5 Return Policy Best Practices To Adopt Right Away

When was the last time your management team reviewed your return policies? Depending on the product or service, a rigid or unclear return policy can be a pain point for customers wishing to begin a return. It’s a good practice, at the start of every year, to consider reviewing customer issues related to your return policy.  

Here are five questions to ask yourself when considering if changes or updates need to be made.

1. Is the return policiy visible on your website?
2. How easy is it for customers to request returns?
3. Do you give customers adequate time to request returns?
4. Is a no-returns policy clearly stated during the customer purchase journey?
5. What is customer feedback for return requests?  

1. Is the return policy visible on your website?

People typically think this answer is a yes but where is the return policy on the website? Is it in the fine print under terms and conditions or is it included at the bottom of the home page in a way that a customer can clearly read and understand?

Placement of policies is a strategic decision based upon the product or service you offer and companies need to discern what’s best for them. Keep in mind, educating your customers early in the purchase process helps set expectations if they should change their mind once they’ve purchased.

A clearly stated return policy explaining what the next steps are if they should want one and what the refund policies are helps a great deal in avoiding confusion later.

2. How easy is it for customers to request returns?

When customers reach out about returns, how easy is it for them to submit requests? Do you use a separate platform or do they reach out to your team directly? Once their request is acknowledged how easy is it to begin the process?

Having a simple returns process helps the support team easily assist customers and allows them to guide instead of having to explain or be a manual process of approval. If you have a product-based business, there are several returns platforms that integrate with ecommerce software and make returns a self-service process instead of one the support team has to manage.

3. Do you give customers adequate time to request returns?

The time for customers to request returns, depending on your business and product, can vary greatly. Some companies give six months or more while others only give a few days to make a request before a return request is denied. Typically 14 to 30 days appear to be an industry standard.

If you have a product-based business, consider the return shipping times and how long it may take for the product to return to your warehouse or facility. Providing clear instructions to customers about information to include in return packages is key for a smooth returns process.

If your product is digitally based, maybe it is a one-time purchase for download. Maybe it is a subscription service for members. Consider how long the customer may have access to the service and the billing cycles when developing the cancellation process.

4. Is a no-returns policy clearly stated during the customer purchase journey?

If returns are not offered in your business, how is it presented in your messaging to the customer in their purchase journey? Many businesses have segments of their products or services that are in a final sale or purchase state and will detail that on their website. However, if the policy for no returns is a blanket policy for all products it should be stated clearly on the website.

Providing vague language that is not clear to the customer will only open doors for miscommunication and frustration. Customers may feel they’ve been misled. Consider stating the final purchase policies in several areas on the website, notifications and packing slips so that customers are fully aware they are unable to return their purchase. This way if customers reach out the CS agent can point in the various areas the terms were stated prior to purchase. Although it may not be an easy conversation to have, the customer was informed and does not have reason to try to escalate the issue further.

5. What is customer feedback for return requests?

Review your email or ticket inquiries to find out general feedback regarding return requests. Is “returns or returns request” a high volume issue in your CS reporting around customer inquiries? Is it a consistent customer pain point where you see unhappy reviews or posts that your policy is unfair or difficult to navigate? Does your CS team have trouble resolving tickets because customers are requesting to speak with a manager regarding their return or refund?

These are clear indicators that you may have a policy issue on your hands or the returns policy is not communicated well through the customer experience and that process needs to be reviewed for improvements.

The return policy should be reviewed periodically to determine if updates or changes need to be made as the business changes and grows. By taking the time to review and make changes you can proactively head off any potential customer issues around the returns process and facilitate smoother communication between your CS team and customers.

A good return policy is easy to find and understand

Having a clearly defined return policy that’s stated throughout the customer purchase journey helps the customer understand what to expect in the event they would like to return your product or end your service. Whether you offer a cash refund, have restocking fees or store credit, all terms need to be explained well so that customers can make informed decisions before their purchase.

Preparing your team with accurate information to communicate to customers and offering solutions to help resolve return issues promptly can potentially save the customer relationship so they order again in the future. It also helps field potentially damaging situations that affect brand reputation and revenue.

I am a customer experience and success strategist who helps businesses streamline, transform, or improve their customer experience programs, operations, workflow systems, and customer journeys. If you’d like some help with your cx program, send an inquiry through my Upwork profile and we can discuss the best options for your needs.