Royal Mail Integration:

Enhancing delivery experience

Background
Integrating Royal Mail.
Background
The user interviews brought valuable insights
In our mission to enhance the user experience and instill trust in our platform, we embarked on a project to integrate Royal Mail as a delivery option.

Our primary goals were to create a seamless experience for both sellers and buyers, allowing buyers to track their orders in real-time and providing sellers with a more efficient way to send their parcels.
The problem
The user interviews brought valuable insights
Before the integration, users faced several challenges when it came to delivery options on our platform.
They often lacked real-time tracking for their orders, which could lead to uncertainties and concerns about the status of their purchases.

Sellers, on the other hand, had to rely on traditional methods like visiting the Post Office, which was familiar but not always the most efficient option.
This lack of convenience and transparency affected user trust and satisfaction.
Discovery
let's ask our users
To ensure that our solution truly met the needs of our users, we conducted in-depth one-on-one interviews with sellers based in the UK. Our interviewees, ranging from 25 to 55 years old, were experienced sellers on various platforms, including eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
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During these interviews, we sought to understand their selling patterns, recent experiences with delivery services, their journey from listing items to dispatching them, and their preferences regarding sharing tracking information with buyers.
User interviews
The user interviews brought valuable insights

User interviews

User feedback

User interviews
Asking our users about their routines and whether they have previous experience with Royal Mail.

Sellers in the UK were familiar and had confidence in Royal Mail's services.

Many sellers traditionally visited the Post Office to send their parcels,  favoring the convenience and familiarity this approach.

Sellers felt comfortable sharing tracking and proof of postage information using Royal Mail.

Challenges
we faced several challenges

01. This project was not initially within our squad domain, requiring adaptation and collaboration.


02. ‍We had a tight deadline of just one quarter to complete the integration successfully.


03. Early user interviews revealed that sellers were accustomed to using the Post Office for their shipments, necessitating a change in behavior.


04. Integrating with a corporate entity like Royal Mail involved navigating contractual limitations.


05. Time constraints meant we couldn't fully implement the tracking option initially when users feel more confident with the service.


06. Users exhibit strong loyalty to other platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace, posing a challenge in convincing them to switch to Shpock.


07. Users admit to not using online services for shipping, indicating a challenge in raising awareness about the benefits of the integration.


08. Users express concerns about potential extra charges services for shipping, for different services, indicating a challenge in providing a clear and competitive pricing information.

Let's design!
let's design!
Given our time constraints, we prioritized the rapid development of high-fidelity wireframes and designs to test the user flow.
User flow
Understanding how to introduce the integration
and identify the entry points.
Wireframes
let's make the magic happen.
Hi-fidelity designs
and voila!
User testing
let's test it!
I conducted 8 unmoderated user tests with regular Shpock users who used Royal Mail for their deliveries.

The primary goals were to validate the Royal Mail flow, assess users' ability to purchase labels through the integrated service, understand their comprehension of key screens (selecting weight and size, choosing delivery services, providing personal details, and printing labels), and ultimately build confidence for a full roll-out.
Hi-fidelity user testing
the users have spoken
User testing
But we didn't stop there...

Although our initial user testing went really well and we received fantastic feedback, we still had some reservations about a full-scale launch.
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To make extra sure everything was in tip-top shape, we decided to run a beta test.
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We recruited 100 users from our Shpock Facebook Group, and they were eager to help us test the Royal Mail integration.
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Our main focus was to check if the Royal Mail orders were processing smoothly, activating automation and ensuring the standard tracking worked as expected.
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This beta test gave us an additional layer of confidence, making sure everything was running smoothly in the real world.

Beta testing
testing the implementation in real time.

Recruiting beta testers

Our beta testers sharing their labels and parcels

Solution

Select a delivery option

Users are now aware of the availability of Royal Mail thanks to the new tag and its prominent position at the top.

Select weight

Users can select weight options using weight brackets, ranging from 500 grams to 15 kilograms. We also provide users with the option to see examples of items that fit within each weight bracket.

Select seize

The user can then choose the size of the parcel and easily find the maximum dimensions allowed for each size.

Select your delivery services and summary

Then, the user selects the delivery service, and the first choice is recommended based on the size of their parcel, indicated by a tag.

Receipt and confirmation

The user is directed to an external link to view their receipt, access documents like the label, view the QR code, and perform actions such as printing or requesting a refund. This functionality is operated by Royal Mail and finally the confirmation screen.

Outcomes
the end?

01. Enhanced user satisfaction by providing a streamlined, in-app delivery process with trusted Royal Mail services.


02. ‍Increased efficiency for sellers, reducing the need for external postage solutions.


03. Improved Shpock's market position by offering an integrated delivery solution, a first among competitor platforms.

04. Positive user feedback highlighted ease of use and increased trust in Shpock transactions.

Conclusion
the end?
Again, we didn't stop there.
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Few weeks after the launch, we sent a survey to approximately 2000 Shpock users who successfully sent parcels using our Royal Mail integration, receiving 47 responses. Users found the Royal Mail flow straightforward, easy, simple and quicker.

‍However, some expressed concerns about pricing, considering Royal Mail slightly more expensive, and a few encountered issues related to pricing accuracy.
Next steps
We plan to address these concerns by updating the pricing screen in the listing flow.
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We're exploring options like discounts or vouchers.

Additionally, we'll provide more information about printing and clarify the distinction between Delivery Office and Post Office options.

Our Royal Mail integration project represents a significant step towards improving the delivery experience for Shpock users and enhancing their trust in our platform.
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