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Imagine you’re an online retailer, and your customer is eagerly awaiting the arrival of their order. But suddenly, a shipping exception occurs, and the package is delayed. Frustration builds, and your customer’s satisfaction begins to wane. In today’s fast-paced world, understanding shipping exceptions is crucial for businesses to maintain customer satisfaction and minimize disruptions in their supply chain. In this blog post, we will delve into the various types of shipping exceptions, their common causes, and how businesses can effectively manage them to ensure a seamless delivery experience for their customers.
From FedEx shipment exceptions to UPS and USPS delivery exceptions, businesses must be well-equipped to handle any challenges that may arise. By understanding the nuances of these exceptions and implementing strategies to manage them, businesses can maintain customer satisfaction and stay ahead in the competitive world of eCommerce.
Shipping exceptions can cause delays and additional costs.
Businesses should utilize address verification software, diversify shipping carriers, and implement delivery management software to manage shipping exceptions effectively.
Proactive communication with customers is key in maintaining customer satisfaction when dealing with these issues.
A shipping exception is an unforeseen event that disrupts the delivery of a package, often outside the delivery company’s control. These exceptions can be frustrating for both businesses and customers, as they can lead to delays and additional costs.
In the following sections, we will explore the most common types of shipping exceptions, including FedEx shipment exceptions, UPS delivery exceptions, and USPS delivery exceptions.
A FedEx shipment exception is an unanticipated delay in the transit of items or packages due to factors such as customs, missing documentation, inclement weather, natural disasters, national holidays, or vehicle/truck issues. Some common causes of FedEx shipment exceptions include incorrect address, damaged or missing labels, customs delays, and weather conditions.
When faced with a FedEx delivery exception, it is crucial to track the package’s progress and be prepared to take any necessary action. Contacting FedEx is the recommended course of action to resolve the shipment exception status. By being proactive and responsive, businesses can minimize the impact of FedEx shipment exceptions on their customers and operations.
UPS delivery exceptions refer to instances when a package or shipment encounters an unexpected event, potentially altering the anticipated delivery day. These exceptions may include unknown addresses, damaged goods, or lack of signature upon delivery. In some cases, animal interference can also be a contributing factor, with dogs in urban areas and cows in rural locations causing disruptions in the delivery process.
To handle UPS delivery exceptions, businesses should ensure they provide comprehensive explanations of shipment information to customers and be prepared to take any necessary action, such as contacting UPS to resolve the issue. By staying informed and responsive, businesses can minimize the impact of UPS delivery exceptions on their operations and customer satisfaction.
USPS delivery exceptions typically occur due to incorrect addresses or holidays. National holidays in either the country of origin or the recipient’s country can lead to delays in shipment delivery. Incorrect addresses can be a significant cause of delivery exceptions, with packages being sent to the wrong address or being undeliverable due to incomplete or incorrect information.
To handle USPS delivery exceptions, businesses should contact the customer to verify the correct address and resend the package if necessary. By being proactive and ensuring accurate address information is provided, businesses can minimize the impact of USPS delivery exceptions on their customers and operations.
While there are various types of shipping exceptions, some common causes include incorrect address, damaged or missing labels, customs delays, and weather conditions.
In the following sections, we will explore each of these causes in more detail and discuss how businesses can prevent and manage these shipping exceptions to minimize disruptions in their supply chain.
An incorrect address delivery exception refers to a situation in which a package is sent to an incorrect address due to an error in the address information provided. Typing in the wrong address or omitting the required information are among the most frequent causes of address delivery exceptions.
To prevent address-related delivery exceptions, businesses can utilize address verification software to guarantee the accuracy of the address prior to shipping. In the event of an address delivery exception, businesses should reach out to the customer to verify the accurate address and then resend the package to the correct address.
A damaged or missing label shipping exception occurs when a shipment label is not present or is damaged, potentially impeding the carrier’s ability to identify the package and ensure its delivery to the intended destination. This can result in the shipment being postponed, sent back to the sender, or delivered to an incorrect address.
