EDISON, N.J., May 16, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dotcom Distribution, a premier provider of fulfillment and logistics solutions, announces the results of the Dotcom Distribution Facebook Flash Sale Analysis. After analyzing 2,776 Facebook conversations between customers and flash sale sites, Dotcom found that one in five (22%) comments are related to negative shipping experiences. Furthermore, of all negative Facebook comments, 49 percent relate to shipping.
"Flash sale customers are social-savvy, and they are taking to Facebook to express their frustrations, specifically when it comes to issues like delayed orders or shipping issues," said Maria Haggerty, president of Dotcom Distribution. "If these sites want to improve their social feedback, they need to start by selecting a fulfillment partner that has the scalability to handle the high volume of orders that come with flash sales."
Many customer complaints centered around speed of delivery, while others complained about condition of products. One HauteLook.com complaint stated, "I love HauteLook, but I'm beginning to become disillusioned with the outlet; the shipping times are horrendous!"
Of the top 11 flash sale sites, Fab.com and Gilt.com ranked best with only 36 percent of negative comments related to shipping. BeyondtheRack.com, HauteLook.com and Zulily.com all tied for last with almost two-thirds of negative comments pertaining to shipping issues.
Flash Sale Sites Ranked by Percentage of Negative Comments Related to Shipping (lowest to highest):
1. Fab.com (36%)
1. Gilt.com (36%)
3. RueLaLa.com (37%)
4. JackThreads.com (39%)
5. Ideeli.com (43%)
6. OneKingsLane.com (44%)
7. Plndr.com (53%)
8. Foundary.com (57%)
9. BeyondtheRack.com (61%)
9. HauteLook.com (61%)
9. Zulily.com (61%)
Facebook Users Also Share Positive Flash Sale Experiences
Despite negative comments, findings show that customers also post positive comments on Facebook pages, especially about specific products and positive customer service experiences.
Of all positive Facebook comments analyzed, the highest portion (30%) is about products. Ideeli.com ranked highest amongst the sites with 57 percent of positive posts relating to its products. One Ideeli.com customer posted, "Got my new OTBT Shoshone shoes tonight - even my cat can't stop admiring them! They're so comfortable – I don't even want to take them off to go to bed!"
Facebook posts about customer service were mixed – some positive and some negative. One Fab.com shopper commended a customer service agent, "I would like to recognize customer service agent, Nicholas. He helped me with a problem on December 6 and was a great spokesperson for Fab. Please give him a giant raise, or at least a giant cookie."
Dotcom also analyzed sentiment around Facebook comments related to websites, login issues, marketing campaigns, customer service, and product feedback. Additional flash sale site findings include:
- Of the 2,776 Facebook comments analyzed, 44 percent were negative and 29 percent were positive. The remaining 27 percent were neutral comments.
- OneKingsLane.com and Zulily.com were the only sites that had more positive Facebook comments than negative overall, while RueLaLa.com had an equal amount of positive and negative comments (38%). All other sites analyzed had a majority negative comments on Facebook.
- One in five negative Facebook comments involve flash sellers' websites, with many related to login issues. Three percent of all conversations were about login issues or a preference to not login.
For more information on the Dotcom Distribution Facebook Flash Sale Analysis, download the official report at http://www.dotcomdist.com/dotcom-facebook-flash-sale-report/.
Dotcom Distribution Facebook Flash Sale Analysis Methodology
Data was gathered from the Facebook pages of 11 of the top flash sale sites doing business in the United States. Flash sale sites feature products at highly reduced prices for a limited time. Dotcom Distribution analyzed 2,776 posts from consumers over the last two years for content and sentiment. The resulting findings are the basis for the Dotcom Distribution Facebook Flash Sale Analysis.
About Dotcom Distribution
Dotcom Distribution is the premier provider of logistics and fulfillment services to growing retailers & manufacturers. Industry pioneers such as Fab, Ideeli, Birchbox, Bliss, INTERMIX, and Totsy trust in Dotcom's boutique feel, enterprise scale and management team to ensure their customers receive the highest quality packaging & delivery, while preserving the brand experience all the way through to the customer's front door. Dotcom's facility enables typical clients to achieve same-day order shipping and an average 1-3 day delivery times via UPS Ground to 75% of the US population – all while delivering on custom packaging solutions which resell the brand experience at that critical final mile delivery.
For more information about Dotcom Distribution and its logistics and fulfillment services, visit http://dotcomdistribution.com.