Tag Archives: Sorted

News, Retail & E-commerce

Peak season staff squeeze: 44% of retail leaders fear they don’t have enough staff to cope with next ecommerce rush

  • Over half of UK and US retailer respondents worry service levels will drop due to staffing challenges
  • Fulfilling orders reported as top concern, followed by internal budget constraints hampering the customer experience

London, 18th July, 2022: 44% of retail leaders say they don’t have enough staff to support the upcoming peak season, and need to staff up. That’s according to new data from Delivery Experience Platform Sorted, which found that retail customer service and operations managers believe they are understaffed for the upcoming ecommerce rush, with 52% fearing service levels will drop as a result.

The survey, consisting of 500 retail leaders across the UK and US, revealed that 50% of surveyees say the employee shortage will make the peak retail season a difficult period. When asked what the biggest concerns were, fulfilling orders was ranked as the top. As fears grow around a recession, this was closely followed by internal budget constraints threatening the customer experience. Drops in customer satisfaction, a rise in WISMO (where is my order) enquiries and coping with an influx of returns were also identified.

Unsurprisingly, three quarters of respondents expect WISMO to increase during peak season by more than 10%, while over half think it’ll increase by more than 20%.

The research also revealed that 37% of respondents think peak season will be busier than any other, perhaps down to the importance of discounts during rising costs. To cope with demand, 48% plan to tackle the customer contact centre rush by hiring more staff, while 47% plan to provide customers with more self-serve information on their orders.

Carmen Carey, CEO at Sorted commented: “Potential staffing shortages, with peak season just around the corner may present unwanted challenges for retailers this year. Peak is often a time when retailers will up spend on customer service staff, to deal with the influx of seasonal WISMO and WISMR enquiries, so added challenges around customer service and customer delivery experience will be worrying for many. Ensuring proactive measures are in place, including regular customer communications regarding delivery status, will provide a strong line of defence in preserving a positive delivery experience. At a time where inflation is soaring, competition is high and brand loyalty can be fragile if not actively managed, going the extra mile on customer engagement is key. With the right data and customer service tools, consumers can be kept happy while retailers reap the benefits of efficient and cost-effective operations. Preparation and investment now will help ensure a great peak experience for the future.”

Appointments, News

AWS technology leader joins Sorted to scale SaaS business and support retailers globally

  • New Chief Technology Officer brings a wealth of senior technical leadership experience from Amazon Web Services and The Hut Group
  • Company sees 219% growth in shipments since 2019, demonstrating demand for exceptional SaaS driven delivery experiences

London, 11 July, 2022: Sorted, the Delivery Experience Platform, has just announced the appointment of technology innovator Peter Ennis as its new Chief Technology Officer to scale its cloud platform globally. His focus on SaaS innovation will enable Sorted to deliver a best-in-class value proposition to both SMB and enterprise retailers as demand continues to soar.

At a time where 63% of consumers say a poor delivery service would stop them from purchasing from a company again, more brands are embracing software that streamlines ecommerce journeys. Peter Ennis has experience of building world-class cloud software and recently held senior technical leadership roles at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and The Hut Group (THG). His appointment as CTO will see the continued roll out of the Delivery Experience Platform to a wider base, offering market-leading delivery and returns solutions to retailers of all sizes.

In June 2022, the company saw a 49% increase of shipment volume through its Ship platform compared to the previous year, while its Track product saw a 127% increase during the same period. Retailers are turning to Sorted for more efficient carrier management and delivery tracking systems, to reduce the pressure on warehouse and customer service teams.

The platform, which grew its customers by 114% over the past three years as demand for ecommerce and online deliveries accelerated, is now looking to deliver exceptional delivery experiences to SMBs across the globe. Over this period, Sorted has also added Colin Tenwick as Non-Executive Chairman to the team, opened offices in London, and appointed Carmen Carey as its new CEO.

“Peter is a highly experienced leader with a strong track record of managing successful, technologically-driven organisations,” said Carmen Carey, Sorted CEO. “Throughout his 20+ years in the industry, he has combined his practical and business skills to deliver quality, scalable products and services in the most demanding of environments. This represents the next stage for Sorted as we pivot our cloud offering to support small and medium business internationally.”

“Customers are looking for gold-class customer service in ecommerce and it’s about how our technology will offer frictionless experiences for consumers, not to mention efficient and low-cost delivery and returns for small businesses all over the world,” said Peter. “In the face of yet another potential squeeze on retailers as inflation rises, brands need to invest in software that can help them navigate such a competitive market. Sorted helped customers thrive throughout the pandemic, and now is the time for us to scale our offering to do the same globally to help the new generation of SMB retailers.”

E-Commerce, News

Consumers spend less and are more selective, while 79% say they were more forgiving about delivery experiences during pandemic

  • 63% of consumers admit to spending less in shops and online than a year ago
  • 43% won’t accept COVID-19 as a reason for poor delivery or customer service experiences anymore

London UK; 28th June 2022: Consumers are spending less and are more selective with their purchases, while 79% say they were more forgiving about delivery experiences during the pandemic. That’s according to new data from delivery experience platform Sorted, which unveiled the current consumer ecommerce and delivery trends in the face of the rising cost of goods.

The survey, consisting of 2,000 respondents in the UK and US, found that 82% of shoppers admit to being more money-conscious now due to inflation. The main reasons given for them spending less were Brexit/rising cost of goods at 56% (UK respondents), followed by more discounts in-store and online (24%) and a lack of consumer confidence (16%). Unsurprisingly, two thirds of consumers admit to spending less in shops and online than a year ago.

