• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • SCB YouTube
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
  • My Profile
  • LOGISTICS
    • Air Cargo
    • All Logistics
    • Express/Small Shipments
    • Facility Location Planning
    • Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
    • Global Gateways
    • Global Logistics
    • Last Mile Delivery
    • Logistics Outsourcing
    • LTL/Truckload Services
    • Ocean Transportation
    • Rail & Intermodal
    • Reverse Logistics
    • Service Parts Management
    • Transportation & Distribution
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • All Technology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud & On-Demand Systems
    • Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
    • ERP & Enterprise Systems
    • Forecasting & Demand Planning
    • Global Trade Management
    • Inventory Planning/ Optimization
    • Product Lifecycle Management
    • Sales & Operations Planning
    • SC Finance & Revenue Management
    • SC Planning & Optimization
    • Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
    • Supply Chain Visibility
    • Transportation Management
  • GENERAL SCM
    • Business Strategy Alignment
    • Education & Professional Development
    • Global Supply Chain Management
    • Global Trade & Economics
    • HR & Labor Management
    • Quality & Metrics
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • SC Security & Risk Mgmt
    • Supply Chains in Crisis
    • Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
  • WAREHOUSING
    • All Warehouse Services
    • Conveyors & Sortation
    • Lift Trucks & AGVs
    • Order Fulfillment
    • Packaging
    • RFID, Barcode, Mobility & Voice
    • Robotics
    • Warehouse Management Systems
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals & Energy
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • E-Commerce/Omni-Channel
    • Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • High-Tech/Electronics
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Pharmaceutical/Biotech
    • Retail
  • THINK TANK
  • WEBINARS
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Webinar Library
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WHITEPAPERS
Home » Blogs » Think Tank » Avoiding the Pitfalls of Cross-Border E-Commerce Delivery

Think Tank
Think Tank RSS FeedRSS

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Cross-Border E-Commerce Delivery

Retail Returns
July 29, 2020
Bobbie Ttooulis, SCB Contributor

Selling across borders means you can reach new customers in bigger and faster-growing markets. Yet businesses can become intimidated by the operational complexities of selling internationally, especially when it comes to delivery and returns.

Selling internationally through e-commerce is a big opportunity, with online sales reportedly up 23.8% year on year in April. But how can e-commerce brands avoid the pitfalls of cross-border delivery and returns without sacrificing the customer experience?

There are many elements to creating a seamless delivery and returns experience, including delivery options, length of delivery time, and tracking. There’s no "one-size-fits-all" approach to all of these, especially when each market has its unique cultural preferences, and there are local differences in carriers and delivery infrastructure.   

A well-executed delivery and returns experience can drive growth and retain customers. A recent survey from IMRG found that 60% of consumers will buy again from a retailer if they were satisfied with the delivery, and 78% consider the quality of a returns service when choosing where to shop.

One of the trickiest barriers to achieving this is complying with customs documentation, and paying the right import or export duties. Get this wrong, and it could mean that your customer's parcel is held at Customs, or the customer is hit with an unexpected cost to get the package released, all of which can make the delivery experience far from satisfactory.

Calculating costs for different countries might seem like a big headache, as well as making sure that any expenses are covered in checkout. Technology offers a solution, allowing the option of including various costs in the total price, or breaking them out separately. It can also give the customer the choice of paying now or when the parcel arrives. For customers, transparency is important when it comes to duties and taxes, so it's important to let them know upfront of any additional costs. You need to ensure that your website displays the full information on international shipping across all countries you sell to, how long it’s likely to take, and whether orders can be tracked.

When it comes to returns, duties and taxes can be even more of a headache. As duties are paid when the product goes to the customer, they shouldn't need to be paid on the way back. However, it's important to have the right documentation on hand to prove that payment has been made, or retailers can risk charges or fines. To ensure this is taken care of, technology is available to generate the necessary Customs relief documentation and the right kind of returns label. This guarantees a seamless returns experience for the customer, and gives the retailer reassurance that it’s compliant.

Delivery providers and services vary from country to country, which can make it hard to create a consistent delivery experience. It's important to understand how each carrier works in each country, and the services they provide. This allows you to pick the best and most cost-effective service from country to country. Forty-five percent of customers will abandon a purchase if there’s a lack of convenient delivery options, so offering the choice of a time, day, or click-and-collect location with different price points affects the customer purchase. It's therefore vital that your carrier mix for each country is optimized for service reliability, cost-effectiveness, and breadth of options for the customer.

Delays are sometimes unavoidable, but you can avoid keeping customers in the dark. That's why parcel tracking and good customer service is important, especially when selling internationally and sending times are longer. Ensuring customers are able to find out the status of their packages so they can track their journey improves the experience and makes them more likely to buy again.

