Timely Shipping is important!

In my last blog post, I asked my readers to share their practices and expectations about ecommerce sales. There were two polls, and readers were encouraged to participate in whichever poll applied to them. The response was over-whelming... timely shipping is important!

The first area of discussion that was polled focused upon sellers. The topic was: When I sell an item, my standard shipping practice is...

Results varied. Seventeen people responded, and I will assume they are all active sellers. One person voted for Same Day Shipping. Wow! That is outstanding customer service, and anyone who can achieve that on a daily basis deserves a pat-on-the-back! That is awesome!

Nine people voted for within 24 hours and six people voted for within 48 hours. This is what I expected, and the standard that I hope all sellers strive for.

Finally, one seller also voted for within one week.  In my opinion, one week is the longest it should take, and while delays are not unheard of, especially with made-to-order products, perhaps this seller should pay close attention to the Buyer's poll, where they may find that their buyers are looking for delivery options that are considerably faster. At the very least, I expect that this seller is maintaining open lines of communication with their clients, to put the clients at ease with a longer estimated delivery time.

What might cause an acceptable delay in shipping? Acceptable, to me, means that either the seller has stated clearly in their listing that they only ship on certain days, or that their item(s) are custom-made. If a buyer knows in advance what to expect, longer delivery times are no longer an issue. It is, however, an issue that every seller must consider. Are your shipping restraints putting off buyers?

The second area of discussion that was polled focused upon buyers. The topic was: As a buyer, I expect my order to arrive...

The results were close. Eighteen people responded. Here are the results:
Within 5 days - 6 votes
Within 1 week - 6 votes
Within 10 days - 3 votes
Within 2 weeks - 3 votes

This is enlightening! These results should prove to all sellers that today's buyers are savvy about shipping transit times. They expect prompt service, and are likely not to return if they don't have a satisfactory buying experience.

Let's all do everything we can to ensure that our buyers are repeat buyers!

Thank you to everyone who participated!
Fleapirates Plunder at OnlineAuction.com