How shipping protection enhances the post-purchase experience

It’s not unusual for us to be left with more questions than answers when we make purchases online. Consumers experience a range of anxieties from the moment they hit ‘purchase’, such as:

What if my order gets damaged in transit?

What if my order doesn’t arrive?

What if my package gets stolen before I can receive it?

When shopping online is such a stressful business, it’s not surprising that consumers have embraced the resurgence of physical retail this holiday season.  According to a survey by Shopkick, 80% of respondents said that high shipping costs and the likelihood of delivery delays meant they were reconsidering whether or not to shop online.

If consumers think that shopping online will create stress and friction, it’s going to be challenging for your brand to increase conversions - unless you can demonstrate that everything is under control if the worst happens.

This is where investing in shipping protection is your best tool to boost consumer confidence and enhance the post-purchase experience. We’re going to discuss why your brand should consider investing in a package protection solution - with a little help from our partner Corso.

What is shipping protection?

Shipping protection, also known as shipping insurance or package protection, is a service that both merchants and shoppers can purchase to get reimbursed for orders that are lost, damaged, or stolen while in transit. In sum, shipping protection ensures that you are protected in the event of a worst-case scenario that’s out of your control.

All major carriers offer their own shipping protection as an extra cost for covering parcels over a certain value. This is an easy and convenient option for merchants who primarily use only one carrier for shipping. 

But thanks to rising shipping costs, many brands are now in the position of needing to shop around for the best rates to protect their profit margins. This is where a third-party shipping protection solution is a more flexible option that offers value-added features and a single point of contact in the event of something going wrong.

Is it really worth getting shipping protection as a merchant? 

It’s easy for merchants to view shipping protection as just another expense that hits their profit margins. A survey by NTI found that 93% of consumers say they only occasionally (37%) rarely (30%), or never (25%) get offered package protection when shopping online. 

The alternative is for merchants to manage reimbursing customers or sending replacements directly whenever a damaged or lost package occurs. While this might appear cheaper at face value, you also need to consider the hidden cost of managing customer care when things go awry.

This is because there are considerable benefits to offering shipping protection besides mitigating losses. If you play your cards right, shipping protection can be a powerful post-purchase experience strategy that strengthens loyalty towards your brand.

Why shipping protection enhances the post-purchase experience

Having workflows in place to handle bad delivery outcomes

If an order turns up on the doorstep damaged, customer loyalty is going to take an immediate hit. How you choose to respond to this undesirable outcome is what determines whether that customer will choose to shop with you in the future.

For example, if brand representatives are slow to respond or replacement products aren’t dispatched immediately, this adds a huge amount of friction to the customer experience. With 32% of consumers saying they would stop doing business with a brand they loved after one poor experience, there’s little room for error.

Shipping protection provides both merchants and customers with a clear recourse in the case that delivery goes awry. They know exactly who they need to contact and the steps that will be taken to fix the problem. This means that merchants can respond quickly and effectively, rather than trying to come up with solutions on the fly.

Giving your customers peace of mind

As we mentioned at the start of this post, it’s easy for customers to jump into thinking about worst-case scenarios. Delivery anxiety is a real and serious phenomenon that erodes customer loyalty and confidence if they aren’t given assurances that their order is progressing as planned. 

Thanks to the lag between making a purchase and home delivery, it’s easy for delivery anxiety to fester. If not addressed, customers may begin bombarding your customer care for answers - or even cancel their order entirely.

Shipping protection is a key instrument in the after-care toolkit - alongside offerings like order tracking, live chat, and self-service returns - that helps to ease anxiety during the post-purchase experience. If consumers know that you have a policy in place to manage no-show or damaged packages, they’re less likely to worry. This means more positive post-purchase experiences - and in turn happier customers.

Providing a white glove delivery experience 

Hard truth: The ecommerce delivery experience is rarely something for merchants to boast about. At best, delivery is an afterthought and a missed opportunity for customers to strengthen their relationship with your brand.

Why? Because delivery is much more than just a door knock and package drop-off; it’s your moment to prove that your brand can make good on its value proposition to your customers. If you don’t treat this moment with the gravity it deserves, you risk leaving customers with a poor perception of your brand. 

When it comes to customer retention, it’s not the first impression that matters - but the last. 

This is why so-called ‘white glove’ delivery has gained so much importance as ecommerce grows more competitive. Value-added services such as scheduled delivery and assigning customer service representatives help transform delivery into a meaningful touchpoint.

Notifying your customers that shipping protection is included as a part of their order is the first step to building that premium delivery experience. It’s a clear sign that you’re going the extra mile to remove friction and put your customers at the center.

Corso helps brands to achieve safer, greener delivery

As with any customer service issue, timely resolution to lost or damaged orders is the key to salvaging the customer relationship. This is where Ryder’s partner Corso is your best ally to remove friction and frustration from the post-purchase experience.

With Corso’s Green Shipping Protection, merchants can rest easy knowing they can handle the ‘what-ifs’ that come with ecommerce delivery:

Easy, customer-centric resolutions. Corso integrates directly with your Shopify store so merchants can initiate reorder requests for damaged or lost orders directly via the Corso dashboard. Customers can also reach out directly to support@corso.com or visit reorder.corso.com to initiate order replacements. 

A direct line of communication. Corso works closely with your customer support team to resolve shipping and delivery issues quickly, whether that be via direct email or a shared Slack channel. 

No police report requirements. Requiring customers to file a police report for reorders will only frustrate customers further. Corso only requires police reports in select circumstances and coordinates closely merchants to remove as much friction as possible.

A greener last mile. Corso offsets up to 100% of last mile shipping emissions through verified carbon offset projects. This is a great way to elevate your sustainability efforts by empowering customers to make a positive impact on the environment.

Ryder + Corso: Gain concierge-level support for your online orders

Powered by Corso and Ryder, ecommerce merchants will gain an extra layer of support to help them manage parcel carrier challenges effectively. From negotiating cost-effective shipping rates to protecting customers against theft, our latest partnership provides the ultimate wraparound support to give your customers confidence that your brand can deliver a satisfying post-purchase experience.