How To Build An Online Store For A Local Delivery Business

Setting up an online store for your small business can help win new customers and increase sales. Consumers love the convenience of online shopping, but many people also want to support their local businesses. Taking your store or delivery service online means they can do both! 

There are some obvious steps to take when adding online business to your existing operations. You’ll need a good ecommerce website with an online store that offers a seamless user experience, with fast loading time and easy payment methods. Fortunately, there are lots of options available when it comes to ecommerce website builders.  

But what about the delivery logistics that swing into action when someone clicks the “Buy now” button in an ecommerce store? With no in-store experience to help your brand stand out, delivery has a major impact on customer satisfaction.

In this article we’ll focus on what it takes to build a standout delivery experience, along with an efficient delivery process that will help your ecommerce business grow and be profitable.

Advantages of local delivery vs shipping

A successful local delivery operation is all about making your shoppers’ lives easier. It’s a great alternative to traditional shipping and dropshipping for several reasons:

• It’s usually faster. That means you can offer same-day or next-day delivery.
• It allows a personal touch, allowing businesses to interact directly with their customers. That builds stronger relationships and increases customer loyalty.
• It can be more cost-effective than traditional shipping. 
• You have more control over the shipping process than with third-party shipping services. You may easily take care of problems, alter delivery schedules, and fulfill special requests. 
• Local delivery can have a lower carbon footprint than traditional shipping, which frequently employs larger trucks and greater distances. This is especially true for deliveries made by bicycles or electric vehicles.
• It fosters a sense of community and supports the local economy.

Now that you’ve decided to opt for local delivery, you need to figure out the base of operations. You’ve got a couple of options here.

The first one is to use your physical store, if you already have one, as your delivery center.

It’s a fantastic approach to combine your company’s digital and physical elements. Consumers receive the best of both worlds: the convenience of online shopping and the feel-good factor of an in-person experience.

Conversely, your business may be entirely online. That’s also really great. It reduces your overhead expenses, such as electricity and rent.

Additionally, since you’re not restricted to a single place, you may be able to reach a larger audience. In this case, a strong online presence becomes even more important. Your website should be clear, simple to use, and present your items in the best possible light.

Building your online store: from choosing a platform to complying with legal requirements

1. Find the right ecommerce platform

It’s possible to build an online store from scratch — but why would you?  Today’s online store builder tools make the task as easy as can be, with no need to write any code. These platforms offer the ability to buy your own custom domain name, along with guidance on search engine optimization (SEO). 

They all have a drag-and-drop interface to get your website running with minimal effort (and step-by-step tutorials for when things get tricky). They also include integrations with payment gateways to make the whole process of accepting online payments simple, from credit cards, through payment services like Paypal and Stripe, to Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Most e-commerce site builders offer a free trial period or even a free plan, so that you can test them thoroughly before starting out. There are limitations to free web hosting, though (notably, you probably won’t be able to use a custom domain name). Before choosing a paid plan, check the platform’s transaction fees as well as monthly fees to ensure they’re a good fit with your business plan. 

Here are some of the most popular ecommerce platforms to consider for building a local delivery business website.

Shopify

Shopify is a market leader for good reasons. It’s specifically an ecommerce tool rather than a more general website builder, so it makes building your own online store super easy, even for absolute beginners. 

Shopify also has an extensive app ecosystem, including delivery management and route optimization tools, that make it much easier for online stores to streamline order management and delivery scheduling. 

What if you’re currently using a different platform and want to switch to Shopify? You can hire specialists who know how to migrate to Shopify and are ready to assist you.

WooCommerce 

If you want to build a website on WordPress, you can further turn it into an e-commerce solution by installing the WooCommerce plugin. WordPress is one of the most widespread CMS systems and comes with great flexibility. It seamlessly integrates with numerous delivery and logistics add-ons. If you’re a local delivery company wanting specific customization, this flexibility will be crucial.

Magento (Adobe Commerce)

This one is highly customizable, scalable, and robust. Due to its complexity and the implied costs of the setup, Magento suits larger local delivery businesses or those with complex delivery needs best. To gain the maximum out of its scalability capabilities, you need to plan for rapid growth. Magento will undoubtedly be able to handle increasing shipment expectations.

BigCommerce

This platform offers a wide range of shipping and delivery options. You can customize it to suit your needs and integrate it with various delivery systems. It’s great both for online-only and offline delivery services.

Squarespace

Excellent for entrepreneurs and small companies who value simplicity and design. Squarespace has enough tools for small-scale local delivery businesses, even if it might not have as many native integrations as WooCommerce or Shopify. If you value vivid branding or design, as in boutiques and artisanal product stores, give it some thought.

Wix

This system is also suitable for small, local businesses due to its user-friendly interface and simple setup process. It lacks extensive integrations possible in other platforms. However, Wix can still successfully meet the fundamental requirements of a local delivery company, particularly of those that are just starting out.

Square Online

Square started out with mobile credit card readers for small businesses, but it’s moved far beyond its origins. Today it offers not just a payment gateway but a full range of ecommerce features including inventory management, online ordering, customer communication and even payroll management.

2. Create a user-friendly interface

The user experience is vital nowadays — it’s even a Google ranking factor that affects where your website appears in search results. It also determines whether users will browse the website or close it, irritated with its complexity, and switch to a competitor. That’s why your online store should be hassle-free to use. 

