Accept returns without giving home address

[matt007]

Hi, I am in the process of setting up an ecommerce business that I will be running from my home. Is there any cost effective way to accept customer returns without giving my home address? As the return parcels can vary in weight and size, I rather have a service that allows me to collect the packages rather than having it forwarded to me at an high cost. Could you guys and girls recommend some services that would be suitable for my requirements?

 

[Mr D]

Your business address will be on the website so may find some people sending items there anyway.

You could have returns made to a PO Box or have a courier collect the item and you go collect it.

Collect+ perhaps.

Or if not in when whichever delivery service tries to deliver then you go collect at the depot. Make sure its a depot you want - lived near a county line once and the depot that the courier used was 30 miles away.

 

[matt007]

With the cost of a PO Box now over £300, there must be a cheaper alternative. I want the buyer to be able to use any service they wish and just use the returns address so Collect+ doesn't seem suitable

 

[Mr D]

With the cost of a PO Box now over £300, there must be a cheaper alternative. I want the buyer to be able to use any service they wish and just use the returns address so Collect+ doesn't seem suitable

Arrange with someone to receive your goods. Then you go round to collect as needed,]

 

[Gordon L]

£25 per month and you are complaining about it?

Why 'must' there be a cheaper alternative?

We live in the UK, one of the top 5 economies in the world. It's expensive.

If you want a cheap returns address, either relocate to Africa or China, or use your home address.

Get a grip.

 

[fisicx]

Hi, I am in the process of setting up an ecommerce business that I will be running from my home. Is there any cost effective way to accept customer returns without giving my home address?

Use your home address if you want cheap.

 

[GraemeL]

I rather have a service that allows me to collect the packages rather than having it forwarded to me at an high cost. Could you guys and girls recommend some services that would be suitable for my requirements?

If your business was handling items returned by customers of e commerce businesses, how much would you want to charge the e commerce business each month for providing that facility?

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Many new to business people worry about either
1 Someone will come around to my house and give me grief
2 They will not take me serious if they know i work from home

People now expect many to be home workers and accept it and you are no more likely to get a irate customer calling at your house than you are in a shop or business unit. a very rare chance of it ever happening

Far better time spent in making sure your customer has a full description and image of your goods so you avoid and returns in the first place

As a ecommerce shop make sure your payment provider uses the third man system or similar to gut down losses by fraud

 

[Mr D]

I want the buyer to be able to use any service they wish and just use the returns address so Collect+ doesn't seem suitable

Its very nice to see a business not worried about the costs they have to pay.
Some of us less cash rich businesses have to specify what return service we are willing to pay for - saves customer spending £15 returning something they could return for £3 odd.

 

[Alison Moore]

Post office boxes are cheaper if you go and collect the goods from RM rather than have them deliver but I would have thought that's your only choice if you don't want to give out your own address.

 

[Mr D]

Post office boxes are cheaper if you go and collect the goods from RM rather than have them deliver but I would have thought that's your only choice if you don't want to give out your own address.

He'll have to give a business address regardless.
But that can be a different address than return address.