Last Wednesday, UK e-Commerce darling ASOS announced changes to its shipping policy that may shake up customer loyalty and overall sales. Whether it’s for better or for worse, though, is yet to be seen.
Typically, all orders made on the ASOS e-Commerce site received free shipping – undoubtedly something that many, if not all, consumers loved about the retailer. But now, American customers must spend at least $25 for free delivery. If they don’t reach this threshold, $4 is tacked onto their bill.
Even customers worldwide will be affected, with the free shipping threshold sitting at £15. Otherwise, shoppers will be charged an additional £3.
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The delivery process is a core part of the overall customer experience. Think about how many times you’ve been frustrated that an order took too long to get to your doorstep, or how annoyed you were that you paid almost as much for shipping as you did for a product.
Industry research, however, has outlined some interesting perceptions of the delivery experience, and what truly matters to customers.
Overall, free shipping is more important to consumers than fast shipping, according to a report from Forrester Research. More than half (59%) of survey respondents said they consider shipping costs while making a buying decision. Additionally, 53% of consumers said low shipping costs qualified as a reason to switch to a different online retailer.
With that said, what are your thoughts on the decision? Do you think it’ll end up harming ASOS, or do you not think it’ll make much of a difference?
