The key to the success of an e-commerce and its supply chain is not limited solely to delivery but it also concerns how its products can be returned. Whether returns come from B2C customers or from shops, the returns policy must be simple and effective for a great customer experience.
Managing your product returns with a solid logistics partner!
What is outsourced product reverse logistic?
Buying everywhere and returning anywhere… Here’s a day-to-day struggle for online shops.
Consumers have increasingly embraced the ability to return a product to the sender as part of their customer experience. Ever tighter deadlines and ever greater consumer demands make the task complex even for professionals in the sector.
Managing returns involves an additional task in your logistics process, label generation, scanning, handling, data management, possible refunds, etc.
In the case of an online order, a pre-printed return label is included in the package to allow the customer to return their merchandise free of charge. In other cases, the customer can generate a return label on the website.
It is then up to the customer to drop off the package at a specific post office or relay point. The customer is notified of the parcel’s receipt by the warehouse via e-mail and the refund is then made according to the initial payment method. It is not always that simple.
Globalisation and widespread digital transformation have multiplied the number of players in the e-commerce sector. It is not uncommon to sell in several countries, so managing returns involves new logistical and financial constraints.
What are the advantages of outsourcing your reverse logistic?
Simplified procedure: one return address and local processing
The parcels arrive in our warehouse, we send them to you in one go or repackage them for a new shipment to a new customer. In addition to on-site processing and storage, we also undertake the testing, repair and even destruction of returned products at our return centres.
Cost reduction on returned goods
Consolidation of returns for your stocks, shared services and economies of scale, fewer staff, many parameters will reduce your reverse logistic costs. Faster refunds for your customers.
Enhanced customer satisfaction
Simple return solutions with local carriers help establish peace of mind for your customer by respecting local codes and culture and allows the customer to collect the product at home or drop it off at a relay point. By doing so, you will secure customer loyalty and increase sales in the long term.
Reduction of return times
Thanks to our network, return times are as fast as shipping times. Your customer will therefore be able to receive a new product or a refund very quickly.
How to start outsourcing your customer returns?
You explain your project to our experts and the specificities of your activity
We send you a quote and establish precise specifications
You change your returns policy on your website and the address for after-sales service
Recommendations from our experts
To optimise your reverse logistic as much as possible, draw up a clear, detailed but simple return policy. The consumer will always see a return as an obstacle course : it has been the case since online sales blossomed and remains an inconvenience that lingers in the mind of the consumer. Your return policy (and the way you implement it) has a strong impact on the purchase decision.
A UPS and ComScore study shows that 88% of e-commerce site visitors take the time to review your return policy. 66% do it before making a purchase. To reassure your visitors, we recommend that you include a link to your returns policy at the beginning of the customer journey and in various accessible places on your website. Do not hesitate to indicate them on the product sheets.
In France, 24% of products sold online are returned.
The advice of the founder of E-log Service for your E-commerce
Olivier Andrianarivo, founder of E-log Service, also strongly recommends working on reducing the return rate and making it one of the most important metrics for your e-commerce.
There is no such thing as a zero return, but by working on product sheets, photos, descriptions and technical specifications, your customers will not only buy with more confidence but also more certainty, so you win twice.
Olivier also adds that it is important not to oversell your products as well as remaining objective and neutral in order to avoid disappointment and the activation of the legal right of withdrawal of 14 days in case of distance selling. For example, indicate the size guides (“this mark is larger or smaller” may be a good indicator).
By also adding the possibility to leave comments and product reviews from other buyers, you will let them consolidate this work for free and with unparalleled confidence in the long term for your future customers.
