How To Build Differentiation  with Product Delivery

The Relationship Between Differentiation and Product Delivery

Your brand’s ability to be unique is an indication of its Differentiation. Brands that want to increase their Differentiation can do so by looking at their Product Delivery. 

Increases in Differentiation are apparent when your brand focuses on carving out your brand’s unique points versus the competition within your category. Things like the way your packaging appears upon delivery, how quickly it arrives at the customer’s doorstep, and the fee your brand charges for delivery can become points of difference that drive your brand.  

So, when considering how to grow your Differentiation through Product Delivery, consider these things:

1. How can you differentiate your packaging at delivery? In Product Delivery, your actual packaging will be shielded by an outer case. This is essentially your brand’s first impression when your product arrives at a customer’s doorstep. Consider how you can make this experience a memorable one. Rather than a brown box or simple envelope, could your product be packaged in a way that people recognize even before they open it? Or have a message that builds the anticipation of what is inside?

2. How can you separate yourself from the pack on speed? The modern day shopper strongly desires immediacy and instant gratification. In fact, the lack of immediacy in early eCommerce solutions held up the growth of eCommerce until next day deliver became the norm. Consider the process from click-to-buy to product arrival and determine what you can do to shorten that window. When other competitive brands may take a few days to arrive, how could you do it next day?

3. How can you ease shipping and handling friction? One of the common challenges consumers have with online orders is paying for shipping and handling, especially if their order quantity is small and at a lower cost. Consider what your brand can do to smooth that process. Can you create a point of difference vs your competitors based on the speed of delivery?

What should you do next?

• Review the outer case packaging your brand is currently delivered in and consider whether there is an opportunity to give your brand an exciting edge. 
• Understand the process between click-to-buy and doorstep delivery to see if there are efficiencies in your delivery network that can give you a competitive advantage in time-to-arrival.
• Determine whether there are cost savings you could pass onto the consumer to strengthen people’s purchase intent online. 

How to determine if it’s working.

• Look at how your Differentiation score changes over time, while you make improvements to your Product Delivery process. This will help you understand whether or not the optimizations you’ve made have had a positive impact on your brand. 
• Keep an eye on the share of social conversations happening about your brand versus your competition specifically with regard to your direct to consumer offer. If people are talking and sharing more about your brand’s product delivery versus your competition, you’ll know whether your Differentiation is coming through your product delivery. 
  
  
  Guidance from:
  Michael Coden | Head of Marketing, ProQuo AI
  
  Michael has spent 10 years developing and building brands across the US, Europe and Australasia for global companies.