Customer returns in online stores are becoming more frequent and let’s face it – from an e-shop owner’s perspective, they are hardly a reason to celebrate. Returns increase workload, costs, and unfortunately, problems. You can only partially influence the volume of returns, but you can make the process easier for both your customers and yourself – and even turn it to your advantage. How? The solution is a return shipment service for sending parcels back to your store.
Today, let’s take a look at the benefits of return shipments managed by the e-shop and how to implement them in WooCommerce.
What Is a Return Shipment?
Return shipments are those that serve to return goods purchased by a customer in an online store – whether within the statutory 14-day withdrawal period or as part of a complaint claim. You should always clearly state on your website how customers should proceed when returning goods, for example as part of your Terms & Conditions or Complaints Policy.
TIP: Learn more about complaints and returns in our article Returns and Complaints from the Perspective of an Online Store Operator: What You Need to Know
You can leave the return shipment entirely up to the customer and rely on them to arrange shipping and ensure the parcel arrives at the correct address. Or you can make things easier for customers and arrange the return shipment yourself as the store owner. The customer then simply attaches the label and drops off the parcel at the designated location.
Why Offer Return Shipments in Your Online Store?
Offering return shipments brings benefits to both parties – the customer and the business.
Fewer Complications for Both Customer and Store
First and foremost, return shipments are simpler. By providing a return shipment, you ensure that the correct shipping method is used and that the parcel arrives at the right destination. The customer does not have to arrange shipping, and the e-shop avoids delivery complications. A win-win situation.
In addition, you receive confirmation of parcel acceptance from the carrier, which is important when resolving potential disputes (late returns, lost or damaged parcels, etc.).
A Positive Customer Experience Brings Customers Back
Customers are rarely happy about returning products that did not meet their expectations. However, if the process is simple and convenient, there is a good chance your online store will get another opportunity and you won’t lose the customer.
Return Shipment as a Reason to Buy from You
Offering return shipments may be the reason why buyers choose your store over competitors who do not provide this option. To make return shipping a strong purchase argument, inform customers about it already during product selection – not only at checkout.
Easy Returns Increase Trustworthiness
When customers clearly see that you offer help with returns even before they make a purchase, it increases your store’s credibility. This encourages even undecided or hesitant customers to complete their purchase. Yes, some may use the return service – but certainly not all.
How Return Shipments Work
The first requirement for offering return shipments is a carrier that provides this service. Return shipments can be created either together with the original shipment or later.
Creating return shipments at the same time as the primary shipment has the advantage that you can print the return label immediately and include it in the parcel. If the customer decides to return the goods, they simply attach the new label and follow the instructions to drop off the parcel or wait for courier pickup.
When creating return shipments later, the customer must first contact the e-shop, which then creates the return shipment and sends the customer a label or drop-off code. Although slightly more complicated, this option is still better than leaving the entire process to the customer.
TIP: Return shipments can also be created directly in WooCommerce. Our plugins Toret PPL and Toret Zásilkovna support this feature. Both allow you to create return shipments together with the primary shipment, print labels, and track return shipment status in transit.
Who Pays for the Return Shipment?
Just like regular shipments, return shipments are not free. The exact cost depends on the carrier’s pricing. However, your store does not necessarily have to bear the cost. When returning goods within the 14-day withdrawal period, the return shipping cost is paid by the customer. In such cases, you can offer return shipping as a paid option at checkout, or include it automatically and reflect the cost in the overall shipping price.
Be careful in the case of complaint claims – here the return shipping costs must be covered by the e-shop, and you will need to reimburse the customer if they paid for the return shipment.
Return Shipments in WooCommerce
With the right plugins, you can offer and manage return shipments in WooCommerce just as easily as regular ones. From our portfolio, this feature is available in the Toret PPL and Toret Zásilkovna plugins.
Return Shipments with Toret PPL
Toret PPL allows you to add a return shipment service with drop-off at a pickup point or courier pickup directly at checkout. PPL return shipments can be charged with a scalable surcharge, offered free of charge, or automatically assigned to every shipment using PPL Private and PPL Parcelshop.
By creating the return shipment and printing labels together with the primary shipment, you can include the return label directly in the parcel. In the store administration, you can also monitor the return shipment status in transit.
Learn more about the Toret PPL plugin
Return Shipments with Toret Zásilkovna
The popular Zásilkovna carrier also offers return shipments. The Toret Zásilkovna plugin enables you to use the Complaint Assistant feature directly in your store administration.
You can create return shipments and print labels together with the primary parcel and include the label inside the package. In case of a return, the customer simply attaches the label and drops the parcel off at any Zásilkovna branch.
You can track the status of the returned shipment directly in the administration and even set automatic order status changes based on it.
Learn more about the Toret Zásilkovna plugin
You Can’t Avoid Returns. Make Them Better!
Wrong choices, dissatisfied customers, and complaints have always existed and always will. Return shipments give returns a new dimension – they no longer have to be a complicated and unpleasant process, but instead an opportunity to streamline operations and improve your marketing and customer relationships.
Getting started with return shipments in WooCommerce is not difficult – you just need a shipping plugin that supports this feature. From our portfolio, these are the Toret PPL and Toret Zásilkovna plugins, which make implementing return shipments in your store quick and easy.
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