Returns, complaints and endless “where’s my order?” calls have become a daily reality for many retailers. Each one represents a break in the customer experience — a moment when expectations and execution don’t align.
The cost of that misalignment is significant. UK retailers lost more than £6 billion to returns last year, with return fraud now exceeding £1.2 billion annually. But the real damage goes beyond lost revenue. Every failed delivery or unclear update chips away at brand trust, stretching customer service teams and eroding loyalty.
For retailers already operating on tight margins, this level of friction is unsustainable. Yet the good news is that it doesn’t have to be inevitable.
Why customer experience depends on operations
Customer experience is often treated as a front-end issue — the domain of websites, UX design and marketing teams. But the real test happens after the customer has made a purchase.
Did the order arrive when promised? Was tracking clear and accurate? Were any delivery changes communicated proactively?
When these moments break down, customer satisfaction suffers. Research consistently shows that even a few negative fulfilment experiences can lead shoppers to switch retailers. In a market where acquisition costs are rising, retaining those customers is far more valuable than winning new ones.
To deliver the reliability customers expect, retailers need more than good intentions. They need connected systems that bring visibility, coordination and accuracy to every stage of the supply chain.
Behind the scenes of a smoother journey
At Virtualstock, we believe better customer experiences begin behind the scenes. Our platform connects retailers and suppliers through integrated marketplace and dropship modules, creating a single, transparent view of stock, orders and fulfilment.
This gives retailers the tools to:
- Expand product choice without holding additional inventory
- Provide customers with clear, real-time order tracking
- Reduce manual errors with automated supplier connections
- Deliver a smoother post-purchase journey that builds trust
The outcome is simple: fewer returns, fewer complaints, and fewer “where’s my order?” calls.
Robert Dyas: a customer-first success story
Robert Dyas, a high-street favourite for over 150 years, faced this challenge head-on. The company wanted to offer more choice and a better delivery experience without adding operational strain or increasing returns.
Since adopting the Virtualstock platform, Robert Dyas has:
- Increased dropship products by 1,480%, giving customers a far wider range
- Connected with over 500 suppliers through one platform
- Grown dropship to account for around 70% of all online sales
As Simon Spencelayh, Managing Director at Robert Dyas, explains: “Utilisation of [Virtualstock’s] innovative technology has not only streamlined our operations but also led to an incredible 1,480% increase in the number of dropship products.”
Behind that growth is a more efficient, customer-first operating model — one where smoother fulfilment leads directly to stronger loyalty.
From fulfilment to loyalty
Customer experience doesn’t begin on a website and it doesn’t end at checkout. It’s shaped by every operational decision that follows: the accuracy of stock data, the speed of fulfilment, the quality of communication.
When retailers improve those foundations, the customer experience improves naturally. Returns go down, complaints reduce, and loyalty strengthens.
In a market where one bad experience can cost a customer for life, operational excellence is now the most powerful form of customer experience strategy.
Virtualstock helps retailers bridge that gap — giving them the visibility and flexibility to deliver the right products, on time, every time.
Better journeys start long before the parcel leaves the warehouse.
