Jeremy Serwer ⋅ Woodstock, CT The Serwer Company, LLC ⋅ 30 years experience

Hello Jason --

While not involved directly with online retailing, my start in store retailing began after an early mail order career. It's the mail order piece that directly relates to your questions about online returns and customer service.

I've been in retailing about 40 years and can answer your questions certainly based on my mail order career, but also based on years of store operations where those answers very much parallel what should be done in an online business.

Would be happy to speak with you any time (860-928-7660). Also available at Jeremy@theserwercompany.com.

Good luck!

JS

James Watters ⋅ Norman, OK Business Consultant, retired ⋅ 17 years experience

I laugh to myself every time I hear a sales clerk ask a customer for a receipt in order to return a package. Really. A little piece of paper is standing in the way of the company helping a customer. I don't think so. Remember this, try to minimize the number of times you say " no" to a customer because there is a competitor waiting to say "yes". Be the hero, help your customer out. You'll know if the products were sold at your store. Make it easy on your customers. They'll remember your business and come back.

It's like the "All Sales Are Final" signs you see. If that's your thinking, you focus more on moving product than building customer loyalty. Sales are never final. You may have priced something for a quick sale but what happens if there is a product defect? What happens if a customer changes his or her mind? What do you tell them? You don't tell them "NO" do you? With so many ways to buy merchandise, understand customers don't have to buy them from you. The more difficult it is to do business with your company, the quicker customers find a friendlier places to shop. Then the sale really is FINAL.

GOOD LUCK.

John Green ⋅ Cary, NC Information Technology ⋅ 40 years experience

Rather than try to reinvent the wheel, have you considered using Amazon or Jet as your e-Commerce platform , which includes built-in support for a returns process ?