Strategies to handle eCommerce return
Nowadays, consumers are connected and informed about different shopping options they can evaluate. Everything now lies in their hands as they can make or mar an online store. When they are unsatisfied with a particular product, they don’t hesitate to return the product. For eCommerce store owners, managing product returns can be a complex process that can create a crack in your business. To ensure you handle eCommerce return appropriately, we have compiled essential practices or strategies to manage eCommerce returns effectively without losing your customers. Create a clear and suitable return policy Oftentimes, most returned products are due to a lack of understanding of the return policy. When preparing your eCommerce return policy, write in a conversational and friendly tone that everyone can understand. Setup fraud prevention With the rise of online shopping has also lead to increasing return fraud. Return fraud could be when a customer buys a product and returns it to get financial benefit. It affects your business as you lose money and inventory. To avoid this, you need to set up a fraud prevention system that deals with such situations. You can identify if your business is a victim of fraud return when you receive higher returns than normal, excessive inventory loss, and shrinking margins because of increased returns. Optimize product image and description You won’t want your customers to take a leap of faith when shopping online. Remember, they can’t physically see or touch these products, and the only way they can get a feel of it is through the images and description. To avoid returns, ensure to optimize your product image and description. Get a high-quality camera or hire a professional to produce quality images. Furthermore, you can employ a writer to write a good description for each product. Use automation to avoid mistakes Another effective strategy to handle eCommerce returns is to automate the process to avoid mistakes. Businesses must account for the cost of items sent to a vendor along with the human capital that goes into it. Return can be more effective if the process is automated instead of outsourcing or doing it through the manual process. Therefore, to minimize returns, you should set up a standard process that handles returns. This will genuinely help in streamlining the return process. You can use a chatbot, tracking data, or scan-based return labels to quickly reenter any returned product. Encourage exchanges over returns Instead of just returning the product, you can offer exchange or store credit to help cut return rates while creating new opportunities to increase your sale. Furthermore, this strategy allows you to minimize the monetary loss of returns while improving customer experience. Ask for reviews and feedbacks To deal with future returns, you can ask customers to provide feedback and reviews on why they are returning the product. Through this, you can minimize future events and enhance a better customer experience. For instance, most customers will return a product because it doesn’t fit what they expected. Therefore, through their reviews and feedbacks, you can provide better sizing on your product pages.
Best Practices For Managing Backordered Items
Managing backordered products can be a tricky challenge for BigCommerce merchants. When a customer places an order for an out-of-stock product, it’s important to have a clear process in place to communicate with the customer and fulfill the order once the item is back in stock. This blog post will provide an essential guide on how to effectively handle backordered items on your BigCommerce store to minimize disruptions and keep your customers satisfied. What are backordered items? Backorder items refer to an item that is currently out-of-stock but is planned to be restocked and delivered soon. When a product is on backorder, it means the manufacturer has already scheduled production, and the item will be next in line to be delivered once it’s back in stock. Backorders and out-of-stock products present distinct challenges for eCommerce merchants. Customers are able to place orders for backordered items on an online store, with the understanding that there will be a longer than normal shipping time until the product is available again. In contrast, when a product is marked “out of stock” on a website, customers cannot order that item at all. While both backordered and out-of-stock products are temporarily unavailable, the key difference is that backorders are guaranteed to be fulfilled in the near future, whereas out-of-stock items may or may not be restocked. Backordered items will have an extended shipping time frame, but they will ultimately be delivered once the inventory is replenished. What causes backorders? Backorders can arise for a variety of reasons, some of which are within a merchant’s control, while others are external factors beyond their direct influence. Unusual or unexpected spikes in demand This could be due to seasonal fluctuations, where certain items experience a surge in popularity during specific times of the year. It could also result from a product being featured in the media, such as an appearance on a popular TV show or a review in a high-profile publication. Inadequate safety stock Safety stock refers to the extra units merchants keep on hand to buffer against supply chain disruptions or fluctuations in regular demand. If a merchant underestimates the required safety stock levels based on historical sales patterns and forecasted demand, they may find themselves facing backorders when regular demand cannot be fulfilled from available inventory. Manufacturer or supplier problem Manufacturer and supplier issues also commonly contribute to backorders. Problems such as material shortages, production delays, or unexpected shutdowns at the manufacturing or distribution level can disrupt the supply of goods and result in backorders for the merchant’s customers. This is particularly problematic when the merchant has little control or visibility into their upstream supply chain operations. Human mistakes cause backordered items Mistakes can and do happen, even for the most diligent merchants running an eCommerce operation. Sometimes, backorders are simply the result of a misunderstanding or forgetfulness on the part of the business. For example, a merchant may forget to replenish a particular SKU until it’s too late, leading to an