Addressing and Avoiding Returns

Fulfillment services address many procedures relating to the sale of goods. Their system can incorporate all needed operations from fielding phone orders to packing and delivering the product. One area needing thought is that of dealing with returns. How does your company handle customer returns? Returns are a reality when selling goods online or from a catalogue. Consumers do not have the opportunity to see the product up close, and may change their mind in desiring the item once they do. Of course, a business would like to minimize the occurrences of returns, or in the very least, handle them well. Consider the following information.

Handling returns

- One of the best safeguards against returns is educating the consumer. Make sure you clearly display your return policy and use clear language. Have it showcased on your Web site or in your catalogue. This not only makes customers better informed, but deters them from calling your customer service phone lines and making your representatives busier.

- Returns will happen; so, make it as painless on the customer as possible. Suit them with return labels with their merchandise or have them accessible via the Web. Make returns possible through one or multiple carrier services.

- Keep good records of your returns. Note the customer, the item, whether the item can be resold or disposed, etc.

- Make the process as cost efficient as possible. Assess if a product can be resold. If a product cannot be resold in its entirety, examine the ability to salvage certain components.

- Attempt to forecast any times a high number of returns can be expected (such as after the holidays) in order to have extra staff on hand so the business will not be impeded.

Limiting the number of returns

- As stated, consumers are at somewhat of a disadvantage by not being able to see the products in-person. Make sure your catalogue or Web site is designed with big, multi-angled depictions of your product. Meticulously describe your products as well, indicating weight, color, sizes, etc. Make your customers feel confident in making their decision to buy.

- Offer other customers’ feedback. Consumers are more likely to initially trust one of ‘their own’ rather than rely on the marketing copy on your site or catalogue.

- The picking and packing components of the fulfillment process are crucial. A customer anxiously awaiting a delivery will not be pleased to find their goods damaged or having errors in color, size, model, etc.

- Have your site suited with ‘real time’ stock availability. A customer will not want to order a product and have to wait extra time because it was not immediately available when they made the initial order.

- A well used tactic is overestimating the time of arrival. Have the consumer be pleasantly surprised when they receive their order early rather than have them disappointed and frustrated waiting for their delivery to arrive.

- Your best source of marketing information will come from the customers. Offer them a coupon in exchange for feedback on your process and their received product(s).