There is a need to create a shipping and return policy that works regardless of your online store size. This is crucial for providing quality customer service and boosting customer loyalty.
But before you create a policy, you must consider that customers don’t get to see a product before making purchases. Hence, you need to provide something good as security against a bad purchase.
You may be wondering how you should write your policy; should it be restrictive so you don’t make much losses, or should it be flexible so you can retain your customers?
Not to worry; this post is for you. Follow through to understand how you can create a standout shipping and return policy.
In this article, you’ll look at the following:
- Understand What a Shipping Policy Is
- How to Create a Good Shipping policy
- Understand What A Return Policy Is
- How to Create a Good Return policy
- Free Returns
1. Understand What a Shipping Policy Is
For you to create a shipping policy for your online store, you need to understand what shipping policy is. A shipping policy is a set of rules that describes how orders are shipped to the customer. These include domestic and international shipping speed options and shipping costs.
With a good shipping policy, you can quickly answer customers who come with questions about their orders.
2. How To Create a Good Shipping Policy
A good shipping policy will create the right expectations and build customers’ confidence in your e-commerce.
A good shipping policy should contain the following:
Time to Process and Ship Orders
While creating a good shipping policy, include the time it takes to process an order; pick and pack purchased items, and hand them over to your shipping carrier.
Shipping Method
List out all your shipping routes; express, standard, etc. Make sure to define the shipping types and explain how long each shipping route will take.
Shipping Rate
List out your shipping options and clearly state their costs respectively. If you’re offering free shipping on some purchases, include it in your policy and in the places where the product appears on your site.
Include any additional fees incurred, like taxes and duties during the shipping so that customers don’t feel disappointed.
International and Local Shipping Options
Clearly state your delivery locations, whether international, in-store pickup, or local delivery.
Shipping Restrictions
Certain kinds of goods you don’t ship should be included in the shipping policy, and restricted locations should also be included.
Follow this format if you wish to create a shipping policy for your Shopify store:
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Legal
- Go to the Shipping Policy section, and click ‘Create from Template’ to customize Shopify’s shipping policy template.
- Click ‘Save’ to add your policy to your Shopify store.
- The policy will now be included as a footer link on your checkout pages.
3. Understand What A Return Policy Is
Return policy is a set of rules describing how customers return and exchange unwanted goods they purchased and receive a refund or exchange for another item.
When creating your online store’s return policy, take your time to do further research on how to create a successful return policies for online stores.
4. How To Create a Good Return Policy
A good return policy will definitely go a long way in increasing sales and boosting customer retention. According to a UPS report, 66 percent of online shoppers look at stores’ return policies before making purchases.
Here are some tips to help you create a good return policy for your online store:
Expected Time Frame for Return
While creating a return policy, include the time frame a customer is expected to make a return after purchase. Some businesses give 30; some give 60days, while others give 90 days.
If this policy is not implemented to regulate returns, you’ll find customers returning goods after several months of purchase.
Expected Condition of Returns
Some customers are carefree in handling the products they purchase. If their carelessness causes spoilage, they choose to blame it on the sellers. You should spell out the conditions a product must be in before it can be accepted for return.
There are acceptable returns conditions like a customer getting something different from what he/she wanted, or a faulty product, etc.
List Return Requirements
If you have requirements that must be met before a return can be processed, you must inform customers ahead of time.
For example, you may want to stipulate that all returns must be sent unopened and in their original packaging. You should also let customers know if they need an authorization number, shipping address, purchase receipt, etc. Whatever conditions you choose, state them clearly for all to see.
Create Steps for The Customer To Follow
Your return policy should contain a link wherein your customer can file or perform their returns. This link should show the steps they’d follow to perform their returns.
Follow this format if you wish to create a return policy for your Shopify store:
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Policies
- Enter your store policies, or click ‘Create from Template’ to enter the default template
- Review your policies and make any changes
- Click ‘Save’ to add your policies.
- The policy will now be included as a footer link on your checkout pages
5. Free Returns
Some online stores offer free returns to stand out in the online business. With a free return policy, customers who are scared of purchasing a product they haven’t seen physically can feel at ease to make orders.
You can offer free returns on selected items like items that have more significant profit margins, items you want to promote, or items that cost less to deliver.
Conclusion
A return/shipping policy is necessary if you wish to run a successful online store. It should be well-written, clear, and easy to understand. To create a shipping policy for your online store, include the time it takes to process and ship orders, your shipping methods, shipping rates, international and local shopping options, and shipping restrictions.
While creating a return policy on the flip side should include expected time frames for returns, expected conditions for returns, and your return requirements. This way you’re sure to have a good shipping and return policy for your online store.
