While selling products on Amazon can be a relatively pain-free experience for most sellers, there is one thing that can be difficult to deal with and that is customer returns. While this is something that will inevitably always take place when you run a business, there are ways for you to minimize it.
If your return rate on a certain product is low, there is a good chance Amazon will not allow you to sell it anymore. In order to prevent that from happening, here are some of the tips you can follow and make sure your return rate on Amazon is reduced.
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1. Work with a certain niche
One of the main things you can do in order to make sure that your products won’t easily be returned is to pick and work with only a certain niche. When you search for women’s clothes on Amazon, you will come across many different styles of clothing items, from cozy sweatshirts to casual dresses and all of which will come from different stores and sellers.
In order to pick a certain niche, you will have to do research and make sure that you can create or find items that will fit the needs of your customers. For example, if you decide to sell Goth clothing items and jewelry, you will only have to focus on promoting these products in your shop.
This will help you understand exactly what your customers are looking for and you will be able to create products they will truly enjoy and need.
2. Cater to your customers’ needs
When a customer decides to return a product, they always have a reason for doing so. The best thing you can do in order to prevent that from happening is to identify that reason and see what you can do in order to turn it around.
Each customer might have something different to say about a product but you are bound to come across similar issues in the comments or in the emails you will receive. If the issue is too difficult to correct, you should always make sure you are able to talk with your supplier and find a way to resolve it.
3. Pay attention to the packaging of the products
The way you package a product is very important and can definitely affect the quality of the goods until the moment they reach the customer. Even if a product is of the best quality possible, low-quality packaging materials will most likely expose the product to damage from the handling it endures along the way.
Instead of blaming the judgment of your customers in regards to your products, you should always make sure you are going the extra mile to package the goods in a way that will survive even the furthest of shipments. If a product gets damaged along the way, you should track the issue and find ways to protect your next shipments from the same dangers.
4. Live up to the buyers’ expectations
A simple search online will show you just how many people make reality vs. expectations videos on products they have purchased online. Most retailers from websites that offer very affordable products and clothing items tend to take pictures of certain good quality products and use them to promote their own products which oftentimes don’t look the same.
Apart from you stealing someone else’s work and rights to a picture or a design, such a tactic will definitely result in you increasing the return rate of your products. If you have taken inspiration from a product but wish to make a more affordable version, the best thing you can do is let your customers know.
This way, their expectations won’t be higher than they are supposed to be and they will willingly buy what you have to offer. The more realistic the images of the products you advertise on Amazon are, the more satisfied your customers will be with their purchases.
5. Make sure your sizing charts are correct
Another issue many online retailers come across when selling clothes, shoes and even bags and jewelry is the sizing charts. Each country can have differences in sizes and this can result in your customers getting confused and ordering something that won’t fit them properly.
This will result in them being unsatisfied with your products and unwilling to give your store another try. This problem can easily be solved with you creating an accurate sizing chart for your products and including it on every individual product you promote on Amazon.
If you need to make sure that your customers properly understand the instructions and the charts you have created in every language they might speak, you can use a translation platform such as PickWriters in order to polish and localize them correctly.
6. Establish a replacement agreement with your supplier
Last but not least, another thing you need to take into consideration even before you start creating and promoting your products online is a replacement agreement with your supplier. If a product or even worse a batch or products that have a manufacturing problem reach the hands of your customers, this could result in a very difficult situation for you.
In order to avoid this, you should make sure that your supplier will be able to replace the problematic products and keep your customers happy. Amazon’s return policy is quite easy for the customers so you replacing their faulty products shouldn’t become a big issue with the website.
7. Keeping your customers satisfied
The quicker you manage to tackle any issue regarding the products you sell on Amazon, the more respect you will warn from your customers and they are bound to return for another purchase. Even if their first contact with your products is less than ideal, the way you handle the situation is what will determine their final opinion of you and your brand.
What you need to do is to never take any returns less seriously than they are supposed to be taken. Every return of a product is a chance for you to improve your products and your services to your customers. The more care you put into making sure they stay satisfied, the more your returns will decrease and your sales will rise.