Although they aren’t uncommon, shipping delays can have drastic effects on your business’s reputation. In a recent survey conducted by Voxware, it was found that almost 70% of consumers are much less likely to shop with a retailer again if an item they purchased does not arrive within two days of the expected delivery day.

Often, these delays are out of our control, however there are some things we can do as retailers to avoid them. Read on to find out how you can avoid three of the most common shipping delays.

Delay 1: Human Error

Whether it's on you or your customer’s end, human error is often the cause of many shipping delays.

One of the best ways to avoid it is to replace manual processes with automated ones. For example, you may want to set up a system that informs you of what you do and do not have in stock in your warehouse. This way you can avoid accidentally selling out of stock items and making your customers wait until you receive new stock.

In addition, installing a plug-in into your website that provides a list of valid addresses when your customer starts typing in their address will greatly reduce delays associated with incorrect or mistyped delivery addresses.

Delay 2: Peak Season

Peak season includes the weeks leading up to Christmas, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This is when order volumes are at an all time high, putting strain on courier networks, and increasing the chance of delivery delays.

The best way to avoid these delivery delays is to prepare. When you know peak season is coming up, you should ensure you have more stock on-hand as well as extra warehouse staff to help you store and distribute your goods.

Encouraging your customers to do their holiday shopping earlier through website banners and ads is also a good idea to prevent delays.

Delay 3: Courier Complications

Things such as bad weather, technical issues, and route closures can cause significant delays in your supply chain. Although these things are out of your control, there are some things you can do to avoid the risk of delays.

Outsourcing your logistics to a shipping services company is a great way to go about this. These companies often have years of experience dealing with delays and strong relationships with courier and transport companies across the globe. This enables them to respond swiftly to transport complications and find appropriate solutions to avoid delays.

If you’re wanting a seamless logistics solution that will help you avoid shipping delays, get in contact with ISS today.