If you’re running a business, you can use an eCommerce model, or you can sell your products out of storefronts. Some companies do both. Either model can work for you if you sell products or provide services that people like.

The Package Might Arrive Later than Expected

Shoppers appreciate regular shipment notifications because they might expect the package on a certain date. Maybe there’s something in the package they need urgently. Perhaps the shipment contains a birthday or anniversary gift.

A customer might also need that package because it contains something they need to complete a project. Maybe that package has items in it for an ongoing home renovation. The buyer will want to know if something delayed that package because they may have to adjust their schedule accordingly.

The Shopper Might Want to Write a Review About Your Company

Some shoppers enjoy writing reviews about companies. They might do it every time they interact with an online merchant. They know that if they write reviews, other shoppers can see what they wrote. Those shoppers might choose to buy from a company or not because of it.

If you don’t communicate with a customer and tell them what’s going on with their package, that customer probably won’t like the experience they had with your business very much. They will probably note in their review that your company didn’t tell them a shipment would arrive late.

You need excellent online reviews if you want repeat business and to attract new customers. You’re more likely to get both if you offer customers regular shipment updates.

You Might Need to Inform a Customer They Can’t Get a Particular Item

You might send out a customer shipment, and it may contain most of the items a shopper wanted, but maybe you ran out of a particular product. You can tell the customer when you send them emails or text messages about the package that it will contain most of what they ordered, but it won’t include everything they wanted.

You might ask a customer if they want you to substitute a different but similar item. You can see if they want to cancel the entire order because you could not give them everything they wanted.

You Might Tell a Buyer to Expect Multiple Shipments

When you communicate with a customer about a shipment, you might tell them that they will get a single order as multiple boxes. Maybe they wanted several items from your company, but you stock them in different places. Perhaps you had to send a shipment as several packages that will arrive on different days.

A customer will certainly want to know if they can expect everything they ordered all at once. Hopefully, that will not be much of an issue with them unless they needed everything in the order urgently.

You May Have to Tell a Customer Some Details About the Delivery

Maybe you’ll need to communicate with a customer about a package because you couldn’t deliver it. Perhaps the delivery driver could not find the address. Maybe they tried to deliver the box, but they needed someone to sign for it, and you were not there. That can happen with certain items, such as alcohol shipments.

Maybe the delivery person tries to drop off the package, but you have a dog in the yard that won’t let them do it. You’ll need to tell the customer to take the dog inside so you can complete the order.

In a general sense, customers who do online shopping want regular communications about their shipments because that shows your company truly cares about them and values their repeat business. Whether you need to tell them that something about the shipment isn’t quite what they expect, or you want to make sure they buy from you again, shipment communications will probably allow you to do that.

You should regard customer shipment communications the same way you do your marketing, research and development, market expansion efforts, etc. They’re all critical if you want to find sustained success.