Why is it so important to describe delivery conditions in an online store in clear language? What delivery methods are suitable for an online store What do you need to do when delivering goods?
Hi all! I hope this article will help resolve the issue related to the delivery of goods in your online store to the buyer.
I will only talk about those methods that I use myself and the work of which I know from the inside. Who doesn't know, I'm studying 😉
Delivery by courier in your city
This method is great for beginning entrepreneurs. If you have a client from your city, you can deliver the order to him yourself. The advantages of this method are obvious:
- Fast refund;
- Additional earnings on paid delivery.
Main disadvantage this method, this is a time investment.
I spend course on selling goods from one-page websites minimal investment and one of the students, Vardan, solved this problem simply by hiring his own courier. But here it is important to take into account that the courier is an adequate person and does not disappear with your money.
Delivery by Russian Post
All online stores use this method, since Russian Post has a vast geography, and you can deliver goods for little money to any corner of Russia. And this is its main advantage.
Russian Post is perfect for those who are just starting their first steps in online sales. You don’t need an individual entrepreneur or LLC to work with it; you can work as an individual and receive money for goods at the post office.
In addition, Russian Post has integration with various CRM systems and other services that save time and money. For example, I use RetailCRM, which has integration with Russian Post configured. Thanks to this, I print all the necessary forms for sending a parcel immediately from the CRM, in addition, the order statuses automatically change, thanks to this there is no need to waste time on manually checking orders.
Also a huge plus is the ability to set up SMS alerts and automatic calls that will remind the buyer about his order, which contributes to a good purchase of parcels.
Fig 1 - printing postal forms from CRM:
Fig 2 - Automatic change of statuses in CRM, in accordance with the status of the track in the mail:
Fig 3 - Automatically updating track status in CRM:
But Russian Post also has its disadvantages:
- Long delivery.
- Buyers from large cities do not like to order by mail, but prefer courier delivery or delivery to a pickup point.
- There is a possibility that either the order or money from the buyer may be lost along the way. You can write a search request and the amount of declared value will be returned to you after 60 days if they do not find where your order or postal order is.
- And most importantly, there are long queues. It takes a lot of time to send an order, and for the buyer to receive it. I advise that before you start sending orders on a regular basis, ask the postal operators at what hours they have the least number of visitors. At my post office this time is from 15 to 17 hours.
Courier service SDEK
From this courier service I have been working for about 1.5 years and have already formed my opinion about their work. This company has an extensive network of pick-up points and courier delivery in almost all major cities of the Russian Federation.
The cost of delivery is low; in the European part of the Russian Federation, the cost of courier delivery is on average 350 rubles, pick-up points are around 250 rubles. SDEK also has integration with various services, which allows you to create invoices for shipment in a matter of seconds directly from CRM systems. To work with SDEK you must have an individual entrepreneur (with current account) or LLC.
What I managed to note for myself while working with them.
- They have disgusting courier delivery in Moscow. They miss deadlines after agreeing on the delivery time with the buyer and do not warn him about this, and the couriers can even be rude. For this reason, I no longer send orders to Moscow using this courier service.
- Delivery to the regions is good, almost always on time. The redeemability of parcels is at an acceptable level.
- It is possible to send several products to choose from. A very cool thing when trading goods with sizes.
- The werewolf is frozen. You will receive your money only after 10-15 days from the moment the buyer pays for the order. Therefore, you need to have a reserve of funds, especially at the very beginning. Then it will go into the flow, and it won’t feel that way anymore.
- Sometimes their telephony is slow, and as a result they don’t get through to the client. You need to call yourself and schedule delivery.
- Very long technical support. The phone is constantly busy, and online chat on the site can be silent for an hour or more.
Examples of order costs and terms from Yekaterinburg to Moscow, weighing 0.5 kg, were given on the screen:
Example of integration with RetailCRM:
By the way, at the end of 2016, TC SDEK awarded me a silver partner diploma:
Courier service AXIOMUS
What can I say, a very cool company. During my work, I do not have a single complaint about them. This is undoubtedly the leader on this list. Delivery by courier in Moscow and Moscow Region on the next working day, in St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region after 1 working day. Axiomus has many pick-up points, which allows you to deliver your order very cheaply. Many customers want to pick up their order this way. I have been working with them since December 2016, I have sent more than two hundred parcels across Moscow and St. Petersburg, and I have not found a single disadvantage, so I will list the advantages:
- Integration with RetailCRM and 1C, which makes it easier for managers when placing an order.
