AfterShip Benchmark Reports Best Practices
Overview
Learn how to use the Benchmarks Reports to better understand your transit time and tracking page CTR data and make required improvements for successful business growth. If you get performance indicators labeled as Poor, track the root causes, take corrective actions, and closely monitor the progress of those actions to achieve improvement.
What you'll learn
In this tutorial, we will introduce:
How to access benchmark reports
Key metrics
How to use the average transit time benchmark reports
How to the use tracking page CTR benchmark report
How to access benchmark reports
To access the Benchmarks reports, navigate to Analytics > Benchmarks. You'll find a dashboard highlighting reports that compare your business's key performance indicators with AfterShip benchmarks.
Key metrics
| Metric | Definition | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking page CTR | The number of clicks on marketing assets divided by the number of page views. | It serves as an important metric to gauge the engagement level of your customers on your webpage. A high CTR generally indicates that your customers are actively interacting with the marketing assets on your page, suggesting successful engagement strategies. |
| Average transit time | The average time spent (in days) in transit for all delivered shipments. Note that your value and the benchmarks in this report are calculated based on the calendar day. | It provides valuable insights into the average delivery time for shipments, reflecting the efficiency of your logistics operations. It also directly impacts customer satisfaction, as faster delivery times improve customer experience. |
How to use the average transit time benchmark reports
The Average Transit Time overview report offers a comprehensive view of your performance and ratings compared to AfterShip benchmarks. Apply the comparison filter to switch between various categories that are relevant to your business.
Below is a detailed guide on how to effectively use these reports:
Use benchmarks to assess your current performance
Analyse your present transit time performance in relation to the industry benchmarks. This can help you identify your areas of strength and improvement by telling you where you stand in comparison to industry norms.
If your performance is rated as Excellent or Good, continue to build on it.
If it's categorized as Poor or Fair, there are a few things to consider first and then act on it.
a. Determine if the longer transit time aligns with your business background. In some cases, a longer average transit time may be expected because of how the business operates.
Business model: If your business is not operating as a marketplace or dropshipping entity, lack of control over the complete service quality can lead to longer transit times. In this scenario a longer transit times is not necessarily a negative aspect.
Shipping distance: If your business offers international shipping, a longer transit time is normal. When shipping orders internationally, various factors can come into play – from customs procedures to longer shipping distances – which can naturally lead to a higher average transit time.
Peak seasons or high demand: During periods of high demand such as holidays or big sales, shipping may be delayed due to an increased workload and the capacity limitations of logistics providers.
Always consider your business background and goals before drawing conclusions or implementing any strategies. It's important to keep these factors in mind when reviewing your transit times and setting goals for improvement.
b. If you determine that your low performance is not typical for your business or the industry you operate in, the next logical step would be identifying root causes and implementing corrective measures to counter those.
Use benchmarks to identify areas for improvement
If your average transit time performance is rated as Poor or Fair, and this is not typical for your business, the next logical step would be to identify the root cause.
Analyze by specific lanes: Leverage the transit time by lane report to determine whether the issue is limited to particular lanes or is persistent through the network. To direct your improvement efforts more effectively, solely focus on lanes in your key markets.
Identify recurring issues: Use Exceptions report and specific event filters to identify recurring issues from past incidents that may indicate delays, such as lost, damaged, returned to sender, customs delays, or other exceptions.
Evaluate carrier performance: Identify the carrier you've chosen for the underperforming lanes and review their performance. If you notice consistent delays or issues, it might suggest a need for reassessment or change.
Re-examine package handling procedures: How you handle goods during shipping significantly impacts transit times. Inefficient handling can potentially lead to delays due to damage or loss.
Ensure regulatory compliance: Any non-compliance or delays can cause significant transit time delays. These can arise from inspections, paperwork problems, or penalties that may interrupt your shipments.
By addressing these areas, you can identify the root causes of transit time issues and implement effective strategies for improvement.
Implement strategies for improvement
Execute strategies tailored to address the identified issues. Here are some general approaches:
Optimize warehouse locations: Choose easily accessible warehouse locations, preferably one near major transportation routes. If you operate multiple warehouses, strategically distribute them to cover broader geographic areas. This reduces travel distances for goods and provides flexibility in selecting the most efficient shipping routes.
