As part of the Secret Shopper Survey that Tom Beddows of THB Direct recently performed for the Mailorder Gardening Association, he focused on packing slips. Among his findings:
• 10% of the companies surveyed included no packing slip at all.
• In 33% of the cases, the customer had to hunt through the package to find the packing slip.
• Half the companies that included a packing slip did not include instructions for returning the product or getting a replacement
Other helpful information that was often missing included date, customer number, order number, item numbers, order total and payment method.
Beyond these basics, packing slips can also be used to promote email signups, encourage customer reviews, or highlight your blog or forum. Don’t think of your packing slips as a pro forma document that no one looks at. It’s another customer touchpoint that can create a good impression and help you sell, so use it wisely. It doesn’t cost you a penny extra to do so!