- Excellent support, you get an answer to your question within 10-15 minutes.
- Cooperates with other delivery services, such as TopDelevery, BoxBerry, DPD, STRIZH, Russian Post. This allows you to send goods throughout Russia, and not have to go to the post office yourself.
- Couriers can accept payments by card, which undoubtedly increases the prestige of the store in the eyes of the buyer.
- There is courier delivery to Moscow Region and Leningrad Region.
- Polite couriers who always call the client before leaving.
- They do not miss deadlines, all orders were delivered exactly at the agreed time.
- Convenient personal account.
- Fast refund of cash on delivery payments. They transfer money once a week. Let's say orders were delivered from Wednesday to Monday, you will receive money for these orders on Wednesday. This is very cool, it allows you to significantly increase the turnover of funds, and as a result, profit.
- Only individual entrepreneurs or LLCs can work with Axiomus.
- You can collect cash on delivery payments in cash.
Example personal account Axiomus:
That's all. I told you about what delivery methods I use.
IN your course I talk in detail about working with delivery and service integration.
I hope the information was useful to you. Ask your questions in the comments, I will definitely answer them.
Find out about the main methods of organizing delivery for online stores:
- Express delivery;
- pickup of goods from the online store;
- EMS/Russian mail in online stores;
- transport companies.
Express delivery
In large cities this is the most popular method and the most popular delivery service. This method is characterized by high delivery speed and the fact that buyers can look at the product to check its condition before paying.
The simplest scheme and easy to implement.
At the start, it is very problematic to hire your own couriers, so you should outsource delivery and use the services of third-party couriers if necessary. This will protect you from unnecessary expenses and there will be no situations when the courier sits out in the office. In an article about courier services for an online store, comparative review courier services that can be entrusted with delivering orders.
On average, the cost of services of courier companies is approximately 170-200 rubles. an order weighing up to one kilogram, delivery of which is carried out within St. Petersburg or Moscow. The cost of delivery to St. Petersburg to MSC on average is approximately 250-300 rubles.
Let's take a look at the results:
- Price
- Speed
- Reliability
Cost: due to the high speed, such a service is not cheap (for an order weighing one kilogram in one city - from 150 rubles).
Speed: if you have your own couriers, you can send orders on the day you receive the orders. Orders are delivered by third-party courier services the next day after acceptance.
Reliability: responsibility for the cargo received lies with your couriers and courier services (it is worth reading the contract with them).
All self-respecting online stores should have courier delivery, regardless of the region where the work is carried out.
Pickup of goods from the online store
Self-pickup is more convenient because the buyer does not have to pay for delivery of the order, and this is important when the order amount is small. Moreover, buyers do not rely on couriers, who often arrive at unspecified times.
In addition, you can place additional display cases with goods at pickup points, thereby providing customers with the opportunity to buy other goods in your store.
If you don’t have an office, then don’t be upset, now you can place goods on the basis of pickup centers of courier services or companies that were originally designed as pickup centers for online stores (for example, SamZaber).
A significant disadvantage of self-pickup is the higher percentage of unpurchased orders compared to courier. Therefore, a few days after confirming orders, it is worth reminding customers that the order is awaiting them. Then the buyer will either completely refuse or come to pick it up.
Results:
- Price
- Speed
- Reliability
- It is possible to accept cash upon receipt
Cost: Pickup may cost nothing if it's your own office. When using the services of third-party pickup centers, issuing the 1st order will cost on average 40-90 rubles. depending on the center.
Speed: The low speed is due to the fact that quite often buyers do not immediately arrive to place an order, but only within a few days.
Reliability: Naturally, if the pickup is in your own office, then you are responsible for it. Responsibility for the order transferred according to documents also lies with third-party pickup centers; do not forget to read the contract.
