There are a variety of reasons why a customer may choose to return a
product, for example, the goods were faulty, it was the wrong item or they
simply changed their minds. Making your return and exchange processes as simple
as possible will help to foster customer loyalty as well ease the
administrative burden.
Research
Before writing or updating your
returns policy, it is a good idea to find out the terms of your competitors'
policies. If you decide that one of your selling points is to have a "generous"
returns policy, then make sure it really is.
When conducting your research, consider the following
questions:
Do your competitors take back all merchandise?
What are the time limits for returning goods?
Is there a special return form or authorisation
number?
Is a receipt required?
Is there a restocking fee?
Do they pay for the return shipping, or the
customer?
How do they handle the return of gifts?
Do they offer exchanges?
Writing your policy
Use the research you have
gathered on your competitors to write a returns policy that is suitable for
your business.
Ensure that your policy:
Remains short and simple to understand
Spells out the exact conditions that customers must meet to
return goods e.g. having a receipt, making a return within a certain
timeframe
Provides clear instructions on how to return goods, including
gifts
Explains how to qualify for exchanges and/or refunds e.g.
goods unopened or unused?
Provides contact information and hours of opening
Communicating your policy
Your returns policy
should be immediately accessible to your customers. The most common ways of
informing customers of your policy is to include it on your website, print it
on receipts, display it in your shop windows, or include a printed version in
all packages sold or shipped.
Learn from your returns
Ensure that you keep a
record of what items are returned and why, this will enable you to:
