Ship From Store: know more about this revolution

Ship From Store is changing e-commerce. See more about this new way of selling and delivering.

Ship From Store: know more about this innovation

We live in a time set by the changes in the way we use technologies.

The evolution of e-commerce has created new business models in every sector. Our relationship to the digital medias have given place to needs we didn’t yet have.

At the same time, businesses need to adapt to this new reality to be able to stay on the market. It’s fundamental to offer the client real advantages that are economical and practical.

One of the innovations that are changing e-commerce is the concept of Ship from Store (SFS). I

It means that the client will receive their product bought from an e-commerce seller straight from a physical store, and not from a distribution center, as it usually happens with big retailers.

SFS allows an order to be processed and sent from the nearest store to the client’s home, through a delivery person for whom that route is the best.

This way, the final consumer receives the product as soon as possible.

E-commerce demands speed

This concept comes from the demand of a faster e-commerce.

After all, the process of buying something, from picking the product to the payment confirmation, have optimized so much they’re now operating from the very same platform.

Because of that, delivering a product had to be thought over to adapt to the new speed of consumers who now demand to receive their order in a much smaller time span.

The option of picking from store was already being incorporated by e-commerce, but the Coronavirus quarantine raised the demand for products delivered at home, at the same time in which the number of autonomous delivery people also grew.

We call this type of e-commerce where the delivery happens in the same day Delivery Commerce.

How does Ship From Store work?

Ship From Store works this way: the client will buy something and the store processes the order and sends it to the nearest physical store.

The product will come from that store’s stock, and not from a distribution hub. It is, then, delivered by an autonomous delivery man.

The biggest advantage for the e-commerce market is the way SFS connects clients to the physical store. The possibility that the product is delivered from the nearest store straightens the value of physical sellers, who now become an important point of reference for clients in this region.

At the same time, clients can rest assured knowing they can count with the extra advantage of delivery whenever they need.

There is actually a word to define this integration of different platforms: omnichannel, a strategy of simultaneous, smart use of different communication channels.

An omnichannel strategy means that all of the company’s communication channels (e-commerce, physical store, phone sales, social media, etc.) are interconnected to offer clients all support they need, with focus on fast processing and delivering of orders.

Why invest in Ship From Store?

There are many advantages of investing in a Ship From Store model:

Faster delivery

The biggest uncertainty for consumers when buying from e-commerce is that they’re orders will come late.

This comes from the fact that most retailers work with distribution centers, from where they’re products are shipped, in deliveries made by specialized companies.

Deliveries through SFS are faster and more efficient, because they’re made by autonomous delivery people.

Aside from knowing the best routes for immediate delivery, they form a growing network. Home delivery platforms, such as the Delivery 365 app, have thousands of registered professionals ready to perform this task.

As more delivery men are registered, the trend is that more and more retailers start working with this system to reach maximum speed in their deliveries.

Less shipping costs

The SFS reduces shipping costs, both for retailers and final consumers.

The retailer just needs to prepare the order for delivery. An autonomous delivery man will pick it up and take it to the client. It’s not necessary to have your own delivery team.

The shipping costs are transferable to the final customer, who still pays less than normal rates, since the delivery will be made in the shortest route possible. This model excludes all gas and labor costs that are usually related to long-distance transportation.

Less risks

Given that the trip from store to the client and the time it takes to get there have both been drastically reduced, the risks related to the delivery are also smaller.

Stolen or lost merchandise, damaged products or wrong deliveries are some of the problems that are common in product transportation. Ship From Store reduces this risks in many ways.

If there’s anything wrong with the order, the change can be made in an easy, fast way, since the same drivers who deliver the product are able to take it back to the store.

This way, the client doesn’t have to worry about sending the product back to a distribution center, and having to wait too much to receive a new one.

Less waste

Big companies know that to reduce the environmental impact of their operations, they need to optimize every process.

It means having to think through every step of the way to reduce waste. And it includes the shipping process!

Merchandise and product transportation has a negative impact over air quality. Which takes us to a very common question: if the product is available near to me, why do I have to wait for a new one to arrive from the distribution center?

SFS answers that question by prioritizing the product that is already in the store. This way, a new transportation isn’t required, reducing the number of long distance traveling.

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SFS strenghtens physical stores

If you think e-commerce will ruin physical stores, you’re very wrong! Ship From Store is a great example of how technology can strengthen physical businesses.

Remember the concept of omnichannel? Every single communication channel works for the client to have more options for a safe and informed purchase.

Physical store are now converting in an important channel, where the client can know the product a little better, talk to a sales specialist and test the merchandise. This space is still a point where people can meet to exchange experiences that enrichen the relationship between seller and buyer.

Opportunities to Ship From Store

Pay attention on how Ship From Store can become an opportunity for your business.

Small dealers

SFS can be adopted by the most diverse sectors of retail.

Small dealers with more than on physical store in the same city can expand their business far beyond their vicinity.

Markets, drugstores, furniture stores, book store and pet supplies store are some of the businesses that can benefit from this model.

Integration with physical store

If a client is inside your physical store, they can still use SFS!

One of the many possibilities is to push them to buy through the app in case they’ve not yet made up their mind about a product.

Using client retention techniques, you can convert a delivery user into a fan of your label through all platforms.

Keep customers coming back to your store, including in the digital world! Make them excited to visit your physical store, making clear that they can always count with delivery. When they need you, you’ll be on top of their minds.

Be ready

For your Ship From Store delivery to be successful, it’s very important that store are stocked. Still, every employee needs to be ready to work with all systems required for the transaction to work out smoothly.

You must go over how much space you’ll need to keep your products, so that the distribution of orders is done by the criteria of how far the product is from the client’s address. For the order to be delivered from the nearest store, that store must have the product in stock.

A way to start using this model is to restrict SFS sales to certain products, and gradually start expanding so that every client can have their needs satisfied in no time.

Delivery commerce: leave it to Delivery365

Delivery commerce is here to stay. That’s why it is important to always be available to help clients understand this new concept.

Stimulating the use of technologies to raise sales is a great way out of any moment of financial crisis.

Delivery365 helps your company connect to clients that need your product. Our smart e-commerce strategy bridges the gap fast, easy and precisely.