The differences between online and in-store shopping are immediately apparent. Most of us have experience with physical shopping and increasingly also with online purchases. From the consumer's perspective, the process ends when a purchase is completed, whether in a physical store or online. The difference lies in the backend process: in online shopping, this process is only beginning when the order is placed, whereas in a physical store, it ends once we leave the shop.

The process that unfolds after placing an online order can be divided into two timeframes: dispatch time and delivery time. Dispatch time begins as soon as the order is placed. This phase consists of several sequential steps. The order first goes through an administrative process where delivery details are checked, the invoice is generated and the courier’s shipping label is created. Once the administrative process is complete, the warehouse process begins. During this stage, the items selected by the customer are packed appropriately, and the shipping label created earlier is attached to the package. When the items have been packaged, the dispatch process follows. This includes the moment the parcel leaves the seller’s warehouse and begins its journey to the final customer. At this stage, the first timeframe known as dispatch time comes to an end.
Following dispatch comes the delivery of the package, during which we measure the delivery time. Delivery time refers to the events from the moment the package is handed over to the courier until it reaches the customer. Once the parcel leaves the warehouse, it is received by the courier’s intake depot and then prepared for first delivery to the customer. In most European countries, delivery time averages between 24 and 48 hours. If the package is not successfully delivered on the first attempt, a second delivery is scheduled or the customer collects it from a designated pickup point.

Dispatch time and delivery time together form the period during which the customer waits for the order placed in the online store. Considering the many processes involved in both phases, it is essential that they are as short and efficient as possible. In a world driven by impulse buying, this efficiency is key to a successful online shopping experience.

A successful online purchase is completed when the package is successfully delivered to the customer. On average, the time between the customer placing the order and receiving the package is 72 hours or more. During this period, the customer may reconsider their purchase and has the right to refuse the package upon delivery, which results in the package being returned to the sender. This situation incurs additional costs for online retailers.

Matej Okorn from MetaKocka explains: 
"Online retailers face the challenge of reducing the percentage of packages that are rejected upon delivery and thus ensuring the actual realization of the sale. The excitement of the customer at the time of the online purchase must be maintained throughout the dispatch and delivery process. In this regard, online retailers can utilize various channels to support this process, with one of the most effective being SMS notifications. These messages inform customers about the status of their shipment, the delivery process and notify them of any potential delivery failures."

Online retailers can use the delivery process to promote products further and encourage repeat purchases. Once the package leaves the seller’s warehouse, notifications regarding the package’s status and location are sent. These notifications can be delivered via SMS or email, providing the customer with details about where their package is and the estimated delivery time. In addition, the notifications can engage the customer with a special offer waiting for them on the website, which is included in the message they receive throughout the dispatch and delivery process.

For companies, it’s crucial to know their dispatch and delivery times. These data reflect the company’s image, serve as a performance indicator for processing online orders, and provide control information for services involving external partners, such as delivery services.
The time from order placement to final delivery is also important for customers, and positively influences the seller as well. When a customer knows the estimated delivery time, they are more likely to proceed with the purchase, which increases the chances that the package will be accepted upon delivery, benefiting the online seller’s operations.

With the right analytical tools, companies can efficiently measure dispatch and delivery times and integrate these insights into their business operations.

At MetaKocka, they recognized the needs of their clients and offer these insights through the analytics module in their Order Management software package (www.ordermanagement.biz). This module provides graphical representations of real-time data, making it available to businesses at all times.