{ Success Story: On-time Delivery }

Shoppers control shipping details for perishable gifts

Specializing in gifts and perishable food items, this retailer understands the importance of offering shoppers delivery date options and accurate shipping information. These details can even make or break a sale. Complicating matters are calculations for maximum transport days for perishables and blackout dates for weekends, some holidays, and Mondays.

 Challenge Our client asked us to simplify the "Ship to Arrive" date selection for their customers and integrate messaging on standard delivery dates and blackouts – all while maintaining existing business logic and work flows.

Project design was shaped by the retailer's key priorities: (1) clarify for shoppers' available ship to dates and (2) reduce shoppers' confusion and calls to customer service.

 Opportunity PSG worked with our client to maintain current business rules supporting order fulfillment — such as perishable item flags and shipping method options — while adding new requirements such as blackout dates, smart disclaimers, and seasonal filters.

Originally, a shopper was presented with a default "Ship to Arrive" date with an option to choose an arrival day, month, and year from a drop down menu. This method did not give shoppers a good visual on days of the week, holidays, and associated shipping costs, however.

 Solution With the redesign of the shipping information section on the Checkout page, the "Ship to Arrive" drop down menus have been replaced by a more intuitive "Edit Arrival Date" button and an easy-to-navigate calendar widget pop-up.

When a shopper chooses the "Edit Arrival Date" button and triggers the calendar pop-up, the primary focus is placed on the display and selection of available delivery dates. Meanwhile, secondary focus is placed on shipping methods, scheduled delivery date range and shipping costs.

Previously a shopper selected month, day, and year date options from a drop down menu and received limited feedback about what dates were actually available for delivery. Now, shoppers view a detailed pop-up calendar that conveys available delivery dates, blackout information, shipping methods, and shipping costs.

 Results Clarity regarding available "Ship to Arrive" dates has increased, while calls to customer service have decreased. Also each year as Christmas Day approaches, our client runs a seasonal messaging campaign that reiterates available delivery dates and express shipping options.

Interested in how Phoenix Systems Group can partner with you? Let's talk about your current situation and future needs. Send us a note or give us a quick call at 330-726-6500 to get started.