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Learning From the Best: UK E-Commerce Shipping Study 2020 -- Fashion Edition

By parcelLab Team 7 min read

We examined delivery and returns processes among the UK's top 100 online fashion retailers. Three standout companies received awards for excellence across different dimensions of the customer experience.

Best Customer Experience: JD Sports

Founded 1981 | 2,400+ stores | Revenue: $4,717.8 million

JD Sports excelled with integrated tracking in customer accounts, multiple payment options including Klarna, an annual delivery pass at just $9.99, and guest checkout functionality. Areas for improvement include lack of post-checkout product recommendations and non-branded tracking emails from carriers.

Best Brand Experience: Missguided

Founded 2009 | E-commerce revenue: $215.9 million

Missguided stood out with social sharing integration, friend referral schemes, branded track-and-trace pages, and consistent branded email communications. Potential improvements include expanding upselling on tracking pages and disabling external carrier communications.

Best Personalisation: Hugo Boss

Founded 1924 | E-commerce revenue: $2,733 million

Hugo Boss delivered end-to-end personalized communications, product recommendations on tracking pages, integrated online and offline purchase history, and personalized offers. A minor limitation: they could expand upselling within delivery communications.

Key Learnings for Fashion Retailers

The study identifies four critical success factors:

  1. Provide transparency across the entire customer journey through account tracking, branded shipping communication, and integrated track-and-trace pages.
  2. Offer delivery passes to encourage repeat purchases through perceived value.
  3. Create personalized experiences integrating both online and offline channels.
  4. Build community through social sharing initiatives.

The best fashion retailers demonstrate that a great post-purchase experience requires investment across customer experience, brand consistency, and personalization. By learning from these leaders, retailers of all sizes can elevate their shipping and delivery operations.

Ready to transform your post-purchase experience?

See how parcelLab can help you turn every delivery and return into a loyalty-building moment.