Running an online store comes with plenty of moving parts, and one area that gets overlooked until it becomes a headache is product returns. Without a proper system, the process can become expensive, confusing, and frustrating for both you and your customers. To make that choice easier, here are seven tips that will guide you in picking ecommerce returns management software that works for you.
1. Match the Software to Your Business Needs
Before you even begin comparing platforms, pause and consider what your business really needs. Is it you who is trying to make refunds faster because your customers are chasing you for them? Or are you looking more for how to do a better job of communicating with customers during? Once you know what you value most, it’s so much easier to sift through possibilities.
2. Check How Easily It Integrates
If returns management software doesn’t play nice with your ecommerce platform or payment gateways, you’ll waste more time troubleshooting than anything else. Seamless integration equals fewer errors, less manual labour, and fewer surprises. Also, when everything is whispering in the background, to one another, you’ll have a return process that feels seamless rather than clunky.
3. Prioritise the Customer Experience
Look for features like self-service portals where customers can start a return on their own, prepaid return labels that save them a trip to the post office, and tracking tools that let them see where their item is. Instead of viewing returns as a hassle, customers will see your business as easy to deal with. That reputation can encourage repeat purchases and positive reviews, which ultimately drive growth.
4. Take Advantage of Automation
Always remember that having a robust returns management solution will automate these activities for you. Perhaps an exchange is being returned, and the system spits out your label, updates your inventory and creates the refund all automatically without anyone having to touch it. Furthermore, with the software doing the heavy lifting, your team can now go on to optimise other parts of the business.
5. Leverage Data and Insights to Get Better
By analysing why products are returned, how this type of return occurs and which categories currently most absorb these returns, you can manage to identify trends that allow you to improve. For instance, if your returns are related to size, you could revise product descriptions or size charts. The right software can provide you with detailed analytics and reports that help you see these patterns more easily.
6. Make Sure It Scales With You
Once you scale in an increasingly international way, new sales channels open up, and international customers get added. Opting for software that can scale with you will mean you don’t outgrow it rapidly. Find a platform that has the capacity for higher volume and scales with you. Scalable software would mean not having to start from scratch each time your business reaches a growth point.
7. Look Into Support and Training
You’ll want a provider that offers step-by-step onboarding, helpful guides, and responsive customer service, especially during busy periods. Having a team you can reach out to when issues pop up will give you peace of mind. Additionally, it ensures your staff can quickly learn the system and use it effectively from the start. Proper support reduces downtime and helps you get the most out of the software.
Making the Right Choice with Ecommerce Returns Management
When it comes to ecommerce returns management software, you’re making a decision that will enable your business to run more smoothly. When you invest in integration, automation, scalability and support, though, you’re investing with continuing returns as your store scales. By making a smart decision now, you’ll save both time and expense, and you’ll be able to foster trust and loyalty.
