Have you ever thought that as a retailer you might be losing customers and potential revenues due to your complicated return policy?

Imagine the frustration of customers if they have to go through several steps to return an item. One negative experience will be multiplied to many with word of mouth, and customers will stay away from your brand like the plague.

There are many reasons when customers need to return merchandise, and some of them are product malfunction, damaged packaging, missing parts, and others. The result is a substantial volume of products may be returned, triggering the process of reverse logistics. Despite the back-end complexity, retailers need to put in constant efforts to ensure that the return process is seamless.

A survey by National Retail Federation in 2015 shows nearly 55 percent consumers think that flexible returns are highly important when it comes to shopping online.

Retailers these days are devoting more attention and resources to streamline their return process as they realize creating positive customer experience are likely to make them return and re-purchase. This post will mainly revolve around the significance of having an excellent return process and how it can enhance consumer convenience and of course experience.

How Retail Giants have done it?

Nightmarish return process makes customers think twice before any repeat purchase. On most occasions, if the first experience was negative, they simply don’t come back. That’s where retail giants lime Amazon and Nordstrom have a competitive edge over others.

Companies that have been in the retail business for long and sustained despite all the market upheaval know the secret of improving the reliability quotient. These businesses don’t make customers do the legwork for returning a product.

Direct sales merchandiser like Nordstrom has chalked up a return policy that makes sending back merchandise easy. The company picked American Package Express (APX) and the U.S. Postal Service for their Parcel Return Services program. Customers can return any product within 90 days of the original shipping date at their nearest Nordstrom store, or send back via mail.

A survey carried out by Harris Poll reveals that 95 percent of direct shoppers said they would return to a direct retailer that made the return experience convenient. Also, 76 percent of these consumers further stated that they felt using a pre­paid, pre­addressed return label that can be sent from any location within the Postal Service’s reach is the most convenient return process.

Is Your Current Return Policy Convenient for Customers?

The return policy of your retail business should make things easy for customers to understand. If it’s an area of opportunity, fix it to improve business operations and enhance your customers’ shopping experience.

Implementing a detailed yet customer-friendly return policy can drive more business. It is because simplifying the return process will convey a message to customers that your business is committed to their total satisfaction and willing to go the extra mile. So, a well-formulated return program is much more than a mere operational component. Rather it is an important investment in your customers and your brand.

Developing an ideal returns process is about striking a delicate balance between providing a personalised customer experience and improving operational efficiency. However, an over generous returns policy may lead to instances of return frauds and bleeding money due to reverse logistics costs. That’s what happened to Amazon India before they put an end to their mobile refund policy.

The impact of a poorly structured return policy can be damaging for a company’s reputation, and will likely to influence customers’ commitment to your brand. The results would be dwindling sales volume, shrinking revenues, and a looming threat of going out of business. On the other hand, by integrating the right technology, human expertise, and organised efforts, you can streamline the returns process, improve customer experience, and build sustainable loyalty. 

How to Simplify the Parcel Return Process?

As a customer, you can return an unwanted item through the process specified by the retail company. It would be ideal if the company uses automated parcel lockers to simplify the return process:

• Visit the retailer’s portal and look for the parcel return option
• Enter the product info, mark it for return, and print the label
• Attach the label to the original package, and visit your nearest parcel locker terminal
• Scan the label and put the item in the locker

The whole process is convenient, hassle-free and cost-effective.

Closing Words

Customers these days seek greater flexibility and more control over their parcel delivery and returns. This why solutions are required that focus on providing more convenience and ensure positive shopping experience. Parcel lockers seem to be ideal in this whole gamut of consumer needs.

If you are curious to know how using parcel lockers can simplify the return process and make your business more desirable, call us at +91-8882-760-760 or send an email to info@smartbox.in, and an expert will get back to you immediately.