Next Day Delivery Headaches!

deniser

Free Member
Jun 3, 2008
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London
The amount of people adding Next Day Delivery to their shopping baskets for £2 when it says very clearly and in bold that it is for the UK only is extraordinary.

This happens most in the US. Do they read US instead of UK or is there no world outside the US?

It also happens a lot in Ireland where they do not think they are abroad or international but that they are somehow included within the UK.

Prices throughout are in £ BTW.

Very strange.......
 

deniser

Free Member
Jun 3, 2008
8,081
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London
As a customer, if you gave me the option then I would add it as well!!

Unfortunately the site is not sophisticated enough so that it only shows up when someone has already typed in a UK delivery address.

But the customer has to take action to add the option to their basket before checkout and it is very clearly only for the UK!
 
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principleweb

Hi

What system are you using to run your shop?

Many eCommerce packages (assuming you're using one) will allow you to restrict what your customers select based on detecting their locations.

So for many of my UK based customers who don't want to send outside the UK or certain European countries, I would configure things so the selection wasn't possible. Is that an option for you?

Could you change the name of the option to be "UK only Next Day Delivery"?

Hope that helps. I'd need to see it to advise further.

Kev
 
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KidsBeeHappy

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Oct 9, 2007
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The most valuable piece of business advice that I think I've ever been given is to always assume that no-one will read anything that you write. And it's so true. People click drop downs, tick boxes, and enter data without ever reading the instructions, and they scroll around screens looking for relevant words, rarely actually ever reading in full paragraphs, yet alone entire phrases.

Anyone that questions this should ask themselves one question - have you ever actually read (really read) your own website?
 
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deniser

Free Member
Jun 3, 2008
8,081
1,697
London
Hi

What system are you using to run your shop?

Many eCommerce packages (assuming you're using one) will allow you to restrict what your customers select based on detecting their locations.

So for many of my UK based customers who don't want to send outside the UK or certain European countries, I would configure things so the selection wasn't possible. Is that an option for you?

Could you change the name of the option to be "UK only Next Day Delivery"?

Hope that helps. I'd need to see it to advise further.

Kev

It is a bespoke site but quite old so a little out of date.

My developer is always too busy to do the things on his long list.

The option is already called UK only next day delivery.
 
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deniser

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Jun 3, 2008
8,081
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London
The most valuable piece of business advice that I think I've ever been given is to always assume that no-one will read anything that you write. And it's so true. People click drop downs, tick boxes, and enter data without ever reading the instructions, and they scroll around screens looking for relevant words, rarely actually ever reading in full paragraphs, yet alone entire phrases.

Anyone that questions this should ask themselves one question - have you ever actually read (really read) your own website?

It is very true.

It is a shame they read "next day" but not the word "UK".

I read my website all the time. I tinker with the wording constantly trying to get it right. But as you say, there is nothing you can do if people won't read (other than to try to configure the site differently which I would if I could get my developer to do it!) .
 
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principleweb

Not wanting to sound like a sales reply... but if you're struggling and need a refresh to a website that can meet the needs you now have, then I'd be happy to quote.

But I didn't reply originally with the intention of offering that, just responding to what you said to others in your follow-up messages.

If you let me know your domain name, I'll have a further look and see if I can offer any better suggestions, without a re-write.
 
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sysops

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Feb 1, 2007
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We used to get this with Highlands and Islands customers - even though it said Next Day wasn't available to them, they'd still add it.

The only way round was to modify the shipping system so they couldn't choose it if they had a H/I postcode.
 
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deniser

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Jun 3, 2008
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If you are having a recurring problem then it's not them, it's you.

You'll have to find another way to do this express delivery. Also, have you checked you are insured to send stuff to the states anyway?

It's not common but has happened from time to time but we are talking a few out of thousands and thousands of orders.

Yes I am insured to send stuff to the States provided it doesn't exceed 5% of my turnover but I don't know why I bother.

A lot of the problems seem to come from there and I am convinced it is because they don't realise they are dealing with a non US site (despite the co.uk URL, the £, the address etc!).

I might revert back to my previous state of not sending to the US and instead answering constant irate emails as to why we don't!
 
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deniser

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Jun 3, 2008
8,081
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London
We used to get this with Highlands and Islands customers - even though it said Next Day wasn't available to them, they'd still add it.

The only way round was to modify the shipping system so they couldn't choose it if they had a H/I postcode.

Thank you, I am glad I am not the only one!

Do you think they didn't realise or thought they might be able to get it nevertheless?
 
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deniser

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Jun 3, 2008
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If you let me know your domain name, I'll have a further look and see if I can offer any better suggestions, without a re-write.

I need a rewrite.

I need an all singing and dancing bespoke Ecommerce site with lots of extra complicated features and a developer that is good at design too who is happy to keep evolving it for years afterwards.
 
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deniser

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Jun 3, 2008
8,081
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London
I remember way back in the days of yore when we used to sell antiques online, and sooooooooo many americans would buy things like extending dining tables and then throw a fit when you told them it was going to cost more than £30 to ship it to them......

Thank you - it always makes me feel better to know it's not just me.

My current situation is turning nasty. Had to ring Consumer Direct to make sure I was in the right.
 
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KidsBeeHappy

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Oct 9, 2007
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I need a rewrite.

I need an all singing and dancing bespoke Ecommerce site with lots of extra complicated features and a developer that is good at design too who is happy to keep evolving it for years afterwards.

I would suggest maybe splitting the design and the development. One thing that I have found pretty impossible to locate is a designer who is good at developing and a developer who is good at designing.
 
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deniser

Free Member
Jun 3, 2008
8,081
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London
I would suggest maybe splitting the design and the development. One thing that I have found pretty impossible to locate is a designer who is good at developing and a developer who is good at designing.

I know! Which is why I am not making any progress. I am spoilt by the one I have already got (who is too busy sadly).
 
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sysops

Free Member
Feb 1, 2007
2,918
885
Thank you, I am glad I am not the only one!

Do you think they didn't realise or thought they might be able to get it nevertheless?

No, I think they don't read anything! They randomly click on things, and sometimes it results in an order.

Install Clicktale on your site, and record a few hundred user sessions. You will be amazed at how people use the site.
 
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Shopping365Group

Free Member
Jun 5, 2010
31
3
I understand your situation. On one of our sites we offer free delivery for orders over £75 and when a customer adds items to their basket it tells them how much more they need to spend to qualify but for some reason people read this wrong and we often get emails from irrate customers thinking they should get free delivery for spending £2.99!

I have racked my brains to come up with a better way of getting the message across but i can't think of anything so we just put up with it.

If you can get someone in to modify the site it would be worth it.
 
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