MailEMS/Russia in online stores
It's no secret that in online stores, cash on delivery delivery is one of the most popular types of delivery in Russia. Firstly, because it has the largest coverage of the territory. Secondly, because many potential buyers live in small towns.
The delivery procedure is as follows:
- Packaging of goods;
- Sending orders through Russian Post offices;
- The order is sent to the recipients, we are waiting for it to arrive at their department;
- When an order is received, payment is expected to arrive.
- The main disadvantages of cash on delivery delivery. Before opening delivery throughout Russia, you should think about the following:
- In Russia, the average delivery time is ten days;
- When sending only by prepayment there is a certain risk of freezing working capital during delivery;
It will also take a lot of work to prevent orders from not being picked up. In such cases, you will spend ten days on delivery, a month to collect the order, and in cases where it is not collected, another ten days to return the goods. Do not forget that in such cases you will have to pay for delivery both there and back.
There may be additional costs associated with communicating with buyers from the regions.
However, even if there are all the above-mentioned disadvantages, working with the entire Russian audience has its advantages. Since the opening of this type of delivery, complications are possible that are associated with the fact that some Money travels around Russia in the form of orders, but over time (when orders are redeemed) the situation begins to stabilize. Moreover, the audience potential buyers very large.
To reduce the number of non-fences, the following recommendations will help you:
It is worth notifying buyers about the shipment of goods;
It is also worth notifying them about the delivery of the order to their post office;
You should always confirm orders to the regions by phone.
Results:
- Price
- Speed
- Reliability
- It is possible to accept cash upon receipt
Cost: delivery is at a fixed cost and depends on the region where the parcel is sent. We recommend 1st class.
Speed: depending on the region, the delivery time can be found on the Russian Post website. We recommend sending by 1st class, which significantly reduces delivery times.
Reliability: according to statistics, Russian Post rarely delivers goods to their final destination. However, there may be violations of deadlines and appearance packages The product may also be damaged. It is worth warning buyers that they should not redeem their purchase if the packaging is significantly damaged.
By the way, it is more convenient to send parcels through branches that do not work with individuals, but only with individual entrepreneurs or legal entities.
Transport companies
For online stores, it is the most unclaimed delivery service.
We are talking about delivery using companies such as PEK, Business Line etc. The advantage of these companies is fast delivery in comparison with Russian Post and a large number of offices in Russia (more than 1000 cities).
This type of delivery is perfect for:
- Prompt delivery to cities where the buyer can independently pick up orders from the transport company’s warehouse;
- Delivery of fairly large cargo;
Buyers place orders, make an advance payment for them, and then you send the order to the city. Compared to Russian Post, this type of delivery has less coverage (medium and large cities), but faster delivery, which is especially important for remote regions.
Some transport companies offer the opportunity to pay for goods upon receipt, but we recommend using prepayment systems.
Transport companies:
- Business Line
- Results:
- Price
- Speed
- Reliability
- It is possible to accept cash upon receipt in some companies
Cost: the cost of delivery is comparable to the cost of sending using Russian Post. It is more profitable to send oversized cargo by transport companies.
Speed: compared to Russian Post, the speed is higher, but the coverage is smaller.
Reliability: higher reliability than Russian Post due to shorter delivery times and more careful handling of shipments.
What to choose as a result for delivery for an online store?
We considered pick-up, courier delivery, transport companies and Russian Post. Now let's compare them according to their characteristics:
Speed:
- Pickup
- Express delivery
- Transport company
- Post office
It has already been noted that courier delivery is the most quick way delivery of orders to end customers. But Russian Post has maximum coverage in the Russian Federation.
Price:
- Pickup
- Express delivery
- Transport company
- Post office
Always high speed delivery was characterized by high delivery costs. It's quite difficult to compare here. Various types, because each of these types performs its own tasks, the difference in cost is large. The main thing is that online stores offer many different payment options.
Reliability:
- Pickup
- Express delivery
- Transport company
- Post office
The most reliable is delivery on our own when using couriers or self-pickup. By and large, everything happens before your eyes and control is much easier. When sent to the regions, control becomes more difficult. Send a courier on a business trip a thousand kilometers away - you yourself understand that such a trip will not pay for the sale. Unless, of course, you sold the composition household appliances, numbering twenty cars. Therefore, it is better for a young store not to get involved with the regions, but to focus on the city where it operates.
