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You have been following up on the business world. Now you are ready to start a business of your own. What direction would you take? Or rather, what would be the most lucrative venture for you?
If you ask most people, they’ll tell you that dropshipping is the way to go. Why? Because it is easy, convenient, and a less expensive way to make more money.
Well, that is true. But there is a dilemma; if dropshipping was that easy, why do some drop shippers fail while others succeed? Should not every Shopify dropshipping store out there make it?
Dropshipping might be an easy, convenient, and less expensive way to make more money, but not without a good plan. You’ll need to have a strategy to satisfy your customers’ needs and make them happy; that way, they can keep coming back for more. That is what most drop shippers fail to do.
The purpose of writing this post is to help you make your dropshipping customers happy and run a successful business.
But first things first…,
What is Drop Shipping?
Dropshipping is a type of retail business where the seller takes customer orders but doesn’t own or keep any goods they sell in stock. Instead, they transfer the orders plus the shipment details to a third-party supplier such as a wholesaler, another retailer, or the manufacturer who then ships the goods directly to the consumer. Consequently, the seller is responsible for selling and marketing the products but has little or no control over their quality, inventory management, storage, or shipping. That eliminates the costs of running a warehouse or a brick and mortar, I.e., purchasing inventory and hiring staff.
Like in any other business, the drop shippers are in business to make money, and their profits come from the difference between the wholesale and the retail price.
That said! Dropshipping is one of the most popular businesses right now, and you can understand why.
How to make Your Drop Shipping Customers Happy
Customer satisfaction should always be a top priority for every drop shipper. If your customers are not happy with you, you lose them to your competitors. Here are a few tips you can follow to prevent that from happening.
1. Choose Your Supplier Wisely
As stated above, your only role is to market and sell the products; anything else is beyond your control.
Now imagine working with the wrong supplier; all the things that might go wrong. From late deliveries, poor packaging, damaged products, substandard products, you name it. You can expect just about anything terrible to happen when working with the wrong supplier.
That will disappoint your customers and eventually cost you your business. And that is why picking the right supplier is critical.
2. Have Several Suppliers
You have done your research and found a good supplier, don’t just stop at that! Find another one and another one, probably 4,5 or more, depending on the scale of your business. These will come in handy as a backup when one supplier is not enough to or cannot meet all your needs.
Here’s the thing: You might have the best supplier, but what if there is a shortage of the products you want? Also, remember you are not the only drop shipper working with them, so what if the demand is too high? What if they run out of stock for whatever reason, which can happen to any supplier?
What will you do?
If you don’t have a backup supplier, you will be in a lot of trouble. Your customers will have to wait for weeks or even months, in worst-case scenarios, to receive their package. How annoying and disappointing can that be?
3. Always Communicate Important Information to Your Customers
Communication is essential for any business to thrive, that includes dropshipping.
Customers hate to be in the dark. They like to know everything about their orders from the beginning to the end. As such, you must find a way of keeping them updated every step of the way. You can do so via text messages, phone calls, email, WhatsApp, social media platforms, or any other means of communication available.
Inform your customers when you receive and process their orders. Give a time frame of when they should receive their packages. If there are any delays or late deliveries, let them know and apologize to them for the inconveniences caused. In the case of price adjustments, make sure you inform your customers on time and explain the reasons.
Whatever it is, always communicate to your customers early enough and be honest with them. That takes us back to the first point; choosing your suppliers wisely. You will never be in the dark if you work with reputable suppliers. They will always communicate all the relevant information to you on time, allowing you to do the same for your customers as well.
4. Let Your Customers Connect with You
It is not just you who needs to communicate to your customers. Your customers need to connect with you, as well. They have loads of questions which they expect you to answer when they reach out to you. It would be great if you were available 24/7, but unfortunately, that might not be possible. That is where chatbots and other customer service software come into play. Try as much as you can to be available most of the time and allow technology to fill in for you when you are not.
Create more than one way for customers to communicate to you and let them know your working hours to manage their expectations.
5. Create an FAQ Page
Remember, your customer service crew cannot work 24/7, so it only makes sense for you to have an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page.
You want your customers to have minimum queries and contact you less. To achieve that, you must feed them with as much relevant information as you possibly can.
An FAQ page lists all possible questions the customer might have and their detailed answers. To create it, you have to put yourself in the customers’ shoes, imagine the questions they may ask, and then answer them.
With an FAQ page, you get to cater to your customers’ needs before they arise.
Conclusion
Business is all about the customers; let no one tell you otherwise.
If you want to succeed, you have to put your customers first. Make sure you satisfy their needs, make them happy, and ultimately earn their trust.
The drop shipping business is no different.
You may also like: Drop-Shipping Vs. E-Commerce Fulfillment: Which Is Best For You?
Image source: Depositphotos.com
