'Sorry you were out!' How to avoid missing your parcel

The internet has revolutionised retail. While we all enjoy a trip to the shops every now and then, more and more of our transactions are being completed online. In fact, the average Brit now spends nearly £2,000 on web purchases every year.

Convenience is undoubtedly the main selling point here; people can now shop from wherever they are - whether that's from a computer desk at home or a smartphone on the bus. The items are then delivered directly from the warehouse to the address provided. There is a catch, though; as most consumers will be all too aware, waiting at home for a package to arrive is as frustrating as it is boring.

Sitting, waiting, wishing

Research shows that Brits spend, on average, 32 hours of every year sitting at home waiting for order-carrying couriers to ring their doorbells. In another study, this time by the Co-operative Electrical, nine out of every ten respondents said that not knowing when to expect their delivery was the most frustrating part of shopping online. Annoyingly, the vast majority of the time spent waiting is during the week, when most people should be working.

Now, no retailer likes its customers to be unhappy. In order to keep satisfaction levels high, though, firms must realise that it is their responsibility to make the process as simple as possible for those on the other side of the digital counter. When it comes to deliveries, the best way to achieve this is by using the right courier service. Here at ipostparcels, for instance, we go out of our way to keep recipient frustration to a minimum - and we're pretty damn good at it.

Delivery options

With everything from ice-cream flavours and wallpaper to pizza toppings and movies, it's always good to have options. The same is true for deliveries, and being able to choose how long each one takes is great for businesses that want to keep things simple for their customers.

If there's no rush to get an item to its intended delivery, the cheaper 2-3-day delivery option is perfect. Otherwise, it's possible to have something arrive the next day - or to guarantee delivery before 9am. For those who work during normal office hours, there's even a Saturday option. This kind of flexibility is always appreciated by shoppers.

Transparent deliveries

Getting even more specific now, ipostparcels offers one-hour delivery slots, meaning you'll know when to be at home to greet your friendly courier. You may, for instance, be able to time it with a lunch break or arrange for someone else to pop over if they're free, without anyone potentially having to waste a whole day.

Order tracking

Last but not least, our delivery services can be tracked by both sender and recipient, so it's easy to find out where and when a parcel is at any given time. All it takes is a web browser, a reference number and a consignment number. Enter these into the ipostparcels website and you'll have all of the details you need before you know it.

So there you have it: shopping and selling online really don't have to be difficult. With all of the features above, our delivery service ensures convenience for all involved!