As you can see, there is no obvious winner in all categories. Therefore, we recommend that you always not use only one delivery option, but combine them, thereby giving customers the opportunity to choose. For some it is more convenient to pay for prompt delivery by courier, while for others it is better to drive up yourself so as not to overpay.
Select delivery at start
When launching an online store, courier delivery is required (up to two days) + pickup is also desirable. Over time, it’s worth trying to test delivery by Russian Post, both prepaid and cash on delivery. The results obtained will help you finally determine the scheme for working with mail.
If you distribute large goods or it is more convenient for you to work with transport companies, then it is worth assessing the cost of such a service and choosing the appropriate service. This site can provide you with assistance in automatically calculating shipping costs for various destinations.
In order not to make a mistake when choosing a delivery option, it is necessary to take into account the type of product being delivered. For example, you need to remember that delicate electronics and various small items do not like transportation by mail, since they can be damaged during shipment. Because Cell phones, gadgets, electronics, and computer spare parts are best delivered through a courier, or even better, delivered by pick-up. We must not forget that courier delivery is also Additional income. As a rule, the cost of a trip for a courier is several times lower than payment for delivery, therefore offering courier services to the client is profitable.
If your product is not afraid of impacts (for example, clothing), then the most profitable delivery method is undoubtedly mail. Using post offices, you can easily send goods without worrying about its safety. Finally, if your field of activity is something large (water boilers, gas stoves, furniture...) - your choice is - specialized services deliveries that have become widespread in Russia recently. As a rule, such services have convenient websites where you can track the progress of delivery, because both you and your client can always find out where the goods are located. In addition, the cost of services of these companies is quite favorable.
As we can see, all delivery options are good to a certain extent. Most stores prefer to combine advantages and practice different variants delivery. As a rule, courier delivery is carried out in the city where the store is located. And to remote regions the goods are sent by postal services.
Russian online stores mainly use 4-5 delivery methods. Which of them is preferred is usually decided by the buyer, who is given a choice. But also the owners trading platform can also set a specific delivery method.
Statistics show that the majority of users choose self-pickup, but only if it is convenient for them. For example, they can pick up an order on the way somewhere, or the pickup point is located near a metro station that is on their way.
Other customers living in the same city where the store is located are ready to wait for courier delivery. Moreover free shipping the majority chooses.
Customers from other regions cannot come in person or choose courier delivery, so they have only 2 options: receive the order through Russian Post or using the services of a transport company that operates throughout the country.
In fact, this is not even delivery, but simply providing the buyer with the opportunity to pick up their order themselves. Pick-up points are usually organized in a warehouse with goods or in an office. Some private owners manage to arrange their home for pick-up, but this threatens that its owner will not be given peace and the house will turn into a walk-through yard.
Any online store can choose pickup, but when working with all localities in Russia, you should indicate that this method is available only for a specific city in which the warehouse or central office is located.
Express delivery
This delivery method provides 2 options:
- Creation of your own courier service.
- Cooperation with an outsourcing courier service.
The first point is the most effective and reliable, since you will have complete control over the activities of your employees. At the same time, this is also the most expensive option, because it will take a lot of money to train and maintain your own couriers.
The second point is not as good as the first, but it is quite suitable for small online stores, as it reduces courier delivery costs to a minimum.
Let's take an example of several third-party companies that provide courier delivery services to stores.
SDEK
Transport companies
The most common ones are EMS and DHL. Unlike local courier services, transport companies operate throughout the country and even abroad. Thus, if you plan to open a store with delivery throughout Russia or countries near and far abroad, you will be able to use the services of such companies or by mail.
The first option is much more expensive, but the delivery time is several times shorter. In addition, couriers of transport organizations deliver parcels directly to the addressee. There is no need to go to the post office, stand in line and waste your time.
The entire path of the goods from the point of departure to the point of delivery can be tracked online using a track code. This is convenient both for the administration of the online store and for the buyer, who will see where his order is now and what is happening with it.
This delivery method appeared quite recently, but has already attracted the attention of many online stores due to its low cost.