To reduce the risk of a damaged or missing label shipping exception, it is essential to ensure that the labels are printed correctly and securely attached to the package. In case of a shipping exception caused by a damaged or missing label, businesses should contact the carrier and provide additional details regarding the package, including the tracking number, sender’s address, and recipient’s address.
Customs delays refer to instances when packages are held at customs for a longer period than anticipated due to a lack or inaccuracy of customs information. Examples of customs delays may include instances when hazardous materials are shipped incorrectly or when there is a security concern at the recipient’s location.
To prevent customs delays, businesses should ensure that all customs information is accurate and up-to-date, and that all shipments adhere to the regulations of the destination country. By being proactive and ensuring compliance with customs regulations, businesses can minimize the impact of customs delays on their customers and operations.
Weather conditions, such as rain, snow, or extreme temperatures, can have an impact on the estimated delivery date of a shipment, as extreme weather can cause delays or even impede a shipment from being delivered. Severe weather conditions, like wildfires, floods, and tornadoes, can result in shipping exceptions.
Businesses should monitor weather conditions and adjust their delivery schedules accordingly to minimize the impact of weather-related shipping exceptions. By being proactive and adapting to changing weather conditions, businesses can maintain customer satisfaction and ensure timely delivery of their products.
Shipping exceptions can have far-reaching consequences for businesses and customers alike. They can result in dissatisfied customers, a tarnished reputation, decreased customer loyalty, increased costs in delivery management, wasted time, and potential legal liability. Moreover, research shows that more than 30% of online shoppers expect their orders to arrive within 24 hours. Thus, effectively managing shipping exceptions is crucial for businesses to meet customer expectations and maintain a competitive edge in the market.
To minimize the impact of shipping exceptions on businesses and customers, it is essential to employ strategies that can help prevent and manage these exceptions. In the following sections, we will explore various strategies for managing shipping exceptions, such as proactive communication, address verification, diversifying shipping carriers, and implementing delivery management software.
Effectively managing shipping exceptions requires a multi-faceted approach that incorporates various strategies. By employing these strategies, businesses can ensure a smooth delivery process and maintain customer satisfaction.
In this section, we will discuss four key strategies for managing shipping exceptions: proactive communication, address verification, diversifying shipping carriers, and implementing delivery management software.
Proactive communication is a crucial strategy for managing shipping exceptions, as it involves informing customers of potential delays and establishing expectations. By keeping customers informed of any shipping exceptions and providing updates on the status of their packages, businesses can transform a potentially adverse situation into a positive, shareable experience, which can help create brand equity, repeat business, and word-of-mouth.
Examples of proactive communication may include sending emails or text messages to customers to inform them of potential delays, providing estimated delivery dates, and offering alternative delivery options. By keeping customers in the loop and providing timely updates, businesses can effectively manage shipping exceptions and maintain customer satisfaction.
Address verification is another important strategy for managing shipping exceptions, as it helps ensure that packages are delivered to the correct address. By utilizing automatic address validation tools to review all address elements and ascertain their validity, businesses can significantly reduce the number of address-related delivery exceptions.
Implementing address verification not only minimizes delivery exceptions, but also enhances customer experience by guaranteeing that orders are delivered to the correct address. For example, ShipBob’s software is an effective solution that can help businesses streamline their delivery process and minimize shipping exceptions caused by incorrect addresses.
Diversifying shipping carriers is another effective strategy for managing shipping exceptions. By not relying solely on one carrier, businesses can mitigate the risk of shipping exceptions caused by carrier-specific issues, such as strikes or network outages.
Additionally, diversifying carriers allows businesses to cater to customers with carrier-limited addresses, such as PO boxes, military bases, and prisons, effectively expanding their potential customer base. By using a mix of carriers, businesses can ensure a more reliable delivery process and minimize the impact of shipping exceptions on their operations.
