Fashion retailers failing delivery and returns CX test, parcelLab

99% of the UK’s top 100 fashion retailers are neglecting to send tailored shipping communications to their customers, according to research by parcelLab.

93%, meanwhile, end communication with their customers immediately after they have checked out. “Retailers should be actively engaging with customers at this point through personalised, branded post-checkout communications,” says Katharine Biggs Content and Marketing Manager at parcelLab. “This is a prime stage in the customer journey to upsell products in delivery communications and currently only one retailer is doing this.”

74 fashion retailers allowed their logistics carrier to host parcel tracking. 60% of customers were directed to the carrier’s Track & Trace page, while only one in four retailers directed customers to a branded page, albeit rarely hosted in the retailer’s domain. Furthermore, none of the retailers allowed the customer to choose their logistics provider.

Other key findings include: only 12 fashion retailers offered free shipping to their customers and another 65 only offered once a minimum order value had been reached. Otherwise, the average amount was £4.46. Just 16% gave timeslots for delivery and 31% gave customers an exact delivery date, with 57% providing a predicted date range and 14% giving no prediction at all.

The research highlighted three stand-out UK retailers when it comes to the checkout, shipping and returns process. JD Sports was awarded ‘Best Customer Experience’, Missguided for ‘Best Brand Experience’ and Hugo Boss for ‘Best Personalisation’.