Case Study
Ariel Rider Ebikes partnered with Order Protection to solve their unique shipping challenges while providing peace of mind to customers purchasing expensive Ebikes. Now, they're seeing better conversion rates and fewer CS headaches with built-in Order Protection on every order.
The Challenge
Shipping an Ebike is no small feat. Literally. Ariel Rider Ebikes quickly learned that their products came in just under the maximum size limitations for FedEx and UPS shipping, adding an extra hurdle to the already-complicated eCommerce shipping landscape. But the size constraints turned out to be just the start of their shipping challenges.
It turns out, shipping large, cumbersome packages containing expensive Ebikes with a lot of moving parts can be costly and challenging to manage—especially when things go wrong. Ariel Rider realized that their brand could significantly benefit from a shipping protection service.
Ariel Rider attempted to provide their own protection in-house, meaning they sometimes had to work directly with shipping carriers to investigate issues and provide solutions to customers. And not only that, but expecting the customers to pay an additional fee for protection on an already high-value product would often have a negative impact on their sales, especially when the process to receive support (after paying extra for that support) proved to be redundant and complex.
“We had the option to add insurance to the shipping labels we purchased through our eCommerce platform, but the system for filing claims was such an arduous process,” said Arda Onal, co-founder and partner at Ariel Rider Ebikes.
“For example, when we filed a claim, [the insurance company] would request that the customer also file a claim for the same issue while providing a signature,” he said. “If you purchase a $3,000 bike and there’s something wrong with it, or it’s lost, or it’s stolen, the last thing you want to do is fill out a bunch of forms.”
After providing a manual shipping protection process for a year or so after being dropped by their original provider, Ariel Rider was approached by that same provider to partner with them once again. With a better rate than before, and after dealing with the convoluted manual process, Ariel Rider agreed to return as a brand partner to hopefully provide relief to both their customers and support team.
That would not prove to be the case, however.
“We have standards and processes (SOPs) in place for handling different issues and types of damages, but every case is not going to fit neatly in a box,” said Arda. This is to be expected, as shipping issues are nuanced by nature. But the shipping protection provider working with Ariel Rider was not proactive in working through these issues.
“Agents would consistently reach out to us to ask for direction on how to handle claims, even when they were within the SOP,” said Arda. The provider would then go back to the customer and specify that Ariel Rider instructed them to deny the claim.
Customers don’t always understand that shipping protection providers and eCommerce brands are two separate companies—they only know that they are supposed to be covered for shipping issues. When agents responding to claims place the blame on brands when they can’t reach the customers’ desired resolution, they potentially damage the brand’s image and certainly the support experience for those customers.
What Ariel Rider hoped would solve their shipping headaches only proved to exacerbate the previous challenges, while adding new and unexpected problems that led them to search for yet another shipping protection solution.
The Solution
Now, Ariel Rider has partnered with Order Protection, solving the challenges of the previous provider and more, creating a better experience for both their customers and support team.
Despite taking careful precautions to package products safely and securely, shipping carriers can still struggle with the sheer size and weight of Ariel Rider’s products, causing cosmetic damage such as nicks and dents during the delivery process. With Order Protection, these issues are handled quickly and seamlessly without involving the Ariel CS team in the investigations, saving a lot of time and cutting their workload in the process.
In these cosmetic damage cases, the previous shipping protection provider would replace products “left, right, and center—even when it wasn’t necessary to do so,” said Arda. Many consumers will abuse these situations by trying to get replacement products when the original product might only have a scratch or a dent, but is in otherwise perfect working order.
“The Order Protection team is more diligent about following SOPs as well as investigating the actual issue in order to provide the appropriate solution, rather than just replacing entire products for no reason,” said Arda.
“The Order Protection [claim-filing] process is also more seamless for customers,” said Arda. “One of the main complaints we had about our previous provider is that they required an app download. That was more for package tracking purposes, but it created confusion among our customers—especially our main customer base of people aged 55 or above—when it came to filing claims. Now we have customer service macros in place that direct customers to Order Protection.”
Since making the switch to Order Protection, Ariel Rider hasn’t reported any instances of customers not understanding how to file claims, or not being able to follow the process.
Results
Contributed to a 29% spike in conversion rates
Helped increase customers who reached checkout by 111%
Boost in brand image with positive community posts around resolved shipping issues
Now, every item that leaves the Ariel Rider warehouse, even if it’s a spare part, is covered by Order Protection.
“When we partnered with Order Protection, we were able to provide a standard (protection) option to everyone without raising our prices,” said Arda. “Integrating the cost of protection into our pricing has been very beneficial for us, improving our conversion rates because our customers know that if their bikes get stolen, if the packages are lost, or if damage happens during shipping, the insurance will completely cover the item.”
In fact, since implementing Order Protection, Ariel Rider has seen a 111% increase in customers who reached checkout and a 29% spike in conversion rates, thanks in part to the full shipping protection coverage applied to every order.
Ariel Rider manages several Facebook community groups, both for their overall brand and the different Ebike models. Before, when customers experienced shipping damages, it was often a point of contention in those online communities. After implementing Order Protection, they’ve seen several positive posts about how quickly customers’ shipping issues were resolved, which ultimately helps the brand image.
Enhance your customer experience and see boosted sales with Order Protection
Like Ariel Rider Ebikes, your eCommerce brand doesn’t have to settle for “solutions” that only make your shipping problems worse. Consumers can see the difference when brands invest in quality support and provide a seamless experience—and that shows not only in your brand’s reputation and image, but in your profits as well.
Connect with Order Protection today to learn how we can solve your shipping issues and build a solution that works best for your business.
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