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Learn from the Best: Taking a Page from Amazon’s Return Policy

The founders of the top businesses today envisioned a future far better than most of us would, and their works speak for themselves. Their innovations have truly made a huge impact on the world. But one thing’s for sure, these leaders aren’t entirely free from mistakes, too. For instance, Jeff Bezos initially registered Amazon as a business under the name Cadabra. Simply put, this initial venture was a blunder. Lawyers told him that name sounded too much like “cadaver” and must, therefore, be avoided.

 Yet, today, we can’t discount the fact that Amazon has been growing exponentially. For years, it has endured criticism as a company that had far too little profit. The pandemic changed all that. By 2025, Amazon is poised to become bigger than Walmart, a brand that has far more physical stores.

Taking a page from the world’s biggest online store should bid us well. Nowhere would such lesson-taking be more appropriate than in looking at the online retailer’s return policy. Most companies may not put a premium on their customer returns. But Amazon does care—and that makes all the difference.

Make Return/Refund Information Available ASAP

Amazon is a master at customer service. The retail giant has made it a top priority to satisfy its customers. It has been true to its promise of providing products from “A to Z.” But most importantly, it has made customer care a top priority. This is most apparent in the area of returns.

For one, the company dedicates an area that’s solely for returns and replacement on its website. This is where you can find everything about returns and all the documentation that it entails.

Information is available right from the get-go. That can surely impact your customers, who, for all you know, could be fuming mad because of an errant or late delivery. Take note that a number of online stores don’t have information ready on their websites. If it is available, it’s not as accessible and is not as user friendly as it should be.

Bear in mind that a comprehensive return policy should mean not just returns but the complete package. You also need to come up with a repair, replace, and refund policy. You should have already outlined in detail the nitty-gritty of every aspect of your product returns. Make all these options available on your web pages.

Make It Quick and Simple

Undoubtedly, the longer an online retailer takes action when a customer starts the return process, the angrier the customer will be. This is one area where Amazon stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Just by clicking the Returns and Replacements link, users can avail of the return process in just a few steps. The seamless process assures customers that they are in good hands.

Amazon, indeed, makes its returns policy part of the process. Their website even shows users the FAQs about returns and educates its consumers on how to benefit from this feature—just like that.

Best of all, the process is straightforward. You need not stress yourself by having to call a sales representative. You can process your returns/refunds on your own, no need for a third party. That holds true for both returns and repairs as well.

A good way for you to know if you have a solid returns policy is to test it. Go through the process yourself. If not, you can also have someone else go through it and report it to you. Have him or her check the process for any glitches. Ask yourself the following questions: How many steps does it take before a return is processed? Is the experience smooth?

Think Customer Satisfaction

Your customers will ultimately judge your returns policy. This is the reason why Amazon has made it a point to check on customer complaints. Mr. Bezos, for instance, has made his email public for everyone to take advantage of. By doing so, he can look into the complaints and allow his team to get down to the root cause of the problem. In short, these are important feedback for him to improve his system.

All that pain to raise customer satisfaction has definitely paid off for Amazon. It sure had a lot of hitches in the past. However, the company has improved those hitches, more so in the area of returns. You can greatly benefit from following their strategies. After all, your online business isn’t about you selling one product to one customer. You are going to be selling product after product to multiple customers. Therefore, customer satisfaction can help you boost your sales and enhance your customers’ loyalty.