Pre-paid returns label

[smallshoes]

Hello
I would like to simplify the returns process for my online customers by including a pre-paid returns label with their purchase. Does anyone know how this can be achieved i.e. how to go about getting these printed and by whom. Also does my business only get charged for the returns when the label is actually used ? It would seem very wasteful otherwise to have to pay for postage that will rarely get used.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
SmallShoes

 

[stewartsetter]

Hi,

I used to work for a publisher in a previous life. We had a contract with Royal Mail that we could print our own return envelopes, on the envelope there was a small barcode. When the envelope was used by our customer, the letters were scanned at the sorting office and billed to us. I think from memory, we paid a small sum up front the Royal Mail and they deducted it from our account as and when, like a pay as you go service.

Stewart

 

[smallshoes]

Thanks Stewart, I'll try and find out some more from the Royal Mail website.
SmallShoes

 

[pickitpackit.co.uk]

hi we produce despatch notes with integrated peel out labels, we can incorporate a return address label into your despatch note also.

kind regards

www.pickitpackit.co.uk

 

[smallshoes]

Very impressed with the pickitpackit website will definitely be in touch once I've found the right solution with Royal Mail for the pre-paid mail. Looks as though I'll have to contact their business customer service people because there seems to be a lot of options. Also I only have a small business with fairly low levels of parcels being returned so I might not meet their criteria for some of the accounts available.

 

[dude75]

I have recently been in the same boat as yourself. I had some products that needed barcode labels and struggled to do them myself. Luckly for me a friend suggested I gave this company a call that he had used himself. I called them and after a short chat with them I decided to give them a go. I found them to be very resonable and very helpful. They do all types of labels not just barcodes. Will post the link at the bottom of the post. I hope this information can help others and save them a bit of time!

aclabels.co.uk

 

[deniser]

Why would you want to pay for your customers' return postage? By all means help them with a prepaid label (which can help you too if you get their order number to print onto it and they fail to enclose the paperwork) but I can only imagine that paying for returns will encourage more returns and not more sales.

When people phone us asking about our returns policy they are only ever interested to know:
1. whether they can return something and
2. how long they can keep it before returning.

They rarely ask who pays the return postage.

The big stores/mail order companies have free returns built into their pricing (together with other incentives to buy such as never ending credit, loyalty schemes, free gifts etc.) and I believe 20% returns is the norm. For smaller companies I am not sure paying returns postage will be cost effective without putting up your prices which could have a negative effect on sales.

 

[totaledbiff]

Hi Deniser

Having just spoken with trading standards myself on the matter of paying for returned items i can confirm that the consumer is responsible should you wish them to be for the cost of returning items they have recieved and declared as unwanted within 7 days of reciept.

So basically you can pay for it or as long as you include within your T and Cs that the customer is liable for this cost you can insist they pay for the return postage.

If the product you have sold the customer becomes faulty within an agreed warranty period you as the trader as responsible for the return shipping costs. Or you can agree to reimburse the customers postage upon reciept of their returned goods.

Hope this helps

Chris

 

[ally_1988]

Hi Deniser

Having just spoken with trading standards myself on the matter of paying for returned items i can confirm that the consumer is responsible should you wish them to be for the cost of returning items they have recieved and declared as unwanted within 7 days of reciept.

So basically you can pay for it or as long as you include within your T and Cs that the customer is liable for this cost you can insist they pay for the return postage.

If the product you have sold the customer becomes faulty within an agreed warranty period you as the trader as responsible for the return shipping costs. Or you can agree to reimburse the customers postage upon reciept of their returned goods.

Hope this helps

Chris

very true indeed, although I saw on TV the other day a documentary about distant selling regulations and it turned out NEXT were in breach of them (they weren't paying for postage on returns made within seven days)

It's amazing how some companies interpret regulations.

 

[solopreneur]

Be very careful about having pre printed returns envelopes. Somebody could stick a label over your address, post something to anywhere, and you will pick up the bill!

 

[ally_1988]

Be very careful about having pre printed returns envelopes. Somebody could stick a label over your address, post something to anywhere, and you will pick up the bill!

I can't imagine many people would actually do that to be honest? Is that from experience? If so is it as a retailer or a pre printed returns envelope fraudster?

 

[solopreneur]

I can't imagine many people would actually do that to be honest? Is that from experience? If so is it as a retailer or a pre printed returns envelope fraudster?

Ha ha. I can assure you that it is not from being a fraudser. We had a seperate postage account that was tied to the prepaid envelopes (addressed to head office). We compared the spend to the number of envelopes actually received and there was quite a difference. It is probably not a huge problem, in the grand scheme of things, but it certainly happened. Royal Mail confirmed that we were liable whenever the account was quoted.

 

[streetslocal]

Old thread but hey!
Just on the subject of returns you could use something like royal mail online postage and email the label to the customer
You then control the cost and method.
Do remember though if goods are faulty it is upto the retailer to pay the return postage