out-of-stock situation. They may also forget to properly delist a product from their website while it’s out of stock, continuing to allow customers to place orders for an item the merchant can’t fulfill. Inventory and warehouse management discrepancies With so many moving parts involved in a typical warehouse operation, it can be surprisingly easy for merchants to lose track of precise inventory counts. Items can go missing, become damaged, or expire during routine checks, organizational shuffling, or other warehouse activities. And if these issues go unnoticed, the merchant may end up selling inventory they don’t actually have in stock, resulting in backorders for their customers. Long lead times Even when merchants reorder inventory in a timely manner, long lead times from manufacturers or suppliers can still result in backorders for their customers. Lead times can be particularly volatile, especially during periods of supply chain disruption, and delays in replenishment shipments can force a business to burn through their safety stock before the next delivery arrives. This can leave the merchant with no choice but to place customers’ orders on backorder until the inventory is finally replenished. How to handling backordered items on BigCommerce using BackOrder When dealing with backordered items in your BigCommerce store, it’s crucial to set clear expectations and maintain open communication with your customers throughout the process. Set expectations Start by clearly indicating on your product pages which items are currently on backorder, including an estimated shipping time frame if possible. This upfront transparency can help prevent any unpleasant surprises for customers after they’ve placed their orders. Follow up with email communications to further keep customers informed. Let them know you’re working to fulfill the backorder, and provide updates as the item gets closer to shipping. Build excitement You can use the backorder period as an opportunity to build excitement and anticipation. Set up an automated email funnel to periodically touch base with waiting customers – tease the product features, introduce complementary items they may want, and countdown the days until shipment. These proactive communications can transform a potentially negative experience into a positive one, fostering stronger customer relationships. Maintain Open and Honest Communication Keeping customers informed every step of the way is critical when managing backorders. Regularly update them on the progress of their order, and don’t hesitate to report any bad news or further delays honestly. Being transparent will help build trust, as customers will appreciate the candor rather than being left in the dark. Consider implementing stock notification tools that allow customers to track the status of their backordered items as they move through the supply chain. Proactively sharing updates on the product page or through social media channels can also help create visibility and manage expectations. Consider BackOrder from GritGlobal to comprehensively handle backordered items For BigCommerce merchants looking for a practical solution to recover lost sales from backordered items, the BackOrder app from GritGlobal offers a comprehensive approach. Stores using BackOrder have generated over $20,000 in additional revenue on average, while boosting their annual
How To Select The Best eCommerce Platform
In 2020, eCommerce sales accounted for 15.5% of total retail sales worldwide, and it’s about to grow even faster. If you’re selling any product, having a website is important if you want to capitalize on the massive sales available online. Fortunately, there are multiple platforms to house your business. The question is how do you scale through to get the best eCommerce platform? Undoubtedly, the online market is competitive, and you need the best platform to stay on top of the game. You should always consider an advanced feature platform that comes without additional costs. Fortunately, there are some criteria to help you determine the most suitable platform. In this write-up, you will discover important things to look out for when selecting the best small business eCommerce platform for your business. Pricing Price is the primary factor most online business owners consider before choosing a platform to house their business. Cost cuts across various things because the platform isn’t free. When using a platform, you’re paying for hosting, PCI compliance, payment system, analytics, fraud protection, DDoS attacks, and many more. However, the pricing model varies across platforms. Thus you’ll need to do some research to clarify your options. Remember, the more functionality you need, the higher the price is. Speed and performance Performance and speed are other considerations when choosing an eCommerce platform. You need a platform that responds quickly when information is required. During holidays or festive periods when the demands are high, you’ll risk losing customers if the platform doesn’t perform in a timely manner. Scalability You might want to start small, but over time, your eCommerce store will scale. It is crucial to choose an eCommerce platform that enables you to grow your customer base. Additionally, you need more than a static page, an ideal platform allows you to customize features. You need to ascertain the kind of support and integration that comes with the software. For example, most brands utilize APIs to automate and personalize their eCommerce stores based on what they require. Ease of use The ease of usage deals with the way you or your team use the platform without technical knowledge. You don’t always have time to learn to code. When you opt for a small business eCommerce platform, you need a platform that comes with easy navigation and is adequately set up. What to look at include: Does it offer a simple installation process? Are the payment and domain name registration easy to follow? Built-in features The final thing to consider is the inbuilt features that come with the platform. When selecting the right small business eCommerce platform, you should look for one that allows add-ons or comes with inbuilt features. Conclusion Choosing an eCommerce platform shouldn’t be taken lightly because it can affect your growth and sales revenue. Therefore, making a decision, ensure to look for features such as speed, performance, ease of use, built-in feature, scalability, and pricing.