Here are some must-haves to ensure your target audience can find what they need:

• Clear menus
• Accurate and engaging product descriptions and product pages
• Responsive design for mobile users
• Features like real-time order tracking

If you’ve built a website using a pre-made template, you’ll need to adjust it to your style. Try different colors, fonts, and layouts when optimizing the theme to reflect your brand’s personality. But when getting creative, don’t give up on usability.

To check whether your online storefront offers a convenient customer experience:

1. Test it like a real user.
2. Run through the entire buying process, from a landing page to checkout.
3. Look for small improvements: Can you tweak a shopping cart or remove unnecessary fields from a form?
4. Check that you’re offering a convenient range of payment options, including debit and credit cards. 
5. What customer support options are available if people need help?

3. Using technology for efficiency

Technology can be a game changer, boosting efficiency and accelerating delivery. For example, artificial intelligence (AI) can assist with route optimization and real-time tracking.

AI-powered tools like Routific can determine the most efficient delivery routes, track driver progress, notify customers and capture proof of delivery. You get a real-time picture of how your delivery operation is performing, which translates into quicker deliveries and happier shoppers.

4. Customer engagement and notifications

Maintaining communication with your customers is about more than just closing deals — it’s a key part of effective marketing strategies. Tell your brand’s story through your online store, feature client endorsements, and update buyers with efficient delivery notifications. S

Whether it’s an order confirmation or a shipping alert, set up emails to notify people in time. Email marketing remains one of the most effective channels to retain and convert prospects into customers, with a return on investment of $42 for every $1 spent. So, leverage brand voice and present the product, offer, or news engagingly.

Of course, there’s no room for being sloppy. So, take the time to run tests to make sure your email looks decent and doesn’t have broken links, non-opening images, or typos before an extensive list of clients gets it. Personalize emails and make them exciting for subscribers to receive.

Finally, while creativity is essential, so is analysis. Study your campaigns and their open rate, experiment with the time\day of the send-outs, and make conclusions about what works best. It’ll help you achieve more conversions and ROI with email marketing.

Complement your website and email strategy with well thought-out social media, and you’ll have a full set of marketing tools.  

5. Legal and compliance considerations

Last but definitely not least, ensure legal compliance. You’ll want to be compliant with consumer protection laws, data privacy regulations, and any specific legal requirements for delivery services in your area. Following these rules is essential. If not, you could end up with hefty fines and lose the trust of your audience. 

Here are some illustrations and pointers for action:

Consumer protection laws

You need to avoid misleading store visitors when presenting information on your website:

• Write clear and accurate product descriptions and pricing.
• Review your product listings.
• Provide transparent and easy-to-find information on shipping rates and delivery fees, as well as return and refund policies.

Data privacy regulations

Many businesses that handle sensitive client information, such as credit card numbers, addresses, and emails, often fall prey to fraudsters. There are regulations mandating companies to protect privacy on a state level. These include the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.

One advantage of using an online ecommerce platform is that their functionality often includes excellent security — they have resources no small business can match. For example, the easiest way to avoid accidentally leaking credit card information is not to store it in the first place, and most payment gateways will ensure exactly this. 

Other measures include secure data storage, clear privacy policies, and asking for user consent for data collection. Keep these policies up to date and notify users about any modifications.

Delivery services legal requirement

Learn about region-specific regulations concerning delivery services. Some countries or states may have different vehicle standards, driver qualifications, and delivery timeframes.

Licensing and permits

Various goods need specific licenses (e.g., alcohol or pharmaceuticals). Scrutinize documents for what licenses and permits are necessary for your type of business and region. Get these documents and stay informed about any changes in legislation to avoid issues.

Tax compliance

You’ll also need to consider different sales taxes where you do business. To make the calculation easier, integrate tax software like Avalara and TaxJar into your e-commerce platform.

Employment laws

Employment laws cover things like minimum wage, working hours, and health and safety regulations. Some action tips here are:

• Establish clear employment policies;
• Maintain a safe work environment;
• Keep thorough documentation of the hours worked and pay received by employees.

Insurance

 One more crucial thing to have is vehicle and operation insurance. Get the needed coverage, such as liability, vehicle, and goods-in-transit insurance.

Planning your delivery zone and strategy

One of the critical questions you should ask yourself is what delivery method you’ll choose. This is affected by two things:

1. The type of products you’re delivering: You can transport smaller, easy-to-handle items like baked goods or flowers via bikes or scooters. They are extremely helpful in urban areas with high traffic. But for larger items, like furniture, you’ll need a van or truck.
2. The geography of your delivery zone: As mentioned above, it’s easier to navigate urban areas on scooters and bikes with fewer parking space requirements. They also need less space when driving. But you’ll need a car or van to deliver to suburban or rural areas.

Integrating route optimization and tracking

The key to a profitable business is keeping your cost per delivery as low as possible. Plenty of delivery businesses have started out using nothing but Excel spreadsheets, but that can quickly become a brake on your growth. Considering your delivery software while you’re making your business plan can give you an edge. Look for software that will make it easy to:

• Enabling you to offer custom delivery time windows
• Automatically creating optimized delivery routes with accurate ETAs
• Dispatching routes directly to driver’s mobile phones
• Tracking the day’s delivery progress in real time
• Enabling drivers to easily capture photo and signature proof of delivery
• Automatically sending notifications to your customers so they know when to expect their deliveries

Best of all, Routific’s delivery management system is easy to set up, easy to use and makes route planning, customer communication and driver management a breeze. Check out our 7-day free trial — no credit card needed!