A parcel terminal is a special terminal that stores and issues parcels to customers. The size of the product is limited by the dimensions of the cell, so ordering a large TV or refrigerator and waiting for it to be delivered to the parcel terminal clearly does not make sense.
Services such as PickPoint and InPost send parcels to parcel lockers.
If your website was created using the 1C-UMI designer, you can add different methods of delivering goods: self-pickup, courier, transport company or Russian Post. We recommend because it is built into the checkout process, is taken into account when calculating the order amount, and is built into the order processing panel.
Having dealt with the packaging, you need to transfer the parcel to Russian Post. After which, the goods will be sent to the post office at the address you specified. When the package reaches its destination, the client will come to the post office (a notification will be sent to him) to pick it up and pay for it.
The money will be transferred to you accordingly. This algorithm of work is described for those who are going to send parcels by cash on delivery. And as we know, this method is the most reliable.
Important! Along with the parcel, an invoice (or delivery and acceptance certificate) and a document containing information about the product itself and the procedure for its return must be submitted.
Pickup
For the buyer, this option will be convenient only if there are several pickup points. Because Not everyone wants to travel far. Pickup is usually always an additional option for delivering the package to the customer. In addition, if the pickup point(s) is limited to one city, and you are sending goods throughout Russia, then the store must indicate that this option is only available for a certain city.
Self delivery
If you start operating in your city, then there is this option: deliver the parcels yourself. Of course, it’s not as prestigious as we would like, but still, it’s also a way.
Own couriers
The most prestigious, reliable, and effective method– develop your courier network. The only and very significant drawback is that it will take a lot of money. On the contrary, the advantages a large number of:
You can fully control the work of couriers.
The couriers themselves are interested in working “conscientiously”, because... theirs depends on it wage.
Well-coordinated work of couriers, delivery on time.
Outsourcing companies (couriers)
Although the previous option is the most the best solution, but due to high costs, not all online stores can afford it, especially on initial stages. In such situations, there is an alternative for those who do not want to hire couriers and use postal services, but still need to deliver the goods somehow. Outsourcing companies provide courier delivery services. In order not to beat around the bush, I will give clear examples of such companies:
Attention! I do not encourage working with the companies mentioned below. This information is provided for informational purposes only. The final decision is yours.
Rhythm-Z
The company provides a wide variety of services that will be useful to online stores. Important point: The company can provide courier services only for Moscow and St. Petersburg. For other cities, a service has been implemented to deliver parcels to pick-up points, where the client can pick up his order.
Allobegy
The company positions itself as a service for online stores, including courier delivery services. "Hello? I’m running!” has been operating for quite a decent amount of time: more than 6 years. As with the above company, delivery is possible by Russian Post, to pick-up points, and to parcel terminals.
Important! When deciding on an outsourcing company, find out all the details of the work before concluding a contract. It is extremely important to compare the internal processes of your store with the capabilities of outsourcing companies: it is necessary that the delivery methods and terms coincide with the type and dimensions of your product, i.e. there were no discrepancies, otherwise this would affect the quality and delivery time of the parcel.
Parcel terminals
A parcel locker (or parcel locker) is a parcel delivery terminal. This type The service appeared relatively recently, but has established itself as an inexpensive delivery method. True, in addition to the fact that the client will have to pick up his parcel himself, its dimensions are limited by the size of the cell. The method is suitable for sending small goods.
What is it, we figured it out, the main question remains open: how to send a parcel to a parcel terminal? To use this service, the highest priority services for sending goods through parcel machines are “InPost” and “PickPoint”.
Conclusion
Well, the main sending methods have, in general, been sorted out. I remind you that in order to conduct legal activities, despite the fact that this is an online store, you must register an individual entrepreneur. That's all, don't forget about likes and reposts of this article via social media. networks. This will help the development of the project.
From the author: delivery of goods is one of the most important parts of any online store. According to a study conducted by PwC, 65% of online shoppers consider home delivery a huge advantage. The remaining 35% complain about long delivery times, which completely discourages online shopping. Let's figure out how to organize delivery in an online store.
The main rule is order delivery within a guaranteed time frame
If you are, then you must remember how twice two: delivery of goods to the buyer must be carried out within a strictly specified time frame. If a person ordered, for example, a gift for a very important celebration, which did not arrive on time, guess whether it will be yours regular customer?
