E5 What should my return and refund policy be as a print-on-demand…

What should my return and refund policy be as a print-on-demand dropshipper?

There are 3 points to think about in response to today’s question.

1. Local Laws

Your return and refund policy as a print-on-demand drop shipper will depend on your local laws. In the UK we have Consumer Contracts Regulations which replaced the Distance Selling Laws in 2014. The regulations state that you must clearly explain details of who will pay the cost of returning items, the seller needs to make cancelling an order easy. Customers have 14 days to cancel their order after placing it so it is worth bearing this in mind.

2. Bespoke Products

With bespoke goods, you do still have to pay for the return and refund the item if faulty.

3. Clothing

If it’s a clothing item, you will need to bear other factors in mind.

Boring bits aside….

It’s really important for all eCommerce entrepreneurs to think about their returns and refunds policy as an extension of their marketing! If you were disappointed with an item that you ordered from an eCommerce company, what service would you like? If you would want a company to pay for the cost of returning an item - do that! Don’t do the bare minimum. Sometimes we can do what’s legal without necessarily doing what is right by your business. It’s always better to go the extra mile for customers, even if it ends up costing you something.

At Jersey Beauty Co we once had a customer call up to say his order had not arrived and it was his wife’s birthday. Knowing that we would lose a little money, we resent the parcel with a courier and added freebies to make the birthday extra-special. That customer came back time and time again because he trusted us and remembered that we went the extra mile when things started to go wrong.

Ask Yourself: What can you do in your refund policy to keep your customers returning time and time again?

All in all: a generous returns policy can really improve your business.