Consumers are fed up with the pandemic excuse

The data revealed that 66% of consumers noticed an increase in customer service problems for purchases and/or deliveries when the pandemic began, with 56% still experiencing these problems now. Worryingly, 63% say poor delivery service would stop them of purchasing from a company again, while 43% won’t accept COVID-19 as a reason for poor delivery or customer service experiences anymore.

Carmen Carey, CEO of Sorted, commented: “Inflation across the UK and the US is the highest it has been in decades, and consumers are having to rethink their spending habits as a result. With money tight, brands are going to be competing more than ever for share of mind and wallet. With customer loyalty at its most fragile, there is absolutely no room for error when offering delivery experiences.”

Consumer spending habits

The survey found that over a third of respondents said they are likely to spend more than usual during Amazon Prime Day in July. Thirty-two percent also now shop at other flash sales throughout the year.

As inflation continues to soar, low shipping costs appeared as the most valued aspect of the delivery experience today (37%). This was followed by delivering on time (32%) and having proactive updates about orders/returns (23%), demonstrating the direct link between delivery experiences and loyalty.

Customer Experience, News

Sorted launches first-of-its-kind delivery experience report to uncover the science behind online purchasing behaviour

  • New report presents neuroscientific findings on digital journeys and the power of emotional purchasing
  • Barometer sees fashion sector setting standards high with average score of 80.7, driving demand for digital differentiation

London UK; 21st March 2022: Delivery experience platform Sorted has announced the first-of-its-kind Delivery Experience ‘DX’ report. The research, carried out in partnership with management consulting firm, Think Beyond, put ten leading fashion retailers under a neuroscientific microscope to predict human responses to online shopping stimuli.

A benchmark for other brands

By factoring in independent analysis from neuroscientists and customer journey experts, the barometer measures around 40 elements that scientific studies suggest are most important to customer experience. In this first report, it found the average customer journey score for a fashion retailer to be 80.7 out of 100.

The ranking, which evaluates conscious and unconscious customer responses to delivery experiences, demonstrates how competitive the current landscape is. With fashion retailers setting the bar this high, the data reveals that being ‘good’ is simply not good enough to stand out and attract and retain customers today.

Standing out in a crowded market

The report, which used the five-point Likert scale to assess the purchasing journey for consumers, empowers scientists to dig deeper and understand what makes consumers tick under the surface. By adopting neuroscience theories, the company was able to predict physiological and emotional responses, using methods less susceptible to bias than other forms of market research.

These findings, which demonstrate that retailers are providing exemplary offerings to customers when it comes to pre- and post-purchase, mean that brands need to exceed expectations to stand out in a crowded market. In turn, Sorted identified the actions that retailers must take, including using parcel tracking to reduce delivery failures and customer contact centre strain, and to avoid losing momentum on DX innovation and investment.

Carmen Carey, CEO at Sorted, commented: “Consumers now have almost unlimited access to new brands and products, making loyalty hard to earn and even easier to lose. Since these findings demonstrate that delivery and returns is a strong area for fashion retailers, brands must take the delivery experience to the next level to separate themselves from others. Any lapse in progression or innovation in this space is likely to see you fall behind.”

The Science of DX report marks a turning point for delivery experience, paving the way for a new view of the customer journey that considers the conscious and unconscious demands of the modern consumer.

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Point of no return: 89% of consumers identify returns as priority for ecommerce retailers

  • 81% of consumers would write off a retailer if they saw issues with return process
  • 61% say easy returns result in exchanges over refund

London UK; 1st February 2022: 89% of consumers identify ease of returns as top priority when purchasing online. That’s according to new data from delivery experience platform Sorted, which found that retailers who get the returns process right will reap the most consumer loyalty.

The survey, consisting of 2,000 UK respondents, found that those with strong returns processes in place will also see a return on investment, with 61% saying they would be more likely to exchange a product bought online than get a refund if exchanging was made simpler.

Adversely, 81% say they would avoid ordering from an online retailer if they saw issues with their return process, a concern for retailers when 29% of consumers claim to have had an unsatisfactory returns experience in the last 12 months. The data also revealed that 44% would not re-order from an online retailer if they had experienced issues with their return process, and 36% would be reluctant to reorder from those retailers failing to provide clear returns details.

The need for seamless returns

The research also demonstrated a real hunger for proactive communications, with 77% saying that getting timely updates on the progress of their return, refund or exchange would make them more likely to purchase from that retailer again. Additionally, a quick and simple refund process (42%) and the ability to return via a local shop or a convenient location (26%) was revealed as crucial for customers.

Consumer expectations were also identified, with respondents saying they are more likely to be lenient with smaller retailers when it comes to returns. Alternatively, over nine in ten believe it is important for large corporate retailers to have a seamless returns process (94%).

The findings come at a time when ecommerce continues to soar, following a trend that has polarised retail since the onset of the pandemic. Shipping volumes through the SortedREACT platform increased by 429% during peak season (October to December 2021 vs the same period in 2020), meaning UK retailers have reached a critical point with the delivery and returns experiences they offer to consumers.

“In the aftermath of the Christmas peak, retailers are going to be dealing with an influx of returns. However, at every opportunity, a refund could become an exchange. Those who fail to offer quick and convenient ecommerce experiences will no doubt suffer in this competitive landscape,” shares Carmen Carey, CEO of Sorted.

“Retailers must learn that they can’t simply stop the brand experience the very moment an order reaches the customer’s door, but ensure a seamless process is carried right through the customer journey. With returns now a major point of differentiation for brands, retailers – big and small – must invest in the full post-purchase journey in order to both attract and retain the modern customer.”