How to Troubleshoot Shipping Issues in 4 Basic Steps

Every online seller has to deal with shipping issues from time to time, and some problems can be more challenging to fix than others. Still, there are some basic steps you can take to make troubleshooting any shipping-related issue a little easier.

Step 1: Focus on fulfillment

Step one is about mindset. It’s your approach to shipping issues and how you handle them, from start to finish. And it can be most effective when keeping fulfillment (that is, customer satisfaction) front and foremost.

Having a shipping strategy based on customer needs not only makes troubleshooting easier and faster. More importantly, it earns confidence in your business.

Step 2: Isolate the particular issue

Shipping problems can run the gamut from customers receiving tracking codes that don’t work to administrative errors somewhere along the supply chain to products arriving damaged, and more.

Whatever the case, though, the faster you can figure out exactly what or where the snafu is, the quicker you can take action.

Step 3: Take appropriate action

With a pre-planned strategy, you’ll have a good idea of what to do next to fix a particular problem. Even if you don’t have a strategy in place, you can still take effective action on any shipping issues that arise. It may just take a little more time and research.

Step 4: Show customer appreciation

This is a follow up of sorts to show your customer that you’re sorry for any inconvenience caused by the shipping problem.

It could be a discount on a future purchase, for example, or reimbursing their shipping fees on the current purchase. Or something else that may be unique to the situation.

In summary, overseeing the shipping process can take a toll on a seller’s efforts and resources. But with a little thought and planning, you’ll be able to minimize the amount and severity of problems that come up.

And while you’ll still have occasional shipping issues to deal with, the way you handle them is what matters most. Moreover, it’s what customers will remember in the end.