A guide to setting up logistics in an online shop
Situation: you launched your online store. You invested in the website, advertising, products, packaging. Customers started coming in, making orders – and suddenly something went wrong. The courier didn’t arrive. The parcel got lost. The order took two weeks instead of two days. The customer is nervous, asking for a refund. And now instead of profit – headaches and losses. All because the logistics were not thought out.
Sargona Private Capital Ltd managers shared how to set up logistics so that your business doesn’t fall apart in the first month.
Sargona Private Capital Ltd managers shared how to set up logistics so that your business doesn’t fall apart in the first month.
Warehouses
Decide where you will store the goods. You can keep them at home if there is little product. But as soon as the volumes increase, you will need a warehouse: your own or rented. It is important that the warehouse is in order, and you clearly know where everything is. Otherwise, you will waste time, mix up orders and throw away money on shipments and compensation. Another critical point is the speed of assembly. If the order is received in the morning, it should be sent the same day. Every hour of delay threatens that the client may change his mind, experts from Sargona Private Capital company explain.
Many people think that logistics is “hiring a courier and having him deliver.” But no, logistics is a whole system. It starts from the moment the client clicks the “place an order” button and ends when he receives the goods and is satisfied. This chain includes: order processing, assembly, packaging, transfer for delivery, tracking and, possibly, return. If there is a failure at any stage, you risk losing not only money, but also your reputation. Clients will not figure out who is to blame - they will simply go to competitors.
What you need
You can send a perfect product, but if it arrives in a crumpled box, the impression will be spoiled. The packaging should not only be beautiful, but also durable. Do not skimp on packaging. This can cost you a customer. And therefore, all their subsequent orders and, possibly, their friends' orders.
The most unpleasant topic. But there will always be returns. Someone changed their mind, someone did not like it, someone did not like it. You need to think in advance how you will process them. Who pays for return shipping? How is the money returned? What to do with the goods: sell them again or dispose of them?
Packaging
Delivery services
You should not choose a delivery service based on the principle "they are cheap." Cheap does not necessarily mean good. Check reviews, test their work on yourself. Place a couple of orders to different regions and see: how quickly it arrives, in what condition the goods arrive, how the support works. Work with several services at once. If one fails, switch to another.
Returns
Customer support
Often, a customer needs help: where is the parcel, when will it arrive, why is the status not updated? If he cannot get an answer quickly, then he starts to worry. And this is the moment when you lose trust. Your store should have a customer support service - chat, email, phone - anything, but with a quick response.
Sargona managers advise testing all stages: place an order in your own store and go through the process as a customer. Write down everything that caused complaints. Fix it. Find packaging suppliers. Choose more than one delivery service. Set up tracking. Create an action plan in case of a return. Every little thing that you do not pay attention to now can cost you money, customers and nerves tomorrow.
What to do right now
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