Implementing delivery management software is another valuable strategy for managing shipping exceptions. This type of software can help automate the delivery process, reducing the likelihood of human error and streamlining the entire supply chain.
Delivery management software can also provide businesses with valuable insights into their delivery process, allowing them to identify areas for improvement and implement targeted solutions to minimize shipping exceptions. By leveraging technology and data-driven insights, businesses can effectively manage shipping exceptions and ensure a seamless delivery experience for their customers.
Boll & Branch, a luxury bedding company, successfully managed shipping exceptions by integrating Shopify order feed with carrier data and establishing new tracking pages and customizable alerts. This allowed them to proactively communicate with their customers, providing real-time updates on the status of their orders.
As a result, Boll & Branch achieved a 66% reduction in resolution time for customers and a 30.8% overall reduction in WISMO (Where is my order?) calls. This case study demonstrates the power of proactive communication, address verification, and delivery management software in successfully managing shipping exceptions and maintaining customer satisfaction.
In conclusion, understanding and effectively managing shipping exceptions is critical for businesses to maintain customer satisfaction and stay competitive in the world of eCommerce. By exploring the various types of shipping exceptions, their common causes, and implementing strategies such as proactive communication, address verification, diversifying shipping carriers, and implementing delivery management software, businesses can better navigate the complexities of the delivery process and minimize disruptions in their supply chain.
As the case study of Boll & Branch demonstrates, successful handling of shipping exceptions can have a significant impact on customer satisfaction and business performance. By adopting these strategies, businesses can not only manage shipping exceptions effectively, but also create a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience for their customers, ensuring their loyalty and repeat business.
A shipping exception is a delay in a package’s transit that is outside of the sender’s or receiver’s control. Common causes include incorrect address information, transit-related incidents, weather, and other unavoidable occurrences.
These exceptions can cause delays in delivery, and can be difficult to predict or prevent. It is important to be aware of the potential for shipping exceptions when planning for delivery times.
Typically, shipment exceptions don’t last longer than seven days. Should the exception remain unresolved after seven days, contact FedEx for assistance.Oct 4, 2020.
A shipment exception usually lasts no longer than seven days. If your exception hasn’t been resolved after that time, you should contact FedEx for help.Nov 11, 2019.
Generally, a shipment exception will resolve itself within seven days. If it remains unresolved after that period, you should contact FedEx for assistance.May 5, 2022.
Generally, a shipment exception will not last longer than seven days; however, if it remains unresolved after that time, it is best to contact FedEx for assistance.Sep 9, 2021.
Shipping exceptions typically last no longer than seven days, so if the issue remains unresolved after that time, it’s best to contact FedEx for assistance.Apr 4, 2020.
In most cases, shipment exceptions will resolve themselves in less than seven days. However, if it persists beyond that time frame, you should contact FedEx for assistance.Aug 8, 2021.
Shipment exceptions typically last no more than seven days, but if the exception isn’t resolved after that period of time, contact FedEx for assistance.Mar 3, 2022.
Overall, shipment exceptions usually last no longer than seven days. If the exception has not been resolved within that timeframe, contact FedEx for help.Jul 7, 2020.
Typically, a shipment exception will not last longer than seven days. If the exception remains unresolved after this period, contact FedEx for assistance.Feb 2, 2021.
In most cases, a shipment exception will last no longer than seven days. If the exception is unresolved after this time, it is recommended to contact FedEx for help.Dec 12, 2019.
If your shipment experiences an exception, the best course of action is to contact the carrier as soon as possible. Once you have more information from the carrier, reach out to the customer and work together to resolve the issue – whether it’s resending the package or issuing a refund.
If your FedEx package says exception, the best course of action is to contact the carrier immediately at 1-800-Go-FedEx. Check for tracking information online to find out the exact location of the package and the reason for the delivery exception.
From there, you can decide whether to issue a refund or resend the package.
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