customer experience

New definition of customer experience in logistics: MDX over NPS

2025-08-26 przez Anna Sztyk

Why Logistics = CX?

Just a few years ago, logistics was treated as the “back office” of e-commerce – a necessary element, but not considered a source of competitive advantage. Today the situation looks very different:

as much as 60% of e-commerce costs are generated by the last mile,
delivery has become the most visible and emotional customer touchpoint – the moment when the brand promise meets reality,
every mistake (delay, lack of information, difficult returns) is immediately visible in reviews and directly impacts future purchases.

Why NPS is no longer enough?

The traditional Net Promoter Score (NPS), for years seen as the gold standard for measuring satisfaction, is too simplified. A single question (“Would you recommend us?”) does not reflect the full picture:

it does not measure the emotions connected with delivery,
it fails to capture competitive differences such as speed of problem resolution or flexibility in changing the delivery location,
it does not account for the B2B perspective – for example, how easily a store or marketplace can handle shipping and system integration.

The New Approach – MDX

That is why a new metric is gaining traction in logistics – MDX. Unlike the narrow NPS, MDX provides a framework for evaluating experiences in three dimensions:

Functional – does the service work seamlessly and reliably?
Emotional – how does the customer feel when interacting with the brand?
Brand-differentiating – does the logistics experience meaningfully distinguish the company from its competitors?

Case studies show that MDX is not just a theory:

InPost drives loyalty through simplicity of parcel pickup and strong local brand positioning.
Nova Post introduced the voice assistant “Sendy” in self-service zones, enhancing functionality while adding inclusivity.
SwipBox redefines parcel lockers, turning them from metal boxes into a software-driven, customer-centric ecosystem.

How Can Companies Move from NPS to MDX?

Moving from NPS to MDX does not mean abandoning NPS. It is worth using NPS as a “quick pulse” indicator, but complementing it with a focus on meaningful differences – the real drivers of loyalty and competitive advantage.

Customer journey mapping

NPS measures satisfaction at a single point in time; MDX requires a full-process perspective.

Map the process from purchase → shipping notification → tracking → parcel collection → return/complaint.
Identify all customer and merchant touchpoints (e.g. ease of label generation, system integration).
Tools: service design, customer journey maps, mobile app heatmaps.

Analyzing emotional “Moments of Truth”

Customers remember not the entire process, but specific moments that trigger strong emotions.

Does the app provide a sense of control (e.g. changing delivery location easily)?
Is parcel locker pickup quick and intuitive – or frustrating?
Is the returns process painless – or stressful?

In practice:

Include qualitative research (interviews, courier shadowing, UX testing).
Measure emotions via short post-interaction surveys (“How did you feel when collecting your parcel?”), language analysis in online reviews, and even biometrics (eye-tracking and emotion research in UX).

New data sources and AI for experience analysis

MDX requires merging “hard” data (timeliness, SLA) with “soft” data (emotions, brand perception).

AI/ML to analyze customer comments and reviews – automatically capturing emotions (sentiment analysis, topic clustering).
Integrating operational and CX data – e.g. linking delayed shipments with the volume of negative reviews.
Chatbots and voicebots as real-time insight sources – analyzing customer frustrations and questions.
MDX Dashboard – combining SLA, retention, emotional satisfaction, and brand perception metrics.

Pilot + scale

Start with a single segment (e.g. parcel lockers in big cities, cross-border returns).
Introduce MDX metrics alongside NPS – compare outcomes.
Identify which aspects of the experience truly differentiate the brand (e.g. flexibility in redirecting a parcel).
Scale the solution across the entire network.

MDX as the new standard in logistics: what are the business benefits?

The business benefits are multidimensional:

Higher loyalty and retention – a customer who receives their parcel effortlessly is far more likely to return.
Brand differentiation – logistics becomes a competitive advantage: touchless lockers, 1-click redirection, multi-carrier networks.
Premiumization opportunities – growing numbers of consumers are willing to pay more for green, flexible, or personalized delivery.

What’s more, a well-designed delivery experience functions as a marketing channel. Advertisements can be skipped – but the emotions tied to a fast, convenient delivery last. This transforms logistics from a cost center into a strategic brand-building tool.

MDX as the future of logistics – turning experience into business advantage

The era of measuring satisfaction with a single question – “Would you recommend us?” – is over. In last-mile logistics, it is no longer just about costs and timeliness, but also emotions and brand perception. MDX is becoming the new standard that allows online retailers not only to reduce errors but also to build loyalty and stand out in the market.

