AliExpress dropshipping is a great option for business expansion, and aliexpress return should not become a burden in your aliexpress dropshipping success journey. After all, this post considers all important aspects in a detailed manner.
95% of customers want to ensure the product return process is easy and quick. This fact plays a crucial role in deciding product purchases.
Know the ins and outs of the aliexpress return process. It will help you learn about best practices that ensure the product return is a seamless affair for you and the customer. What is a Return and Refund Policy? A good policy mentions every detail about various scenarios. It will ease the refund or return process of the products purchased. Moreover, being an essential part of the online business, it must be written in easily understood language.
Reason for Product Return and How to Handle It?
We never want to be involved in the return process. It can be avoided if we focus on what makes the customer send back the items.
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Wrong Item Purchase
Upon receiving the product, customers might find the product is different from what was mentioned in the description. Thus, it initiates the return process.
You must ensure that product information is updated, correct, and easy to understand language with no tech jargon. Moreover, when a customer is well informed about a product, he will know exactly what he is getting.
Thus, the chance of product return is significantly reduced.
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Delivery is Too Late
Sometimes customers find delay unbearable. Hence, return it back. After all, they can buy the product from another website, or the event they purchased the product gets passed, and their wait for the product is still on-going.
You must specify the shipping time estimate. Even better will be providing the order tracking details to help customers locate the item in real-time.
Therefore, a customer well informed about the order is less likely to cancel the order than one who is ignorant of product whereabouts
Why Do You Need a Return and Refund Policy?
It would help if you had it because having one helps customers clear doubts about product return. Another important reason is that most customers consider a store reliable if it has a user- friendly return policy.
A return policy helps in gaining customer confidence and inspires them to repeat customers.
What Should be Included in Your Refund Policy?
A good refund policy will clear customers doubts about
- What type of refund are you offering? Is it a similar product or credit point
- Are returns free? If not, who will pay for return shipping
- Is there any replacement of products
- Do mistakes orders come under the return policy
- The process to initiate the return process
- Condition of product for a return like unused or in original packaging
- Locations that are covered under return and refund policy
- In how many days will the return process get completed
- Until how many days is the product available for refund
These all will help customers buy without hesitation.
The Pro Tip: Do some research and try to make your return policy relevant and similar in respect to that of your seller
Where Should I Place my Return Policy?
It would help if you placed it such that customers can quickly locate it. Homepage footer is the ideal place. Adding a link to the return policy at the checkout page will boost the user experience as it allows them to read the return policy without leaving the page.
FAQ and product page are other two important pages where customers might feel like peeking into return policy.
A dedicated return policy page with all things mentioned in easy to understand language,
How to Make Your Return Policy Customer Friendly
Keep the days for return policy lesser than that mentioned by the seller. It will cover up for any shipment delay or late arrival of the refund package.
If you don’t have any physical address (mostly dropshipping stores don’t have one), better mention an email id under the contact us section. Customers finding no way to contact means a shred of doubt pops up. And it will only hamper your branding.
The Best Way to Handle AliExpress Return/Refund
You have crafted a very professional, flexible, and courteous return policy. Now, that is appreciable, but there is always room for the slightest error. A professional dropshipper will always be prepared for the same.
Be Responsible
Customers will always be delighted to find out that you are there to help them out and that their money won’t be wasted. Now, that is why acting responsibly will work in your favor.
Blaming the supplier will make customers feel that you are finding a scapegoat. Please don’t do that.
Discuss with the supplier to come up with the best possible solution. Being polite will keep customers calm and listen to you.
The Pro Tip– Act professionally and take responsibility for every return initiated by the customers
Stay Calm with Customers
Keep in mind that customer had a bad experience. He will not have it again, or you may end up losing a customer. Being polite and soft-spoken is important and will be an added advantage with below
- Product upgrade must be free of cost.
- Assure them with a redeemable coupon code on the next purchase from the store.
- Some store credit point along with refund amount for repurchase.
These points will help you handle AliExpress return like a pro dropshipper
What if it Cost More For Product with Return Shipping than Sending Replacement
When the product is low priced, and return shipping will be borne by you (as specified by you in return policy). In such scenarios, instead of asking for a product refund, send a replacement.
The Pro Tip: The earlier you ship the return product, means more chances of making the customer happy.
Some Good to Know Points For Newbie in AliExpress Return
- Customers, upon knowing the product are eligible for free shipping, don’t think a lot before purchasing.
- Customer’s time is important, and you have to value it. Having said, always ensure the return policy page can be reached with one click from the home page.
- Suppose you place a return link in your emails to customers. It will allow them to access the policy without opening the website by typing the URL. Ease the customer journey, and it increases the customer retention rate.
- Hire a team of professional customer care agents who are 24/7 ready to entertain customer queries. More importantly, they must know the ins and outs of the return policy. Therefore, they can easily delight customers in every scenario.
These important points will help newbie dropshippers avoid common mistakes. Thus, have a competitive edge over the rest .
How to Reduce the Rate of Return
Product Description Mismatch
It is a major reason behind the majority of returns. The poorly crafted or incomplete descriptions lead to a difference in products received from those described in the store.
How to resolve it?
Take responsibility for the wrong product and calm the customers with an apology email. As soon as you apologize, it makes the customer feel that you care about their concern.
The supplier delivered a different product or description on your website, not matching with one shared by the supplier. Don’t delay to figure out the correct reason. Fix it to avoid more returns in the future.
Product Size Mismatch
This happens typically when you drop ship clothes or jewelry. As a result, customers might not find the trousers to be snug fit.
How to fix it?
Now, you should send a return to the customer, and by doing this, you are taking this as an opportunity to delight customers. Such an approach will fetch you, lifetime customers.
You must upload a size chart on the product description page. It helps your customers better decide the most suitable size.
Damaged or Defective Product
Product mishandling might result in damage sometimes. Ask customers to share snaps of the products and send them to your supplier asking for a refund.
What’s the solution?
Apologize to customers for the bad experience and calm them with a quick replacement.
Fragile products are more prone to damage during transit. Keeping them in a limited quantity (if they are not among top-selling products) or ensuring good packaging will eliminate the risk of getting damaged.
AliExpress Return Process
The Pro Tip: You always have the chance of convincing customers towards a free upgrade of a similar kind of product. It will help you initiate good relationships with customers.
Summing It Up – Trusted Supplier is True Friend
Considering the above approach, AliExpress return will no longer be a hassle. Moreover, the above approach helps dropshipper handle products like a responsible dropshipper. A dropshipper must consider returning as a second opportunity to impress the customer by making them feel valued with a quick response and the right solution.
Therefore, good communication with suppliers will help you figure out the best possible solution and implement it without delay.