Lift the return burden

Five tips online retailers need to consider to reduce the friction of their return:

Make the return process as transparent as the order process: There are still eCommerce players who make the return process as difficult as possible for shoppers by hiding (or not even listing) their return policy for orders, not providing status updates immediately by email, or not notifying the customer when the returned goods have been received. Customer service cannot be deliberately neglected, and communication of status should be on the forefront of retailers’ minds.

Speed up your return processing: To build confidence and rapport, the shopper should be informed the moment the returned item has been received. Speed is on the side of the retailer as well; goods need to be seen as available in inventory and approved for sale to generate revenue.

Keep goods handling and customer service separate: If most returns are managed using a standard process, they won’t need to be reviewed by a customer service agent. The small number of returns that do need special treatment can then be kept separate for customer service attention. By splitting the returns process this way, most returned goods can be put back into inventory much faster, and even shipped more quickly if ordered by another customer.

Use automation: Two areas where retailers can speed up the returns process using automation are reimbursement and inventory management. After a return is processed, the amount owed to the shopper should be automatically reimbursed or credited to the credit card or PayPal account. Also, new inventory should be updated immediately via a warehouse management system in the online store and all sales channels to establish the opportunity for the next sale.

Consider returns as an important customer service practice: One could argue that the “return” burden has been lifted from consumers’ shoulders. Today, it’s become the responsibility of the retailer to offer convenient and simple return options for customers. The bottom line is that customers care about returns. Retailers that provide a complete end-to-end customer service experience incorporating flawless returns processing are more likely to see repeat customers and increased revenue.