夏季销售的五个交付经验教训

How delivery & experience management (DMXM)can help retailers perfect their peak-season offer byapplying lessons from June discounts Introduction:it’s a cruel,cruel summer “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing” – Henry Ford, automobile pioneeer The summer sales season generally takes place during June and July. Itoffers retailers the chance to boost revenue ahead of the late-summerslump. While it’s still too early to deliver a full post-mortem on the success of the2024 discount season, early indications are mixed at best. Figures fromthe British Retail Consortium show that June’s UK retail performance wasdown 0.2%, compared to growth of 4.9% last year.Europe and the UnitedStates seem to be faring little better. Every major sales event has a bigger economic context. But manyretailers believe the lukewarm start to this summer’s sales cannotbe explained by a sluggish economy alone. Earlier planning, a betterunderstanding of the consumer and more slick operations may all havehelped deliver a more successful season for those that have enjoyed that. This report looks at the lessons that retailers are learning from 2024’ssummer sales. More importantly, it also looks at how they can applythese lessons to other major sales opportunities. Toward the end of the year the ‘peak season’ will offer retailers a hugecommercial opportunity. It includes Black Friday, Singles’ Day and theChristmas shopping season, all before the January sales. If there arechanges that retailers need to make to prepare for peak, now is the time. The report also shows that online and multi-channel retailers too oftenmiss a trick when it comes to deliveries. Shipping and deliveries areregularly dismissed solely as logistics. In reality, the delivery experience holds the keys to unlockingcustomer loyalty and helping retailers stand out from the ever-growingecommerce crowd. The summer of lessons Hindsight is a wonderful thing. While none of uscan change the past, we can apply what we’velearnt to the future. When we speak to retailers, they tell us that,based on their lessons from summer sales, theywould like to do five key things better during thiscoming peak season: 1. Master the omnichannel experience Retailers go to great pains to offer a clear instoreexperience and a compelling online alternative.Shoppers expect both these channels to workseamlessly together. Some 59% of customers liketo look at products in store and use their mobilephones to buy it online or compare prices.2Othersseek to buy something online but collect it from ashop or warehouse. Customers continue to expect such flexibilityduring sales seasons. By facilitating ways foronline and instore to work together, retailers cancompete for a bigger slice of the bargain-huntingpie during peak season. But delivering the best customer experiencedoesn’t stop at the checkout. For many, that’swhere it starts. The delivery will answer questionsabout the brand or retailers: “does this businessmeet its promise to get my goods to me whenand where I want them, in the right condition?”The answers to this will be critical in informingwhat they think of the brand. Thinking of delivery & experience management(DMXM) as one integrated approach, rather thantwo separate challenges, will help deliver thatexperience. 3. Learning from data Some 91% of business execs agree that access todata and analytics is important to the success oftheir organization.3 During busy sales seasons,retailers and warehouses generate a wealth ofdata. But too often, this information is hard togather, analyze and act on. Part of the problem is that a great deal of datasits in different systems and sometimes, differentorganizations. Take the delivery process forexample. Hugely relevant nuggets may be spreadacross the warehouse management system,ecommerce systems, order management systemsand the carrier companies. If nothing or no one brings these insightstogether, their value is lost. Making the mostof them by providing a consistent approach todelivery & experience management will enableretailers to use the data to deliver a better service. 2. Focus on customer loyalty Sales seasons are rarely seen as a time to buildcustomer loyalty. More often, retailers fearthat participating in discount events will causeshoppers to seek nothing but the lowest price anderode their commitment to the brand. But many retailers believe this is a missedopportunity. During a major sales event,countless customers will buy from a vendor forthe first time. Anything that retailers can do tocreate a positive experience opens the door to alonger-term relationship. Providing a smooth delivery service, whichcustomers can tailor so their goods arrive whenand where they want it, will help set those earlyimpressions at the heart of loyalty. 4. Ensuring capacity More than a third (34%) of retailers struggle withsupply-chain issues during busy periods.If suchissues mean goods aren’t delivered on time, it canhave