Too many brands focus narrowly on one metric: direct shipping fees paid to carriers. Shipping - typically the second largest cost item in e-commerce P&L - should be viewed first and foremost as an ROI center, not just an expense. Hear from our CEO Itamar Zur on why a holistic ROS view will dramatically alter your strategy around which shipping partners to choose. #shippingisthenewshopping
We got it all wrong. One of the biggest mistakes companies make is failing to properly evaluate return on investments (ROI). So many companies are leaving cash on the table, really for no good reason. It happens in almost every business area. And to be fair, we have made that mistake too. Many times. Take this example from Veho as case in point. We used to calculate the cost of defects (think packages that don’t make it to their destination on time) solely based on credits we give brands - what we call restitution costs. But when we looked closer, we realized we were missing the much bigger picture. When examining and aggregating the broader impact of defects, we uncovered we were also paying extra for customer service time, double handling of packages at our warehouses, inefficient routes and accounting overhead – to name just a few cost buckets. This comprehensive breakdown revealed a much higher total cost than we had accounted for – prompting us to reprioritize all projects to drive down defects as close as possible to zero. We decided that defects are not “the cost of doing business.” They are just too expensive, and more importantly - they are not aligned with our superior product offering. So we weren't going to put up with them, at any level. The same principle applies to shipping costs. Too many brands focus narrowly on one metric: direct shipping fees paid to carriers. They may save a few cents on a package here and there, but in doing so, they overlook the full impact of shipping and the delivery experience on their P&L. A bad delivery experience means more time and money spent handling customer complaints, higher refunds and credits, higher overhead costs, damaged brand reputation, and customer churn. In other words - it costs a lot more than a few cents. Shipping - typically the second largest cost item in e-commerce P&L - should be viewed first and foremost as an ROI center, not just an expense. It is all about maximizing Return on Shipping (ROS). A holistic ROS view can dramatically alter the strategy around which shipping partners to choose and where to focus tech investments (hint: you should work with shipping partners who prioritize your customers' experience). Brands who have embraced this broader perspective have seen transformative results. For example, in partnering with Veho, Tuckernuck has seen significant drops in their call center volume. Holistically, they are saving an average of 35% on shipping with Veho as compared to other shipping companies. It’s time to think beyond the obvious and unlock value across functions. What steps are you taking to optimize ROI holistically across your organization?
Enterprise Growth Leader | B2B | PE | VC
2moI like this thought process. I posted about deconstructing KPIs last month, unpacking assumptions in the numerator and denominator. Avidan H. made an insightful contribution to that exchange, perhaps he has something to add here…?