How to Stop E-commerce Returns Eating into your Profits

You’re celebrating this month’s sales figures and then receive a stack of returns. This means processing refunds, sending replacements and pulling out all the stops to retain your reputation.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but using an e-commerce fulfilment centre has enabled many online businesses to retain profits and reputation. Let’s look at the reasons why shoppers return goods to understand how fulfilment services deliver value.

E-commerce Customers Sent an Incorrect Order

Around 23% of all returns occur because the customer opens their delivery to discover that the contents don’t match their order. Items might be missing, or they have received the wrong colour, size, volume or model; instant frustration!

When juggling pick and pack fulfilment alongside all of the other demands of the business, it’s not surprising that you get distracted mid-order by an urgent phone call. A run of meetings puts the pressure on to get orders ready in time for the last collection and mistakes are made.

It doesn’t have to be like this. Fulfilment Matters has invested in a digital warehouse management system. With secure storage for your stock and a team of equipped pickers and packers, we eliminate fulfilment errors.

The Return of Damaged Goods

Every e-commerce business is legally obliged to give customers the option to replace or refund goods that are damaged or faulty. If your goods rolled off the production line in perfect condition, where did things go wrong?

Suitable Storage for E-commerce Goods

Every item needs to be appropriately stored in a clean and dry environment. When your spare room or garage doubles as your e-commerce warehouse, it can be hard to protect the goods from fading in sunlight, moist conditions or simply being stacked on top of each other.

Fulfilment Matters offers clean and secure warehousing. With dedicated shelving or pallets and an efficient warehouse management system, we keep your goods in pristine condition. We can also inform you of exactly what you have in stock.

E-commerce Packaging

The choice of packaging has a considerable impact on protecting goods in transit. Cheap, one-size-for-all packaging may seem like a good way to keep costs down, but it is often false economy. En route, your goods could be subject to compression, vibration, changes in temperature and humidity or simply being dropped. It’s easy to see how goods can be damaged.

Fulfilment Matters works with trusted packaging suppliers. We have a range of quality packaging materials in stock and will determine the most appropriate packaging for impact resistance during transport and distribution.

Courier Services

Online shoppers expect a quick turn-around. To achieve this you need a reliable courier service and cheap isn’t always cheerful. Your chosen couriers have to care. They also need to be part of a wider transport network for UK wide and global deliveries.

Fulfilment Matters has established relationships with local couriers. We are also part of the B2C Europe Group, which enables us to efficiently ship to customers far and wide.

Efficient Returns Processes

When shopping online, consumers are relying on a thumbnail image and brief product description to make purchasing decisions. There’s no facility to handle the product or try it for size. To compensate, they often order a selection of goods in different sizes, shapes or colours, with the full intention of returning those items which don’t match their requirements.

A clear and easy returns policy is likely to give consumers confidence to buy from you in the first place. Offering great customer service, free returns and no quibble refunds might be exactly what persuades shoppers to select your company over the competition.

Fulfilment Matters offers full returns management services. With technology on our side, we can manage stock and customer expectations. By providing an easy returns solution, our UK fulfilment centre will help keep your company in favour.

Hand E-commerce Fulfilment over to the Experts

From eliminating errors and minimising the risk of damaged goods, to efficient returns handling, Fulfilment Matters has the solution. Send us your orders and our dedicated team will make it happen. We free up your time, reduce the stress of operating an e-commerce business and help to keep your customers happy. Why not get in touch to find out more on 01296 531600?