How to use shipping to increase conversion
While the effort to increase sales is often directed towards SEO, promotions or advertising, shipping provides several easily overlooked tactics that can help you convert store visitors into customers.
With customers being asked to think about shipping during a critical stage of their journey – at the checkout – it can be a make-or-break moment that either convinces them or leads to cart abandonment.
Below are several shipping strategies you can use to convert customers when it counts the most.
Refine your shipping options
Customers prefer to see shipping options that are appealing and fairly priced. There’s a risk that they’ll abandon their purchases if delivery times are long or costs are higher than expected.
A reasonable delivery time frame would be around 2-3 days. Offering express delivery is another sweetener that can also appeal to customers who care more about speed rather than budget. If you ship internationally, be sure to have up-to-date shipping rates for the countries you send goods to.
Set shipping prices
If you haven’t already decided on shipping rates, it’s a good idea to experiment with different pricing to see which yields a better conversion rate. This is especially relevant for different markets or countries you sell items in.
Here are a few tips on how to set shipping prices:
Don’t offer free shipping on individual items, especially if they’re cheap
Make the minimum cart size for free shipping of higher value than what the average customer spends at your store
Avoid using shipping fees for profit
Tip💡 You can set free shipping directly in SumUp’s Online Store settings for customers who spend a minimum amount. This gives added incentive for customers who are already buying several items to complete their purchase, while encouraging others to buy multiple items to avoid a delivery fee.
To activate this setting, go to the Online Store and click Settings > Shipping and Pickup > Add shipping method > Set shipping rate and then enter an amount. You’ll now be able to click the box below and set the minimum cart size for free shipping.
Promote your shipping options
Letting customers know the favourable shipping options they’ll get even before they reach the checkout. There are several channels you can use to do this:
Splash out with a banner: You can edit yours directly in the Online Store’s editor
Send an email to your customer email list
An ad campaign that targets prospects who live in your distribution zone
Manage your own shipping
Handling item delivery locally can also be a selling factor that convinces your customers to finalise their purchases. Offer in-store pickup, which you can add in the Online Store’s ‘Shipping and Pickup’ settings, allowing local customers to get their items sooner and with a much smaller carbon footprint.
You can also take matters into your own hands and opt to deliver items locally yourself. This would allow you to offer lower shipping costs and more competitively-priced items at that critical moment just before a customer decides to pay.
