Improve customer experience AND reduce your carbon footprint
How you can maximise user behaviour, technology and community incentives to boost sales authentically 👉
Making changes to your ecommerce strategy can have a huge impact on the environment and your bottom line. We’ve already covered some of the ways you can make online shopping more sustainable for your customers and business. Here are some more you can add to your list.
Purchasing behaviours
Offering green delivery options
More than half of shoppers are interested in environmentally-friendly delivery, with many willing to wait longer or pay more for a sustainable option. Giving them the opportunity to opt-in to slow delivery or bulk delivery will create a better customer experience and demonstrate your commitment to looking after the planet. You may also wish to offer additional add-ons, such as carbon-neutral shipping or planting a tree for every order.
Technology
Green web-hosting platforms
Also known as eco-friendly hosting, green web-hosting involves selecting companies that are committed to lowering their carbon footprint. This can include generating their energy using renewable power technologies like solar and wind, or working with a green energy supplier to offset their energy consumption.
Drones
It may feel futuristic, but drones could be your new sustainable delivery partner. The drone delivery market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 49% by 2030, and a study into the environmental impact of last-mile delivery methods found that greenhouse-gas emissions were 84% lower per parcel for drones compared to diesel trucks.
Community incentives
Resale and loan schemes
Recommerce - reselling previously-owned products - cuts down on excess production while supplying customers with quality products at a much lower cost. Companies such as Poshmark and Vinted have achieved great success, while WHSmith launched its trade-in book scheme, BookCycle, earlier this year. Savvy customers are also loaning everything from fashion to furniture, creating less wastage when they change their mind about their purchase.
One last thing to consider: sometimes you will have to choose between profit and impact, so make sure you chat with your team and consider your values before making your decision.
Innovation of the week
With Veganuary now in full swing and 'eat less meat' a popular New Year's resolution, alternative protein products are set to rise in 2024.
Our latest Innovation of the Week, Farmless, has taken an exciting new approach to meat-free protein by updating the ancient art of fermentation.
Designed to be used in meat, dairy and egg successors, their product combines microorganisms and a modern feedstock liquid derived from CO2, hydrogen, nitrogen and renewable energy.
After recently securing a €4.8 million seed round, Farmless plans to develop its fermentation platform, which it says could significantly reduce demand for animals and farmland to offer an "antifragile solution for food security."
Member Spotlight
Nhat Vuong
Plastic straws are a serious threat to sea turtles, but one company is on a mission to change that.
The Happy Turtle Straw is the brainchild of Nhat Vuong, who was moved to action by a viral video of a sea turtle who had to have a plastic straw painfully extracted from its nose.
Made from rice and tapioca, his organic straws and coffee stirrers are 100% natural. They are vegan, gluten-free and contain 0% chemical products - unlike paper and bioplastic straws. Best of all, they are safe for plants and wildlife, and biodegrade in less than 90 days.
🌊 What is the most valuable lesson you've learned in 2023? 🌊
Never stop networking with peers. As I was focused on working on daily operations, I admit to neglecting networking for a long period.
Going out to events again and talking with many new people reminded me that it was extremely important to keep doing it.
Bring value and help others to achieve their goals, so you can be remembered. You never know if that will lead you to anything, but that's the beauty of the universe; eventually something positive will happen.
🐢 What do you think is going to be big in 2024? 🐢
Legislation regarding alternative products such as paper straws and bioplastic could become more restrictive, as the general public is becoming aware that those products are not only harmful to humans but are still causing harm to the environment and animals.
We have seen the Netherlands prohibiting bioplastic straws already, therefore I would not be surprised if other countries follow their path soon.
As the first company in the world to manufacture coffee stirrers made from rice, we believe this will become big in 2024, as deforestation becomes a concern in many countries.