Returns are important for international customers, as buying online from a different country can already feel like a risk. Having a robust and simple returns process is essential. However, the challenges that returns pose when selling domestically are magnified when working across borders. Consumer behaviors and expectations vary from one country to the next. In Germany, returns are quite normal, affecting 70% of fashion purchases. Drop-off locations are the most popular choice in France, and the Spanish and Chinese are the most likely to abandon a purchase if the returns policy doesn't meet the expectation. Make sure you understand each country you’re selling to, and whether it has the kind of returns policy customers expect.

How can you offer a positive experience when selling across borders without crippling your operation? One carrier can’t provide everything you need. Some are limited by the countries they deliver to, and some may be more costly in certain countries than others. For this reason, working with multiple carriers is essential for running a cross-border operation. However, this strategy comes with its own challenges, including the juggling of different contracts and the need to compare the costs and services of all carriers to ensure you’re getting the best deal. Working with multiple carriers also means having various I.T. integrations specific to each carrier, which can lead to hidden costs and complexities.

The key to achieving this without experiencing operational headaches is to work with a multi-carrier global partner. It can give you access to all carriers and competitive rates without your having to manage the various relationships and contracts. Through one technology integration, you can offer multiple delivery and returns options, transparency, compliance with duties and taxes, track-and-trace capability, and a customer-service team to deal with inquiries.

Giving customers a seamless delivery and returns experience is vital for running a successful cross-border e-commerce business. Once you have the right mix of technology and expertise, you can crack the cross-border challenge with a global full-loop service that’s simple and easy, even across borders.

Bobbie Ttooulis is executive director of Global Freight Solutions.

Sourcing/Procurement/SRM Global Trade Management Supply Chain Planning & Optimization Global Supply Chain Management Regulation & Compliance E-Commerce/Omni-Channel Retail

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED VIDEOS

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter!

Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.

Popular Stories

  • A WORKER IN A WAREHOUSE, SUPERIMPOSED WITH GRAPHICS SHOWING SUPPLY NETWORK

    Enabling Intelligent Visibility With Supply Chain Analytics

    Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
  • A HAND TURNS A LARGE, LIGHTED DIAL WITH THE WORD RISK ON IT iStock-NicoElNino-1364371014.jpg

    Measuring KPIs and KRIs for Comprehensive Supplier Performance Management

    Technology
  • GSCMS-Promo.png

    Watch: Introducing the Global Supply Chain Marketing Summit

    Education & Professional Development
  • A COMPLEX SERIES OF ROADWAYS AND RAMPS, SEEN FROM HIGH ABOVE, IS PARTLY SHROUDED BY CLOUD

    Supply Chain Visibility Isn’t Just a Catchphrase; It’s an Imperative

    Logistics
  • A MAN IN A SUIT SITS LEANING OVER THE BACK OF A CHAIR IN A WOOD-PANELLED ROOM FULL OF LARGE PHOTOS OF OTHER MEN IN SUITS

    UPS Faces Rising Labor Costs, Strike Risk in Upcoming Union Fight

    Last Mile Delivery

Digital Edition

Scb q1 2023 cover

2023 Supply Chain Management Resource Guide: Packing for a Difficult Year

VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE

Case Studies

  • New Revenue for Cloud-Based TMS that Embeds Orderful’s Modern EDI Platform

  • Convenience Store Client Maximizes Profit and Improves Customer Service

  • A Digitally Native Footwear Brand Finds Rapid Fulfillment

  • Expanding Apparel Brand Scales Seamlessly with E-Commerce Technology

  • How a Global LSP Scaled its Security Program and Won More Business

Visit Our Sponsors

Orderful Yang Ming Alithya
Barcoding Blue Yonder BNSF Logistics
CoEnterprise Data Capture Deposco
E2open GAINSystems Generix
Geodis GEP GreyOrange
Here Honeywell Intelligrated IFM
Infor Inmar Keelvar
Kinaxis Korber Lean Solutions Group 2H
Liberty SBF Locus Robotics Logility
LogistiVIEW Lucas Systems MCA Connect
MPO Nvidia Old Dominion
OpenText ORTEC Overhaul
Parsyl PMMI QIMA
Redwood Logistics Ryder E-commerce by Whiplash Saddle Creek Logistics
Schneider Dedicated Setlog Holding AG Ship4WD
Shipwell Tecsys TGW Systems
Thomson Reuters Tive Trailer Bridge
Vecna Robotics Verity
Verusen
  • More From SCB
    • Featured Content
    • Video Library
    • Think Tank Blog
    • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
    • Whitepapers
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
  • Digital Offerings
    • Digital Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Newsletters
  • Resources
    • Events Calendar
    • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Case Study Showcase
    • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
    • 100 Great Partners Form
  • SCB Corporate
    • Advertise on SCB.COM
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Data Sharing Opt-Out

All content copyright ©2023 Keller International Publishing Corp All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Keller International Publishing Corp

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing