In recent years, consumer expectations around delivery times have shifted significantly. While consumers used to be willing to wait up to a week for a package, the majority now expect delivery within two days. This poses a challenge for sellers of big and bulky items, often referred to as “ugly freight”, as these items typically take much longer to ship, with transit times ranging from 10-21 days. Maintaining customer loyalty, especially during peak shopping seasons like back-to-school and holidays, becomes a crucial issue for businesses in this space.
Fortunately, there are shipping solutions available for shipping ugly freight. Heather Hoover-Salomon, the CEO of uShip, an online freight marketplace, discusses the unique challenges of transporting big and bulky items in an interview. Ugly freight presents a range of shipping frustrations, from oversized or oddly shaped items to the high cost of transportation, specifically last-mile delivery costs. Finding experienced carriers willing to handle these shipments can be difficult, and the logistics of returning such items add an extra layer of complexity.
The impact of shipping challenges on customer experience is significant for small businesses. Over 70% of consumers say shipping problems negatively affect their opinion of the merchant, rather than the carrier responsible for the error. Issues such as damaged items, delayed deliveries, and lack of tracking updates can harm the customer experience and erode trust in the business. Since customers increasingly expect the fast delivery of their purchases, even for big and bulky items, small businesses are at a disadvantage in meeting these expectations.
To navigate the challenges of shipping ugly freight and improve customer experience, small businesses can invest in proactive communication and carrier vetting. Providing real-time updates on shipments and tracking capabilities can help manage customer expectations and build trust. Vetting carriers based on performance metrics such as on-time delivery and response to delays can help minimize negative experiences for customers. Implementing tools and strategies to communicate transparently with customers and choose reliable carriers is crucial for small businesses in the big and bulky logistics space.
Looking towards the future, advancements in technology such as AI and machine learning hold promise for making shipping ugly freight more efficient and seamless. With these technologies, SMBs may soon be able to receive comprehensive quotes and match with carriers in real-time, improving the overall shipping process for large items. Proactive solutions for shipping problems, such as rerouting carriers around weather events or road construction, could further streamline the delivery process. While these developments hold great potential, small businesses should continue to prioritize communication and carrier vetting to enhance the customer experience until these technologies become more widely available and accessible.