Tip of the week: Make delivery details clear before the customer asks

Hidden or unclear delivery costs are a top reason online shoppers abandon an order. Customers want to know: how much, how long and how.

Decide and state clearly:

• Areas you deliver to, and areas you do not
• The cost for each area, or how it is calculated
• Typical delivery time
• Whether the customer pays on delivery or before
• Who is responsible if something is damaged in transit

Put this in a short pinned post, in your catalogue or in your quick replies. A clothes seller in Zanzibar could list delivery by town and by ferry or bus route.

Work with reliable riders or couriers and agree rates and responsibility. Keep their phone numbers and give the customer the rider's contact.

Update the customer when the parcel leaves and when it arrives.

Make sure your prices cover packaging and delivery effort, or state delivery fees separately.

This week: write your delivery policy in five lines and pin it where customers can see it.