Customers now expect convenience, flexibility, and consistency – whether they pick up a parcel in Warsaw, Berlin, or Prague. This creates a huge opportunity for companies that invest in international solutions and can translate the MDX philosophy into cross-border practice.

Alsendo International: putting MDX into practice

Alsendo International helps e-commerce businesses turn this vision into reality. Through flexible integrations and a network of trusted local carriers across Europe, we:

simplify international shipping,
ensure fast, convenient, and reliable deliveries,
reduce costs while increasing predictability.

This allows online retailers to focus on sales and growth, while we handle the complexity of cross-border logistics. In practice, it means your brand can deliver on the promise of a “meaningfully different experience” at international scale.

Ready to make logistics your growth driver, not your bottleneck?

Sign up and start shipping with Alsendo International – and bring speed, flexibility, and reliability to your cross-border deliveries.

Learn more

Source:

LAST-MILE INNOVATION REPORT 2025

7 out of 10 shoppers want AI in their shopping journey

2025-08-20 przez Anna Sztyk

71% of consumers want generative AI in shopping

According to Capgemini’s 2025 report, 71% of consumers want generative AI integrated into their shopping experiences, both in digital and physical stores. The survey, covering over 10,000 participants across 13 countries, confirms that AI is no longer seen as futuristic but as an expected part of customer experience.

66% of Gen Z and 65% of Millennials expect hyper-personalised recommendations driven by generative AI — tailored not only to past purchases, but also to mood, location, and seasonal trends.
In Poland, Focus on Business reports that 7 in 10 consumers already use AI tools in everyday life — often unknowingly, through smart filters in shopping apps or marketplace recommendation engines.

Business takeaway: AI integration is no longer a competitive edge; it’s the market baseline. Retailers that don’t implement intelligent search, recommendations, and customer support risk losing their most valuable segments, especially younger generations.

70% of shoppers expect smart, personalised features

The DHL “E-commerce Trends 2025” report reveals that 70% of consumers expect online stores to offer AI-driven shopping features such as visual search, contextual recommendations, personalised offers, or voice commerce.

This expectation spans all age groups: even the 45+ demographic increasingly uses AI when tools are simple and deliver clear value, like finding product equivalents via image search or instantly comparing offers across retailers.
KPMG data shows 61% of consumers see personalised shopping experiences as a key purchase driver.

Business takeaway: AI-powered features are no longer a “premium add-on” but a core requirement for modern e-commerce. Deploying visual search, voice commerce, and dynamic recommendations must be a strategic priority to remain competitive and increase customer loyalty.

AI boosts engagement, but conversion needs work

Adobe’s 2025 e-commerce trends report shows that AI shopping tools directly impact user behaviour. Retailers that adopted generative AI recorded:

+8% longer average session duration
+12% more pages viewed
–23% lower bounce rate

AI clearly drives engagement and exploration. However, conversion rates remain below e-commerce averages. Many shoppers treat AI as a source of inspiration and make purchases later, sometimes in different channels.

46% of surveyed consumers trust AI more than friends when choosing fashion items.

Business takeaway: AI drives engagement but must be paired with conversion strategies. Seamless omnichannel journeys, limited-time offers, and strong CTAs are essential to monetise AI-driven interactions.

Consumers are already using AI and want more

A US study found that 39% of consumers have already used generative AI tools in shopping, from chatbots and recommendation engines to visual search. Another 53% plan to use them this year.

In Poland, 70% of consumers already interact with AI in daily life, through marketplace algorithms, dynamic pricing engines, or smart product filtering.

Business takeaway: customers are not waiting for AI to “arrive” in e-commerce, they’re already using it. Not offering AI tools means losing share to competitors that deliver smarter, more interactive shopping experiences.

AI as a trusted shopping advisor

Consumer trust in AI has grown significantly. In categories like fashion, beauty, and electronics, AI is increasingly the “first consultant”, filtering, suggesting, and guiding purchases.

Business takeaway: growing trust in AI allows brands to strengthen loyalty through transparency. Explaining why a product is recommended (“because it matches your style and recent searches”) builds credibility. Transparent AI will become a cornerstone of brand–customer relationships.

Start with AI where it matters most: delivery

You don’t need costly or complex integrations to bring AI into your store. Start with the foundation of a great shopping experience: fast, reliable, predictable delivery. AI-driven shipment automation shortens fulfillment times, increases customer satisfaction, and drives loyalty.

See how to automate shipping

Discover Alsendo’s solutions

The psychology of expectation – why customers care so much about fast delivery?

2025-07-31 przez Anna Sztyk

The instant gratification effect – immediate satisfaction of needs

Today’s consumers live in a world of immediacy – with a single click, they can order food, buy products from across the globe, pay bills, or book consultations online. This lifestyle strongly shapes purchasing behaviour, a phenomenon known in psychology as the instant gratification effect. The quicker a customer receives their order, the greater their satisfaction and the stronger their positive association with the brand.

Why does this work in e-commerce?

Research shows that online shopping is not just transactional – for many customers, it’s a form of reward, and delivery is a key part of this gratification. Walter Mischel’s famous 1972 Marshmallow Test demonstrated that even adults prefer smaller rewards sooner rather than waiting for larger ones later. In e-commerce, this translates into a preference for fast delivery even at a higher cost.

Data highlights:

23% of consumers are willing to pay extra for faster and more reliable delivery to avoid frustration related to waiting and uncertainty about product arrival.
70% of customers say delivery experiences influence their loyalty to a retailer.
43% report they would abandon a purchase if the delivery time is too long or unpredictable.

Not surprisingly, market leaders like Amazon Prime and Poland’s InPost build their competitive edge by minimising the time between purchase and product delivery. This need for immediacy extends beyond physical goods – the same pattern is seen in streaming services, instant payments, and online bookings, where customers expect immediate results upon making a decision.

The phenomenon of frictionless shopping – buying without friction or delays

Every moment of waiting becomes friction – a barrier that blocks the purchase decision. Today’s consumer expects not only an attractive product but a completely seamless buying experience – from clicking “buy now” to receiving the package. Any obstacle, uncertainty, or delay is friction that can discourage completing the transaction.

In the digital age, where convenience, speed, and predictability dominate consumer expectations, delivery time has become one of the most critical brand touchpoints.

Research shows:

The average global cart abandonment rate is 70.19%.
22% of abandonments occur due to slow delivery.

This means more than one in five shoppers quit precisely because they fear delivery delays, clearly showing the importance of fast, predictable shipping. Importantly, reports emphasise that a lack of transparency about delivery times deters customers even when product prices are competitive.

Why is fast and predictable delivery key to customer loyalty?

Year after year, not only do customer’s expectations for delivery speed rise, but so does their demand for full predictability and clear communication. Modern consumers want to know when they will get their product and won’t tolerate uncertainty.

Data confirms this:

66% of consumers expect delivery options to be not just fast, but clearly defined and predictable.
70% say negative delivery experiences are sufficient reason to stop shopping at a retailer altogether.
Customers who have experienced delays or unclear delivery communication are 47% less likely to return, even if the product met their expectations.

This means that errors in logistics don’t just affect single transactions, they can cause permanent customer loss.

Market leaders know time is money – examples from Amazon Prime and InPost

Major e-commerce players have long understood that eliminating delays and uncertainty in delivery translates into higher sales, loyalty, and competitive advantage.

Amazon Prime: A subscription program based on lightning-fast delivery, often within 24 hours or same-day. This model builds customer loyalty and effectively minimises friction, barriers linked to wait times.
InPost (Poland): The popularity of parcel lockers and flexible delivery options keeps growing because they allow customers to pick up parcels quickly and conveniently, without long waits. By focusing on automation and punctuality, InPost effectively meets the psychological need for immediacy in e-commerce.

The expectation paradox: faster delivery = higher demands

Interestingly, the more the market conditions customers to expect express deliveries, the more impatient they become, and the quicker they switch retailers over the slightest problem. This is a paradox:

Customers want their products faster and more reliably, but…
the faster they get them, the less tolerant they are of delays or uncertainty.

Thus, delivery speed is not just a one-time competitive advantage, it’s a daily trust test retailers must pass flawlessly.

What’s the takeaway for your online store?

Modern customers aren’t loyal to brands that fail at delivery. Building trust takes weeks or months, but it can be lost in a single day of delay. Therefore, investing in fast, predictable, and transparent delivery processes isn’t a luxury – it’s a prerequisite for survival in today’s market.

In practice, managing these challenges is made easier by modern tools like Alsendo Business Pro, which allows efficient coordination of logistics processes, automatic selection of the best carriers, and provides customers with constant access to shipment status information. Such solutions help minimise the risk of delays and enhance the shopping experience, which translates into greater customer loyalty.

Explore Alsendo Business Pro

Ready-made solutions for your business

Learn more