Returns Management is often regarded as the most complex part of online shopping and logistics. Online shoppers will often check a website’s Returns Policy before deciding to buy from that online store. If it is not a fairly simple process, they will think twice before buying.
In order to keep customers happy and confident you need a good Returns Management System that is market-leading and backs up the policy on your website.
With our Transport Management System (TMS), 2Ship, you can pick and choose from five different Return methods: from pre-authorized to consumer facing, to build your ultimate Returns Management Solution.
Pre-Printed Freight Label
An option exists for you to print the return freight label along with the outbound freight label at the point of shipment creation, and place that inside the package. This is a particularly good option if Returns are a routine part of your business. For example, a medical business may expect a lot of returns of unused medicines that are past their expiry date.
A pre-printed Label is also a good option if you are using a carrier that charges on the scan of the label into their truck on pickup, but not for those carriers who charge upon printing the label.
Email Freight Label
Another option to have in your returns management system is the ability to email the return freight label to the customer upon their request. This can be helpful also if the transport operator wants to check the cost of the return shipment with their suite of carriers, which may differ from the original shipment pricing. Using a cheapest carrier method can ensure that you optimise your freight spend for this returns management process.
Who Pays?
To implement a sophisticated returns management system, you should also be able to choose between using your own account or using your customer’s account. This may depend upon your policy or contract with your customer (for B2B shippers). Our carrier API connections ensures that real time rates are provided for Returns. You can Rate Shop to ensure the best carrier / service and price for your Return Shipment.
Drop Off Locations
Returns can be via pickup or via drop off to a Retailer’s preferred Returns Centre; B2B or B2C. Our system helps you find the closest drop off location for your customer. Drop off locations can also be at stores, post offices, parcel lockers, etc., depending upon the carrier’s pickup & drop off location network. Again, our TMS 2Ship has the functionality to support this process for those carriers that offer this solution.
Embedded Returns Management
You can also embed the Returns Management process from our TMS into your website. Send the webpage link to your customer and let them print the freight label themselves. Customers can print their labels from their home, office; wherever have they access to a printer.
Track Returns Management
The returned items do not have to be returned from whence they originated, that can be altered to suit your purposes. You can also track inbound returns, receive, and reallocate to inventory via automated processes. Making it easy reabsorb your products and have them ready to be shipped out to the next customer.
2Ship allows you to automate returns, lower freight costs, and keep your customers confidently shopping with you, knowing that if, for whatever reason, they need to return an order the process will be dealt with painlessly.
If you would like to learn about how to optimise and automate your Returns Management process please contact us and we will be happy to help you build the right solution for your business needs.