Special shipping instructions and retailers

When shopping online we don't usually worry about shipping and delivery options until after we've chosen the items we're buying. Once we're ready we take a few seconds to review our orders and decide what shipping method best suits our needs. It seems simple enough but what if we need to give the delivery person a special instruction on where to leave the package? 

Some retail websites offer this option and some don't. In today's market, with so many shopping options and a very high number of delivery complaints, we're shocked to see how many online retailers don't offer special shipping instructions.

Adding special shipping instructions to websites can make things easier for the customers as well as the delivery folks. Allowing customers to include messages on their packaging to the courier gives them a sense of security. Some consumers only shop from online retailers who offer special shipping instructions because they've had packages stolen in the past. There are negative stories all over the internet about bad shipping/delivery experiences. Customers get upset with the delivery companies while others are frustrated because retailers say they can't do anything to help them if something goes wrong in the final steps of their experience. Adding a special shipping instructions section, special delivery section or a comments section could eliminate potential problems.

We've been looking at many websites, determining who has special shipping instructions and who doesn't. Rather than make a list we've decided to contact the companies and ask them about adding this feature to their retail websites. Change takes time though, so the more people who reach out to online companies the better. If online retail stores start to notice that people are asking for this option then they'll make the switch. Let's not forget that it benefits everyone including them. If delivery problems lessen because their customers had the chance to include special instructions then it's a win-win! 

Just a tip for anyone wondering- when we order from websites that have special shipping instructions we can expect to see our packages arrive with the instructions on the side of the box.
Like this:

David'sTea has special shipping instructions and the delivery person put the package in a Got-it Box!  

It's pretty simple.



It can also be fun! Check out some funny examples of people who decided to try out the special instructions section for things other than shipping and delivery notes:


And in case you would like to add some special instructions to your pizza order:


We've talked about this in another blog post, We're all working toward the same end goal, but with this post we decided to focus more on the retailers. As consumers we have the power to ask for our favourite retailers to make these simple changes to their websites. Easy! 

Reach out to retailers on their websites and through social media. Tag Got-it Box so we know who you've contacted and we'll contact them too! 

If you're a retailer and you like this idea, check out our retailer page to see why we think you should embrace special shipping instructions and Got-it Box for your customers!