Between the strong consumer demand for increasingly faster, more personalized deliveries while being more respectful of the environment, the companies of online trade find themselves facing a real dilemma today.
The challenge of tomorrow will be to ship your packages on time, taking into account the ecological impacts to meet the expectations of your customers!
Here are some solutions to implement in e-commerce to make your deliveries more ecological.
Table of contents
Optimize product packaging
Greener delivery starts with choosing the right packaging. Choose boxes and padding made from recyclable or even biodegradable paper or cardboard. Also, maximize your shipments by choosing package sizes suited to your products in order to leave as little empty space as possible.
Not only will you reduce your carbon impact, but also your shipping costs!
Choose an eco-responsible carrier
The delivery of your orders represents a considerable source of pollution. This is the biggest point to review for a sustainable and responsible shipping policy. Choose your logistics partner carefully and favor eco-responsible transport. Especially if you have clients from all over the world then choose an assisted shop and ship service company who has access to all over the world.
Some carriers use “green fleets” which are made up of electric vehicles or equipped with CNG.
Plan transport and improve routes
Technology can also help you reduce your ecological footprint!
Several transport companies have developed algorithms capable of identifying the best possible routes in order to make the journey more environmentally friendly. Greenplan (a subsidiary of DHL), for example, has developed an intelligent calculation system in order to better plan the road freight activity with the aim of achieving zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
There are also now geolocation tools that will allow you to optimize delivery routes and avoid undelivered packages that force the delivery person to return. Shortly before final delivery, offer your customer the delivery of their order to a relay point or by hand.
This way you can limit travel and by giving the decision to the customer and it will likewise build consumer loyalty.
Opt for a green delivery at the last mile
The last kilometer is often the most polluting, especially in urban areas. Supply chain players have also become aware of this negative impact and new delivery systems are now possible.
Today, some carriers offer carbon-neutral options such as bicycle couriers for small packages or cycle freighters for large packages.
You can also partner with large groups like Amazon and its Amazon Flex service, to benefit from their delivery network. The advantage of this “uberisation” of logistics consists in pooling equipment and therefore reducing your CO2 emissions!
Involve your customers in your ecological approach
Ordering online is quick and easy, and many consumers cannot imagine the consequences of a single click on nature.
The more you educate your customers about the impact of express delivery and its usefulness, the more likely they will be to postpone their shipment. To encourage them to be more eco-responsible, you can also offer more expensive shipping costs for fast shipping and free shipping for sending packages that are slower, but greener.
Also, promote parcel drop-offs in relay points instead of home delivery and explain to your customers the value of grouping several products into a single order.
- Choice of a nearby host who uses renewable energies.
- Compensation of your CO2 by financing ecological projects …
Avoid parcel returns
The objective is of course not to deprive your customers of the possibility of returning a package, but rather to inform them sufficiently in advance so that they do not make a mistake in their order.
To do this, here are some tips to guide your customers to the most suitable product:
- Include photos in your product sheets
- Add a size guide and user manual
- Distribute video tutorials
- Write detailed blog posts about your products/services
- Give advice on the use
- Make it easier to get in touch with customer service (phone, chat, social networks, etc.)
On the other hand, do not deprive your customers of the possibility of a free return. The option is a deciding buying factor for 90% of online shoppers.
Offset your carbon emissions
Despite all your efforts to make the transport of your products more eco-responsible, you will not completely eliminate your carbon impact.
There are carbon offset programs that allow you to accumulate carbon credits that you then donate to associations to finance ecological projects.
You can also donate a percentage of your turnover to support environmental actions. For example, by becoming a member of the 1% For The Planet association, you help support associations committed to a sustainable future.
Our advice
Making e-commerce deliveries greener will only be done by involving consumers in your approach and by adopting sustainable logistics solutions. The ecological transition is everyone’s business and the latest innovations in green transport will help you meet the expectations of consumers who expect careful and ecological delivery of their products.
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