4 Simple E-commerce Shipping Strategies That Keep Customers Happy No Matter What Closing the sale is only the first step. Doing everything you can to create happy, loyal customers is the ultimate goal.

Whether they're planning for the holidays, need an item in a pinch, or are just casually shopping online, online shoppers want what they want—when they want it. It's up to e-commerce businesses to have the insight and strategies to make sure customers' items are delivered and expectations are met, if not exceeded.

Thankfully, there are tried-and-true tips, tools, and strategies for e-commerce companies to improve shipping and keep their customers happy. Utilizing smart solutions like SendPro® Online from Pitney Bowes, for example, can make all the difference in delivering top-notch shipping and customer service.

Consider these four e-commerce shipping strategies for keeping customers happy and coming back for more.

1. Get organized.

Whether your products are sitting on store shelves, stacked in a back room, or piled high in a warehouse, being organized should be a top priority. A successful business that sells products online needs to know exactly how many of which items they have available at any given time.

No customer wants to go through all the steps of buying something online to find out that you no longer have it in stock. That's a quick way to make customers turn to your competitors.

2. Stick with reliable carriers.

Your e-commerce business might be a side hustle or perhaps you're at it full-time and looking to grow. Either way, it can be tempting to cut corners where you can and opt for the least expensive shipping option you can find. However, entrusting your shipping to a single carrier can spell trouble for your budding business. Packages that show up late or damaged isn't a recipe for making happy customers.

That's why SendPro Online only works with the most reliable shipping carriers. How it works: SendPro Online is single platform that allows businesses to access rates, track shipments, and monitor spend for all shipping activities across the major carriers and services (USPS, UPS, and FedEx). When comparing rates between these carriers, people who use SendPro Online can save 4 cents on first-class mail and up to 40 percent on priority mail.

While you're checking rates, don't forget to factor delivery times. With customers obsessed with same-day, next-day, and two-day delivery, the faster your packages can reach their destinations, the better. SendPro Online allows businesses to compare overnight and other services from shipping carriers and select the best option.

3. Remember, customers want to know where their packages are.

Once a package is shipped, many customers want visibility into where the package is that very moment and whether it's expected to arrive on time. According to a recent UPS study, 94 percent of online shoppers actively track all or at least some of their deliveries. That's a lot.

With a shipping solution like SendPro Online, you can send email confirmations to customers with tracking numbers as you process the shipments through the system. You can also proactively set up a delivery notice email to be sent when the package is delivered.

You can take it a step further by using SendPro Online's address validation service, which helps minimize the risk of typos or misspellings. Any error on a shipping label can mean your package winds up sent to the wrong address or returned to you. The more you can do to reduce delays, the better.

4. Add a personal touch.

Ensuring prompt, efficient delivery is just part of the never-ending quest to keep customers happy. You might consider adding a personalized, hand-written note thanking them for their business. Or perhaps you include some lightweight swag, like branded stickers, notepads, or pens.

Adding a personal touch can help remind customers that, to you, their purchase is more than just a transaction. An appreciated customer can become a customer for life.

Click here to learn more about how Pitney Bowes can help your online business turn online shoppers into happy, repeat customers.