Before Christmas, online retailers are struggling to ship the wave of orders on time. After Christmas the flood comes back. Online retailers then have to manage the high volume of returns without sacrificing the customer experience. But how does this balancing act succeed? The specialist for customer care and fulfillment in e-commerce, Salesupply, has put together eleven helpful tips on how online retailers can survive the January madness.
Optimize your product descriptions to proactively reduce the return rate during the ordering process
Basically it’s a truism, but almost all online shops still have room for improvement here: with detailed product details, retailers reduce the likelihood that customers will return products based on incorrect assumptions. This includes text information about product features, dimensions, materials or special care instructions, fit information, size tables and instructions for taking precise measurements, customer reviews and high-quality product images and videos. You can also use customer feedback from returns to continually improve your product descriptions.
Extend your return period
Longer return periods can reduce returns rates because customers have more time to evaluate their purchases. At the same time, a generous returns policy relieves the burden on the returns center immediately after the holidays because not all returns arrive within 14 days.
Make returns (partial) subject to a fee
Retailers like Zara and H&M are leading the way: passing on return costs to customers leads to a significant decline in return rates, while sales only decline slightly. If you want to be less rigorous, you can, for example, introduce a rule whereby returns are free as long as less than a certain percentage of the order is returned.
Offer vouchers as an alternative to refunds
Studies show: Customers also accept vouchers instead of a refund of the invoice amount. Motivation increases if, for example, the voucher is available immediately, while the refund takes several days. Another alternative is to add a small thank you to the voucher.
Encourage returns to the store
When customers hand in their returns at the store, the chance of making an alternative purchase is high. An incentive could, for example, be that the credits are increased by 10 percent if the return is handed in to the branch. Another option is to offer in-store returns free of charge, while returns by post are subject to a charge.
Use an online returns portal
Let your customers process returns via an online returns portal. This has many advantages: For example, you can redirect returns to another returns center if the standard returns center is currently overloaded. You have an overview of the expected volume days before the packages arrive and can optimize personnel planning accordingly. They relieve customer service of the return authorization process and at the same time prevent customers from generating return labels after the return period has expired. And you can let customers choose between returns and exchanges.
Process international returns locally
Sending returns across borders or even overseas often does not work as easily and smoothly as customers are used to with local returns. In order to be internationally successful, online retailers must act like local players. For returns, this means providing customers with a local return address. All in all, this is a win-win situation for customers and retailers: customers get their money back more quickly. And stores receive the returns bundled and thereby save costs. In addition, retailers also save space in returns centers and avoid chaos because many of the international returns are no longer sent back to their home countries in January.
Proactively communicate returns processing status
When customers return a package, they want one thing above all: their money back quickly. In order to reduce the number of calls to the call center, especially during peak times such as Christmas, online retailers should communicate proactively and inform their customers about the status of the return by email.
Involve customer service in the returns process
In order for customer service to have time to process complaints, they should be relieved of standard inquiries. Detailed FAQs about the returns process proactively answer the most common customer inquiries. This includes information on return deadlines, return addresses, instructions for obtaining the return label, etc. An AI-supported service chatbot can be used for individual inquiries. This scans and categorizes historical customer service requests, identifies frequently asked questions and formulates response templates.
Relieve customer service of standard requests
In order for customer service to have time to process complaints, they should be relieved of standard inquiries. Detailed FAQs about the returns process proactively answer the most common customer inquiries. This includes information on return deadlines, return addresses, instructions for obtaining the return label, etc. An AI-supported service chatbot can be used for individual inquiries. This scans and categorizes historical customer service requests, identifies frequently asked questions and formulates response templates.
Outsource some of your customer service during peak times
Especially in the run-up to Christmas, customer service should be available around the clock and quickly if possible. But not every online retailer can afford such luxury equipment. Here it can be worthwhile to outsource part of the volume to external service providers on a seasonal basis. This ensures high customer satisfaction – and additional purchases even outside of the Christmas business.
Conclusion
Hopefully you can use these 11 tips to handle the Christmas returns like a pro. If you’re still not quite sure how to handle them, you can contact us here.
