Shoe Zone and parcelLab: Taking Offline Business Online Seamlessly During Covid-19

Coronavirus has changed the way the UK population shops -- perhaps for forever. When Boris Johnson announced all non-essential stores must close on the 23rd March, the UK's bricks and mortar retail spend disappeared overnight. Many retailers who traditionally relied heavily on their offline stores for revenue were forced instantly to attract their customers online.

Turning Browsers into Loyal Customers During a Crisis

Unlike many UK retailers, Shoe Zone had previously invested heavily in their e-commerce site so it was in good shape to handle an increase in orders and this shift from offline to online. A partnership with operations experience (OX) specialists, parcelLab, had been agreed last year. Shoe Zone was already communicating proactively with their online customers during shipping, through an integrated track and trace page and branded, up-to-date delivery communications.

WISMO Enquiries Now Make Up 70% of Calls

Reports suggest that WISMO (Where is my order?) enquiries are accounting for over 70% of queries for retailers' customer service centres. Through the proactive communication Shoe Zone had implemented with the help of parcelLab, they actually saw a decrease in WISMO calls during March. Their customers are being kept in the loop and informed proactively about any delays.

Branded Delivery Communication is a Marketer's Dream

Usually marketing emails attract open rates of around 15-25% and click-through rates of around 2.5%. By taking control back of their post-purchase communications and seeing these emails as an additional marketing channel, Shoe Zone is seeing engagement rates of 74%, unique open rates of 68% and click-through rates of 27%.

The Future is Bright

Both Shoe Zone and parcelLab are excited for what the future holds for the partnership. Without a doubt, Shoe Zone's customers will be experiencing better customer experiences, leaving them happy and more likely to become brand ambassadors.