If you are still far from the level of such a “monster” of online trading as Ozon.ru and the like, which have an established logistics system with their own distribution centers, then you will have to organize delivery of goods from the online store yourself, or use postal and courier services services.
Delivery types
Let's consider the main types of transportation, from which you can choose one or more, depending on the specifics of your business and the goods being delivered, as well as the geography of coverage.
"Post office".
It has the largest coverage of the territory. If you plan to deliver goods from an online store throughout the Russian Federation, and not just in big cities, then you can’t do without the good old Post Office. After all, not every courier service can cover every village with a population of 1000 people.
Disadvantage of Russian Post: unpredictable delivery times. There are no additional services - the recipient will not be able to pre-inspect the goods and, if something happens, refuse. But it’s easy not to come to the post office and generally be “frostbitten” from receiving the order.
How to work with Russian Post: enter into an agreement with it or send parcels on behalf of individual. There are also special companies that pack and send goods via mail, of course, for an additional fee.
Courier service.
This method ensures prompt delivery directly to the customer's door. You can agree on additional services with the courier service - the recipient will be able to try on and partially redeem the order. The refusal rate is significantly lower than in the case of Russian Post. For the most demanding customers, you can arrange express courier delivery.
How to choose the right courier service for your online store? Make a preference matrix for yourself - what do you prioritize: customer needs, transportation costs, or some of your personal requirements? If you choose the cheapest service, be prepared for any surprises in the form of missed delivery times.
Cons: often the client associates the courier company with the transport service of the online store itself. Therefore, if the courier is delayed or is rude to the recipient, you will be to blame.
Outsourced couriers.
You can completely entrust the organization of delivery from your online store to an outsourcing company. The couriers of this company themselves will punch the buyer's check, after which the money for the goods will go to the account of the logistics company, and then to you, minus a commission of 1.5-3% of the cost of the delivered goods.
The advantages of this method are obvious: you don’t have to bother with staff and think about how to do all this through accounting. You will be able to directly engage in business.
But the disadvantages are not so obvious: at times of heavy load, for example, during the New Year holidays, the outsourcing service may not cope with its obligations, which, again, can ruin your reputation.
Own transport service.
You can make deliveries from an online store using your own couriers, especially if you are selling delicate (for example, food), expensive (jewelry) or fragile (crystal or glass items) products whose safety you are concerned about.
Here you already have somewhere to roam. You can personally monitor how your couriers work and handle products, which is not possible with an outsourced courier service. After completing the order, it is advisable to contact the client and get feedback: whether the goods were delivered on time, whether he liked everything about the service, the quality of the product, etc.
Cons: high staff turnover. You have no idea how difficult it is to find honest, decent people to fill the role of courier. Normal people are usually put off by working conditions associated with the prospect of wandering around the city in cold, rain and heat, using public transport or on foot. Therefore, if you decide to organize your own delivery service in your online store, take care of normal working conditions for your employees.
Features of delivery organization
This process depends on two criteria, they have already been mentioned above:
type of product sold. If you sell perishable goods (flowers, food, etc.), then it is better to hire your own couriers (if your store operates in a small area) or work with a courier service. Such products must be delivered within a few hours of order confirmation or picked up.
Clothes can be sent by regular parcels or courier so that the buyer can try them on and, if anything, refuse. Most buyers try to order goods from places where they do not need to pay an advance payment, and will gladly give cash to the courier after they are satisfied with the quality.
If you specialize in selling large items, then it’s worth connecting some kind of transport company which transports goods by rail or road transport;
region of operation of the online store. If your coverage area is one city, then the optimal solution would be the “courier+pickup” scheme. If you plan to work in different regions, then hire a delivery service. If you are thinking about entering the international market, consider whether you can compete with local sellers, especially considering how much shipping abroad will cost (its cost may even exceed the cost of the goods). Therefore, the advisability of such transportation depends on what you are selling.
So, we have discussed with you various ways organizing the delivery of goods from an online store. If you are just thinking about creating your own web resource, I can recommend it, which clearly and clearly explains how to do this quickly and inexpensively.
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