The German mail-order culture created by Amazon, Otto and Zalando ensures that German consumers are as eager to return as they are to order. According to research by the Forschungsgruppe Retourenmanagement of the Universität Bamberg, 300 million packages were returned in 2019. Returns are the specter of every webshop. They are bad for the environment, cost money and require the hiring of personnel. We have collected ten sales-promoting tips that will help you significantly reduce the number of returns from your online store.
1. Set up a useful product page
The golden rule is: the more information the product page shows, the less chance of returns. Answer possible questions ahead of time. Offer a live chat and publish product reviews. Write a product description that is not commercial, but genuinely useful. Use product photos not only of the manufacturer, but also of the customers themselves, so the product can be seen in use.
2. Explain the offer on all channels
If people understand your product, they can choose the one that suits them. Therefore, use different channels to explain your offer. To do this, you can use experience posts on social media and Amazon. In addition, videos and tutorials are a good option, as are contributions in expert forums and blogs.
3. Using content marketing
The way you talk publicly about the product determines how customers perceive the product are perceived. Nowadays, advertising tends to put people off. off. Consumers want to know what they themselves are getting out of the offer. In your own blog, provide useful and varied "real live" content about its uses and answer frequently asked questions. An added benefit is that this contributes to SEO and thus you attract additional traffic to your website with it.
4. Provide realistic delivery times
The ultimate goal of perfect delivery is, of course, that the delivery arrives on time arrival. Realistically state the delivery time and offer your customers the option of a a track-and-trace code. Also offer good service during the waiting period to increase the user experience of the delivery. Keep the delivery time as short as possible, because the longer customers have to wait for an item, the higher the likelihood that they will buy it somewhere else. So with top sellers, make sure you deliver faster than your competitor. If you sell through Amazon, for example, for these products you can choose to ship through FBA (fulfillment by Amazon).
5. Ensuring accessibility
Be available to your customers throughout the ordering process for questions. Many people still appreciate traditional contact options via e-mail or phone in addition to live chat. Therefore, offer all options. Through Dexport, you can rent a German return address with phone number if you don't already have one. The better the communication works, the sooner people can choose the appropriate product in your online store and the less chance you have of negative reviews.
6. Showing and replying to product reviews
Product reviews enrich any product page because this content is provided by users themselves. People rely most on other customers and look for in reviews how the product works in everyday life. The reviews are easily accessible and help to avoid possible misunderstandings regarding the product. In addition as an online seller, you have the opportunity to supplement information on the reviews if needed.
7. Advertise for quality products
You probably already assure your customers that you are providing good quality products anyway. You can really turn it around and highlight the products that meet your customers' expectations. These products strengthen your brand image and cost you fewer returns. An added benefit is that Amazon & co's algorithms reward well-rated products with a lower cost per click.
8. Customize product return options.
The number of returns also depends on the product: Books, for example, are returned less often than clothing. Therefore, adjust the return options of your product accordingly. For products that need to be tried on, such as furniture, it is recommended recommend extending the return period on a goodwill basis. The longer people have the product at home to try out, the more they get used to it and can appreciate it.
9. Determining the optimal price
A smart pricing policy helps prevent returns. Customers who, during the waiting period see the product cheaper elsewhere, are more willing to send the to return the product to you. You can prevent this by, for example, providing a price guarantee. You may have resellers who sell your product on Amazon at too low a price. Develop policies to prevent this. Do inform yourself in advance about the judicial prerequisites of such a guarantee.
10. Connecting online and offline
There are products that people like to try on, such as clothing and furniture. Therefore, for such products, it makes sense that they can be seen on the spot in the store. view them. If you don't have the possibility to run a physical store manage a physical store, then you can also offer the products as part of temporarily limited outlets and pop-up stores, or at trade shows and events.
Getting started!
Try out which of the tips work best for your online store. While doing so, always keep always keep the needs of your target audience in mind, so that when in doubt you can more easily make decisions for or against a measure. The specialists at Dexport are happy to think along with you. For example, we can help you with content marketing, deploying all German sales channels and hiring a German postal address and phone number.
