necessity. However, only a few e-shops deal with shipping options beyond this basic requirement. Yet shipping can be a great marketing tool that helps convince customers to make a purchase. Don’t believe it? Take a look at the shipping options online stores can use to attract customers and which WooCommerce plugins can help you.
Free shipping attracts customers and increases order value
Free shipping is an evergreen strategy that e-shops use to attract customers—and customers often respond positively. You can use it as a one-time campaign or as part of a long-term strategy.
25% of customers stated that a free shipping offer was one of the main reasons for choosing a particular online store
(marketvision.cz)
As a one-time action, you can organize a free shipping day/week (for all shipping methods or only selected ones), which can attract a surge of customers in a short period of time.
In the long term, use free shipping above a certain order value. This method helps increase average order value. However, it’s crucial to set the threshold correctly. Too low? You lose money. Too high? You discourage customers.
Another option is offering free shipping coupons. These are easy to share on social media and help promote your e-shop.
If you want to offer free shipping—whether unconditional or conditional—you need to calculate it carefully so the campaign doesn’t cost more than it brings in. The good news is that while free delivery is the most common strategy, it’s definitely not the only ace up your sleeve when it comes to e-shop shipping.
Specific delivery times: Morning, afternoon, or evening?
The option to choose morning, afternoon, or evening delivery is not very common among e-shops (or carriers). On the other hand, it’s a service that solves the dilemma for many customers—whether to have the package delivered home or to work. If you offer this service, don’t forget to promote it properly. Only then can it become the deciding factor that convinces customers to buy from your store.
Toret DPD
Morning, midday, and afternoon delivery
Offer your customers delivery to their address at a specific time of day—by 10 AM, 12 PM, or 6 PM. In addition, you can use standard home delivery or pickup point delivery and handle everything quickly directly from your store’s administration.
Own branches and personal pickup
If your e-shop isn’t located on a deserted island, offer customers the option of personal order pickup. It’s a strong argument for local customers to choose your store over competitors. At the same time, it appeals to customers who want their package quickly and are willing to travel to pick it up. If you have multiple branches (e.g., brick-and-mortar stores), personal pickup should be a given.
21% of customers use personal pickup at a physical branch.
(E-shopper Barometer)
You can also use this advantage in your marketing and target part of your advertising to customers near your branch.
Toret Own Branches and Shipping
Your own pickup point network. Made simple.
Create your own branch network, define their name, address, allowed payment methods, shipment dimensions and weight limits, or specific products. Customers can choose from your branches using a clear map widget. You can also use branch import/export or manage stock for individual pickup points.
Scaling shipping types and prices in WooCommerce
Are you shipping a small, inexpensive item at the same rate as a large, oversized package? Don’t use a cannon to shoot a sparrow—scale your shipping if you don’t want customers to shop elsewhere. This is especially relevant for e-shops with diverse product ranges.
If you sell small, large, cheap, and expensive products, you should offer corresponding shipping options. Nothing discourages a customer more than shipping costing as much as the product itself. Proper shipping scaling will reduce the number of abandoned orders.
TIP: Shipping plugins can help you scale delivery prices. They allow you to adjust shipping costs based on shipment weight and dimensions, delivery distance, or order value. Check out plugins that support advanced pricing settings.
Eco-friendly delivery
Environmental topics have been resonating across society in recent years—positively in some circles, more critically in others. If your customers belong to a target group that values sustainability, eco-friendly delivery can be a strong marketing attraction.
Czech customers are willing to pay extra for sustainable behavior by e-shops or services. 7.6% of respondents chose “definitely yes,” and another 35.9% chose “rather yes.”
(mediaguru.cz)
Almost all courier companies are introducing electric vehicles or cargo bike delivery, or offset emissions through additional measures (e.g., ThinkGreen service from GLS). With proper promotion, eco-friendly delivery can attract even more customers.
Guaranteed delivery time
“Next-day delivery” or “Delivered within two days” are strong statements with great potential to convince customers to shop in your online store. However, you should not promise something you cannot fulfill. A flood of negative reviews could negatively impact your store’s reputation and rating and discourage future customers.
Whether you can meet such short deadlines depends on the efficiency of your order processing and the reliability of your carrier. Many carriers can guarantee delivery within a certain timeframe, but only if the e-shop prepares the shipment in time and it’s not peak season, typically before Christmas.
TIP: Automation helps speed up order processing. These WooCommerce shipping plugins allow automatic shipment data transfer to carrier systems, label printing, and pickup ordering. This ensures your packages are sent on time.
Shipping can be a competitive advantage for online stores
We’ve outlined ways in which different shipping methods can positively influence sales. However, these strategies will only work if customers learn about them before reaching the checkout page. Promote them on social media, in email newsletters, on your homepage, and in ads. Only then will they help you attract new customers.
Are you deciding which carrier is right for your online store? Check out our article WooCommerce shipping: Shipping options and carrier comparison for more information, or browse a suitable plugin from the WooCommerce shipping category.