It’s hard for owners of ecommerce businesses to know the best way to proceed when coronavirus continues to disrupt our everyday lives.
Continue to accept orders and attempt to fulfill them. You can pause your store and refund customers. It isn’t easy to know what to choose. Having clear and consistent communication will make you more informed.
It’s better to overcommunicate than not communicate at a time when we are all confined in our homes. The last thing you need is something going wrong because you failed to check with someone or miscommunicate a message.
You must communicate well with your customers and suppliers when running an online store. We’ve compiled some suggestions for sharing with both groups to help you make an informed decision on what to do about your online store.
These tips should help you to ensure that your business is booming and that you have a happy customer base and a positive relationship with your suppliers.
Supplier Communication
Communicating with suppliers is never a problem, even if you are starting as a drop shipper. The worst thing that can happen is that they don’t reply to your message. On the other hand, good communication can lead to a successful partnership with your store as it grows.
There is currently a lot of concern over whether or not the suppliers are operating. Suppliers will have different policies. It appears that the people of China are returning to everyday life as cities have relaxed their lockdowns, even in the most affected provinces.
Don’t rely solely on rumors and estimates to determine if your suppliers work. You can find out the truth by messaging suppliers using AliExpress’s messaging feature.
Two suppliers responded to my message about how I could run my shop during the pandemic. One supplier never replied to my message. The second did. They initially misinterpreted my inquiry about order fulfillment, thinking I was asking where my products were. They told me to wait.
After I asked more specific questions regarding the best delivery method, I received great information. This supplier suggested that ePacket be avoided due to the longer shipping times.
I was aware of the potential for delays in ePacket Shipping but was hesitant to change my shipping method based on what others were saying on the message board. My supplier confirmed these rumors, and I switched to AliExpress Standard Shipping for the near future.
Pierre Emmanuel took the time to speak with his supplier. He started using AliExpress’ standard shipping after hearing about the situation.
The slowdown of ePackets may be due to the decrease in air travel. As well as passengers, commercial flights also carry cargo. Since commercial travel has decreased so dramatically, it takes longer for packets to reach their destination countries.
I would not have known about the ePacket info without contacting my supplier. I would likely have sent it using this method. I was also reassured that my supplier is so easy to reach. My first message was answered in five hours, and my second one took more than 24 hours. It’s worth a try to get quick and actionable information.
By looking at the reviews section, you can also know how long it takes to ship an item. Sort the reviews according to “latest.” This may not work with every listing; however, if the buyers have provided detailed feedback, the most recent reviews can give you an idea of shipping times. AliExpress also includes the shipping method that customers use in their studies.
Customer Communication
You’ve probably heard it before, but communication and customer service can make or ruin your store.
Poor communication can be quickly reflected in customer reviews. This can then have an impact on your advertising. If you have a sound communication system, it can save sales and ensure positive reviews. You may even get repeat customers.
You may have encountered many problems in the course of your business. These situations require excellent customer service. You may have encountered problems when your provider ran out of stock or changed the price on you without your knowledge. Or, you might have stopped selling a particular product that you had advertised. You would have needed to contact the customer in any of these scenarios, explain what happened, and ask for their patience while you resolved the problem. It’s a good thing that everyone knows about the current situation.
Contacting your store if you are experiencing delays is much easier because everyone knows about COVID-19. Customers will be understanding and sympathetic because they know the world is chaotic. Even the most prominent companies are having difficulty fulfilling orders. It is only natural that small businesses will be, too.
You must still reach out to your customers first, even if they are more understanding. Email them if they have already placed an order and let them know there may be delays. Burak Dogan, a drop shipper, has used this policy since the beginning of the pandemic. He has found his customers to be very understanding. He believes spending time on customer service will be more beneficial than dealing with chargebacks.
You could create a banner on your site for new visitors and contact existing customers. It could be included in your Instagram biography or Facebook page. Allow people to make an informed decision on whether or not to buy from you. It may not make a big difference, but your customers will appreciate your honesty and being upfront. Customers will be better informed before they click the buy button by being upfront about delays.
Has your communication with suppliers and customers increased since the outbreak of coronavirus? Share your experiences and help others to weather the storm.
