In our previous article, we analysed the state of the art of the Out Of Home Network in Italy, i.e. the Pick-up Points and Lockers available to merchants and customers for the collection of online orders, and found out how many eCommerce shipments are actually addressed to this Network.
A number that, as the figures underline, is growing, demonstrating that Out Of Home deliveries, i.e. alternatives to home delivery, are increasingly appreciated because of their advantages.
But how to incentivise them further? In other words, how to entice your customers to opt for this delivery solution?
In this article we offer 5 practical tips to encourage your customers to choose Out Of Home deliveries, i.e. to prefer Locker and Pick-up Points to traditional home delivery.
5 tips to incentivise Out Of Home deliveries: GEL Proximity’s guide for merchants
1. Stresses the economic advantages of Out Of Home
We know, the cost of delivery has a strong impact on consumers’ purchasing choices. A delivery cost that is too high can sometimes discourage customers from completing their purchase. That is why, in order to incentivise deliveries at Locker and Pick-up Points, it is good to emphasise the economic benefit for consumers.
At the checkout of your eCommerce, therefore, be sure to clearly and transparently show the costs of Out Of Home delivery and Home delivery. Delivery at Locker and Pick-up Points, of course, must represent an economic advantage for your customer (since it also has an economic advantage for you!). In other words, the price must be lower than for home delivery. For a lower cost, your customer will be more inclined to go in person to pick up their order, especially if the Pick-up Point is in a convenient location for them, perhaps on their way home from work or close to home.
2. Reserve discounts and exclusive promotions for customers who choose an alternative delivery method to Home Delivery
Choosing an alternative delivery method to traditional home delivery also means making a more sustainable choice, which should therefore be rewarded in order to increase consumer awareness of the environmental impact of deliveries.
To reward your customers for choosing an alternative delivery method to traditional home delivery, you can provide special discounts on future purchases (so you also retain your customer and entice them to complete another purchase from your online store), extra loyalty points, or even early access to exclusive sales or promotions of various kinds. In this way you will reward your customers for making a more conscious and sustainable choice.
3. Offer a high level of service by communicating with your customers and constantly updating them on the status of Out Of Home delivery
Communication of the different stages of delivery of orders is essential, we have already said, and this service must not fail when it comes to Out Of Home deliveries. Customers expect to receive constant updates on the status of the delivery, even when (or especially when!) it is not delivered directly to their home.
It is therefore essential to keep your customers up-to-date on the status of the delivery, offering real-time updates on the shipment and the availability of the parcel at the Pick-up Point or Locker. Customers look forward to receiving their purchases, be sure to notify them in a timely manner as soon as the package is ready for collection at the chosen Pick-up Point. An effective tracking system and timely notifications via SMS or e-mail increase the sense of trust and convenience for the consumer.
4. Show map with Pick-up Points and Lockers for customers to choose from
In the checkout phase, when the customer has to choose the delivery method and consider whether to opt for delivery to a Locker or Pick-up Point, in addition to the economic advantages that may result, he needs to know whether he will also have an advantage in terms of convenience and comfort. In other words, they need to know where exactly the nearest Locker or Pick-up Point is located, so as to assess the distance from home or work, the time and ways of reaching it, and consequently to understand whether this option is indeed practical and convenient with respect to their needs and habits.
We therefore advise you to show your customers a detailed and accurate map of all Pick-up Points and Lockers from which they can choose, also clearly indicating the distance to the customer’s location and, in the case of a shop authorised as a Pick-up Point, also the opening hours.
5. Collaborate with local shops
As we saw in the previous ‘episode’, analysing the state of the art of the Italian network of Locker and Collection Points, their density is still rather low (14 Points per 10,000 inhabitants). This means that the distance to the nearest Locker or Collection Point may in fact be important for some customers, and thus represent a disincentive to opt for this solution. How to remedy this?
Forming ad hoc partnerships with local shops will allow you to expand your network of Pick-up Points and ensure that you are ‘closer’ to more customers. In this way, you can promote the possibility of collecting orders from neighbourhood shops or supermarkets you trust, thus increasing the attractiveness of out-of-home delivery to your customers, who will be able to enjoy Pick-up Points in their vicinity. Furthermore, emphasising the benefits for the local community can appeal to the social awareness of consumers. An aspect also not to be underestimated.
How to integrate a Network of Lockers and Pick-up Points to your online store
If you are looking for a solution that can help you manage all this quickly and easily, then you should rely on GEL Proximity!
Our Network consists of more than 200,00 already active Pick-up Points and Lockers, and we take care of everything, from the map with Pick-up Points that your customers can view to find and choose the nearest one, to tracking orders and communicating delivery steps.
And that’s not all. We are also able to track how the customer travelled to the chosen Pick-up Point, and calculate the resulting environmental impact, helping to generate greater awareness of the issue.
Discover our services now or contact us for more information.
