From Click To Doorstep: Why Delivery Experience Is The Last Brand Impression

"That's a problem. Without a doubt, a great website and top-level marketing will help generate new sales, but it's the delivery experience that warrants future ones. This is because today's consumer not only has options for where they'll buy but also a high set of expectations. What's more, they remember the way a product arrives at their doorstep more than how it was sold."

"The post-purchase funnel is where loyalty begins. Brands tend to think of checkout as the end of the funnel. In reality, post-purchase represents the start of a different journey. One that's entirely driven by operations, communication and trust. That order confirmation email, the shipping alert, the tracking page and the box that shows up on the doorstep all contribute to what the customer remembers. And research shows that post-purchase emails have an open rate three times that of promotional campaigns."

E-commerce is projected to grow at a 14.5% compound annual rate through 2026. Brands focus heavy investment on customer acquisition, SEO, email flows and promotional funnels, yet post-purchase strategy and investment lag. The delivery experience—timeliness, package condition, branding and clarity—shapes customer memory and brand impression more than the sale process. Delays, damage, unbranded or confusing packaging often replace satisfaction with frustration. Post-purchase represents the start of loyalty-building, driven by operations, communication and trust. Order confirmations, shipping alerts, tracking pages and the physical package all contribute to memory. Post-purchase emails have open rates three times those of promotional campaigns, and silence or confusion erodes the emotional payoff of buying.

Read at Forbes