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Home delivery definition
Home delivery method includes any type of delivery at the consumer's residential or commercial address. As a general rule, customers need to answer the door and receive the goods personally.
It implies maximum convenience for buyers in theory — and customer expectations are only growing — but not always in practice.
Most of the packages are delivered during the regular working hours when recipients are frequently absent from their homes. Moreover, after customers receive a notification on the day of delivery, it's often unclear when exactly the courier will ring at the door.
Common disadvantages of home delivery
- Lack of an accurate, specific delivery promise before and after the purchase;
- Vague delivery tracking that doesn't cover all stages of the delivery process;
- Home delivery times often neglect conventional life patterns and schedules;
- Mistakes and inaccuracies in the customer's address at delivery checkout.
That's no good for the customer retention rate, since 85% of online consumers in Europe say that a poor delivery experience would prevent them from a repeat purchase with the same online retailer again.
But, there’s a way to fix that.
How to improve the home delivery option
Displaying accurate, specific delivery times
When online retailers accurately and clearly present delivery information for every purchase — including delivery times, price and available carriers — consumers can contextually tailor the whole experience to the specific shopping cart and their preferences.
Offering delivery during day, in the evenings and on weekends
Online retailers can also integrate with innovative carrier services that deliver packages outside of regular business hours.
Some delivery companies distribute packages together with the morning newspaper during the night, while others offer deliveries late in the evenings, between 7 and 10 PM, both of which give consumers the freedom to manage their online deliveries as they see fit.
