RETURN POLICIES FOR E-COMMERCE

May 26th 2014 at 11:43pm Published by firstdownadmin

Good return policies strike a balance between bolstering consumer trust in your products and minimizing profit loss. Your return policy isn’t just a box to tick off—it actually says something about your brand.

If your policy is too strict, it engenders doubt in your products and you. Too complex, and it puts up roadblocks to purchase. Too technical sounding and you seem duplicitous.

Customers expect at least 30 days to return an online purchase. But only 5% of shoppers say they return online orders more than 30 days after purchase. Being lenient with return time limits (e.g., a 60-day vs. 30-day policy) can actually decrease returns by creating less urgency around returns for the customer.

If you’re building or revamping your return policy, keep the terms and conditions simple. Even if you have to include some jargon and legalese to protect your interests, keep things as short as possible. Complex details, limitations, and extra fees confuse and anger customers, driving them away from product and checkout pages.