A great, but often overlooked, way to increase sales is to examine your shipping and returns policy. Logistics is the bread and butter of E-commerce, and having a non-optimized shipping and returns process can be the last nail in the coffin.
30% of all online purchases are returned, and two-thirds of all customers read the returns policy before purchasing. This infographic by Red Stag Fulfillment shows the different ways you can optimize logistics for a better return.
Start by making your returns policy extremely clear and easy to understand. Don’t make your customer jump through hoops to return a faulty or incorrect product. Make the policy easy to find and make sure there’s a visible link or button on each page of your E-commerce site.
Next, give your customers more time to return products. Doing so builds trust with your customers and reassures them that if something goes wrong with their purchase, they’ll be able to get their money back.
Shipping Optimization: “Customers drop off when they see the shipping prices.”
Shipping costs that are too high can be what deters a customer from completing the sale. There are a few ways to get around this so that you can offer lower or even free delivery to your customers.
Work with your vendors:
It’s basic math that the less it costs you to do business, the easier you can pass those savings on to your customers. Some vendors will offer discounts when you buy in bulk and others will offer a discount if you pay for shipping in advance.
Negotiate with Shipping Companies:
If you’re shipping a lot and often, consolidating your shipping can lower the overall cost of delivery. Alternatively, you could always bring on a 3PL logistics provider to handle your logistics, which can be considerably less expensive.
Work with your carrier:
What can you do to get your carrier to lower its prices? Using your carrier’s packaging will help standardize your package costs. Some carriers will also allow you to pay for your shipping online and give you a discount for doing so. This also helps automate your shipping process.
Having an optimized shipping and returns policy that is clear, simple to understand, and passes savings to your customers is the best way to improve your sales. By implementing these easy fixes, you will gain your customer’s trust and create life-long customers.