Forum Moderators: buckworks
In researching the best way to send out orders when a customers picks an "Expedited" shipping method (tracking number) when a single order contains both in-stock and backorder products.
I came across a website that uses the following shipping policy for the above situation:
<<<Basically they say; they will send out all the products in-stock using an "Expedited" shipping method, but then all backorders will be sent using a "Standard" shipping method.>>>>
I guess this sounds like an easy way for them to handle orders that meant this situation, but I feel like the customer would feel cheated because only 1 of their products is being sent using an "Expedited" shipping method.
I was thinking for orders of this type to just have in my shipping policy that all "Expedited" shipping method orders; all products will be shipped together.
What do you think? Or what type of shipping policy do you use for these types of orders?
Thank you,
olimits7
Do your customers pay for (and do they know they are paying for) "Expedited" shipping on all items? If yes, then I think you should ship all items as "Expedited".
Also, how long do your 'backorder' items take to become 'in stock'? Most of my backorders are in the 3 Days to 2 weeks range. For those backorders measured in days, I do nothing and don't even address it -- as long as my customers' get their items within a week or so, I rarely receive any feedback, good or bad. You can address those items in your shipping policy by saying, "Orders for in stock items ship within 72 hours of ordering." -- Even the champ of quick-ship, Amazon, says to allow for 48 hours, from the order time, for shipment. Granted, most shipments are out the door 48 minutes later, but still...there is some wiggle-room.
For the 2 week lead times, I don't address the situation in my policy at all...why the heck would I want to create worry amongst my [potential] customers? The possibility of a backorder won't enter their minds if I don't tell them. :o)
Instead, when the situation arises, I simply call or email them regarding the backorder and lay out the possibilities. I tell them we can ship items as they are available (at no additional cost to the customer), or hold and ship the order complete. Their choice. The split is about 45% ship complete, 45% ship immediately, with maybe a 7% cancellation rate and 3% no-response. Rather surprising, the number of people who understand that it does cost me more to make multiple shipments; they are happy just to be informed and have the choice. No joke. Then again, I don't sell pacemaker batteries, insulin or oxygen tanks, so no one dies if they don't receive my widgets within 3 days...
But since my products are light and it's usually the same price for "Expedited" shipping up to 1 pound...it's more cost effective to send them all out in one mailing.
My backorders vary they can be anywhere from 2 days to up to 4 weeks; depending if the vendor has them in stock or not.
I was thinking of offering partial shipment only on a "Standard" shipping method, and on all "Expedited" shipping methods I would ship all products (in-stock & backorders) together.
2. Charge expedited for all 3 items. Ship in-stock via expedited, back-order via expedited too. You still make some money, the customer is not fooled too much, :)
3. Charge expedited for 1 item. Ship 1 via expedited. Charge standard for the other 2, and ship via standard. You don't loose money, the customer is happy, and may repeat business.
I was actually thinking of going this route to handle this type of situation. I've seen another website state this method in their return policy.
1. Charge expedited for all 3 items. Ship only 1 via expedited. The other 2 via standard. You make money, the customer is fooled, who cares ;)
I base my shipping on weight so the expedited shipping rate is calculated on a total weight count. This way charging 3 products as expedited is not much different than 1 product as expedited.
My only concern with shipping using the method above; wouldn't the customer get angry because only 1 product was actually shipped expedited and the other 2 products standard?
I'm guessing when they submitted the order they were counting on all 3 products being shipped expedited; if it was me ordering I would feel cheated.
However, I do state on my website which products are in-stock and which are backordered before they submit their order; so how could they possibly think the backorder will ship expedited if I state it takes 1-2 weeks to arrive.
If 1 product is in-stock; I don't know why they would choose an expedited service if the other 2 products are on backorder; it doesn't make sense to me because they still have to wait 1-2 weeks for the other backorders to arrive. Unless they really want just the in-stock product really bad and use the expedited method.
olimits7
If 1 product is in-stock; I don't know why they would choose an expedited service if the other 2 products are on backorder;
Probably not in your case, but there are some of our items that are actually cheaper to go Priority than P.P. We thought this a glitch at first but confirmed at the P.O.
Second, some people DO know that Parcel Post is 7-14 business days and the extra buck or two is not worth waiting a month (your lead time + PP)
Our policy is give them whatever they paid for, if it's Priority, all items go Priority.
I do state on my website which products are in-stock and which are backordered before they submit their order; so how could they possibly think the backorder will ship expedited if I state it takes 1-2 weeks to arrive.
Easy answer, people don't like to read.
We have a little more aggressive approach to stock/instock. At checkout, the system checks to see if selected items are in stock and if not, presents three options: Send in-stock items now and the rest at no extra charge, hold the entire order until everything is in, or remove out of stock items from the order (and it recalculates.)
Even with the above, where the info is "in yo' face" and can't be avoided, we still get people asking questions (Was the item I just ordered in stock?)
We do still get a good portion of orders from #1 and #2.