Optimize carrier selection: Consider using different carriers or services, or renegotiate terms with your existing ones. Diversifying carriers can be one way to improve performance. For example, use both global and regional carriers. Large, global carriers like UPS and FedEx are generally reliable and efficient in their delivery processes. However, if you frequently ship to densely populated areas, regional carriers could be a suitable choice. They often have faster delivery times within their specific coverage areas, which makes them an good option if you're aiming to improve your delivery speed without significantly increasing the costs.
Ensure regulatory compliance: Stay informed and compliant with updated customs regulations and relevant laws, especially for international shipments. Train logistics teams on compliance, track regulatory updates, manage adherence, and foster relationships with customs authorities for smoother clearance processes.
After setting goals, regularly monitor progress using the Benchmarks report. This ensures you stay on course and can adjust strategies as needed to achieve your objectives.
How to the use tracking page CTR benchmark report
The overview report provides a comprehensive overview of your performance and ratings relative to AfterShip benchmarks. Use the comparison filter to switch between various categories pertinent to your business.
Use benchmarks to assess your current performance
Begin by analyzing your tracking page performance against benchmarks. This comparison will highlight where you stand relative to industry standards and help identify areas for improvement:
If your performance is rated as Excellent or Good, continue to build on it and aim to strengthen it further.
If it's categorized as Poor or Fair, consider the following:
a. Determine if this aligns with your business background. In some cases, a lower CTR may not be alarming:
Purpose of the tracking page: If the primary function is to provide shipment updates rather than driving engagement, a lower CTR may be acceptable.
Business Cycle: In industries with longer repurchase cycles, immediate action on product recommendations may not be expected, leading to a lower CTR.
Marketing Strategy: If your focus is on brand awareness or customer retention rather than immediate sales, a lower CTR might align with your goals.
Always consider your business context and goal before drawing conclusions or implementing any strategies. It's important to keep these factors in mind when reviewing your performance and setting goals for improvement.
b. If you determine that your low performance is atypical, the next logical step would be identifying root causes and implementing corrective measures to counter those.
Use benchmarks to identify areas for improvement
If your CTR performance is rated as Poor or Fair, and this is unusual for your business, it's crucial to determine the root cause. Here are some suggestions on how to accomplish this:
Analyze performance by page: If you have multiple pages, use the page filter on the top right corner to assess performance across different pages. This will help you determine whether the lower CTR is a site-wide issue or if it's confined to certain pages.
Track performance trends: Review your performance trends compared to benchmarks over a certain period. If you notice a decline starting from a specific point in time, try to identify any changes that were made around that time that could potentially have contributed to the drop in performance. This could inlcude anything from design changes, content updates, or changes in product recommendations.
Evaluate your marketing strategy: Carefully evaluate the images, style, and product recommendations used in your marketing efforts. An inconsistent design or off-brand messaging could deter users from clicking on your content, thereby lowering your CTR.
Implement strategies for improvement
Once you've identified potential causes for the lower CTR, it's time to implement strategies to address these issues. These approaches will vary based on the identified problems. Here are some general strategies to consider:
Customer segmentation: Use the Segmentation feature to segregate customers based on factors like purchase history, browsing behavior, and preferences. Based on the segments created, conduct A/B testing with different page designs to determine which design and layout works best with each segment. Wait for the results to reflect and then compare their performance against benchmarks to identify effective strategies and areas needing refinement.
Optimize page layout and design: The layout and design of your tracking page significantly impact user engagement and click-through rate. It is imperative to make your business's key information easily accessible to customers and present an appealing design that enhances the user experience.
Focus on visual design: Visual design elements are crucial in capturing and retaining user attention. Incorporate high-quality, visually appealing images and video consistent with your brand identity that resonate with your target audience.
Personalize Product Recommendations: Leverage AI-driven product recommendation feature to offer personalized upsell and cross-sell suggestions based on individual customer data. This can improve user experience and garner higher click-through rates.
Optimizing your CTR is an ongoing process that requires continual monitoring, analysis, and adjustments. Use the Benchmarks report to track progress and evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies. By remaining proactive and adaptable, you can consistently improve your CTR and overall performance.
Updated on: 09/09/2024
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