What is a return policy?
Return policies are the rules retail merchants establish to manage the process by which customers return or exchange unwanted or defective merchandise that they have purchased previously. Return policies are an extension of the customer service retailers provide; they tend to be fairly liberal as a consequence.
How to handle online returns?
The most popular way to handle online returns is to provide postage-paid return labels. Both the U.S. Postal Service and United Parcel Service (UPS) provide merchants with a service where customers can generate labels online and print them on their home computers.
Why is electronic commerce causing large returns?
Some experts claim that the nature of electronic commerce invites large numbers of merchandise returns because consumers are not able to see and touch the items they purchase online. Recent technological developments promise to address this problem, however, and enhance the online shopping experience.
Do retailers have tighter returns policies?
Some retailers have even tighter return policies and prohibit returns on sale merchandise or on certain types of items, like bathing suits, or impose a limited window of time when returns are accepted. The goal for retailers is to balance the need to satisfy customers against the cost and hassle associated with merchandise returns.
Can you return merchandise without a receipt?
As returns have become more prevalent and more costly, some merchants have imposed tighter restrictions on merchandise returns. The most generous return policies —which are usually found at large, upscale retailers —permit customers to return any merchandise at any time for a full refund, with or without a receipt.
Is return a fact of life?
After all, returns are a fact of life in electronic commerce. "How well you handle online returns will likely determine your future success—or failure—in the dotcom world," Melissa Campanelli wrote in Entrepreneur.
Can you return merchandise for a full refund?
For this reason many consumers hold the mistaken belief that they can always return merchandise for a full refund regardless of the circumstances. In reality, both regular and online merchants enjoy great leeway in establishing individual policies. As returns have become more prevalent and more costly, some merchants have imposed tighter ...