During the holidays, customers tend to buy multiples of a single item (whether in a different size, color or brand) with the intent of only keeping one.
This means this time of year is popular for holiday returns, especially for companies that are 100% e-commerce, and it matters to customers how easy returns might be before making a purchase.
It’s up to e-commerce businesses and reverse logistics services to meet consumers returning merchandise where they are: online.
From email automation to reliable return pickup experts, find out how your business can gain a competitive edge on holiday gift returns this year with LoadUp’s online software and e-commerce returns management process.
How to Simplify Your Returns Management Process:
**Click to auto scroll by section
- The product return process and reverse logistics
- LoadUp’s return management software solution
- Automatic emails and return information
- Online and nationwide services
- Vetted professionals that communicate
- No-contact pickups
- Efficient tracking of returned items
- Make the most out of holiday product returns
The Product Return Process and Reverse Logistics
While returns are a common process in retail and e-commerce, many companies have reached out to LoadUp and shared that the organizing, collecting, repackaging, and restocking inventory process is not only difficult but costly.
Product returns increase during the holidays due to:
- A greater priority on sanitization processes than ever before.
- Customers buying more than they need online — often returning those items.
- A quarter of holiday shoppers purchasing items with the intention of returning them.
- Less customers wanting to go into brick-and-mortar stores to see products in person.
It’s crucial to develop an online returns management strategy or partner with a product return platform like LoadUp that works for your business and your customers in order to avoid costly operational challenges.
The costs of the e-commerce returns process:
- 🕒 Time: Either the customer has to go in-store to complete the return or your company needs to arrange a return pickup.
- 🗣️ Reputation: Not only are they returning the product but are also judging the degree of inconvenience in the return process.
- 💰 Money: How much of the shipping costs is your company shouldering to send different groups of products in different directions?
- 📦 Inventory: Poor inventory management for product returns affects your numbers and the bottom line.
- 🤝 Loyalty: Nail the return experience and 92% of customers return, however failing is a huge setback for repeat customers.
The benefits of 3PL reverse logistics:
Solve the time-consuming process of managing returns by finding a third-party logistics partner to handle the fulfillment process – from last mile delivery to returns.
💡 Reverse Logistics: The process of retrieving returned products from customers, then sorting and delivering the merchandise to the appropriate locations.
When your customers return an item that your logistics partner has shipped, you can rely on their reverse logistics process to pickup up the return, inspect the item and process the refund for your company.
For example, in the case of the mattress e-commerce industry, since used mattresses cannot be re-sold, reverse logistics companies like LoadUp will pickup the unwanted mattress from the consumer and go the extra step of finding recycling or donation solutions if possible.
LoadUp’s Return Management Software Solution
LoadUp offers an exceptional e-commerce return management system that can streamline your company’s strategy and reduce the impact on operations and the bottom line.
Our existing reverse logistics process and e-commerce software integrations are the return management solutions companies already use to simplify managing product returns.
From emailing with the customer to finding optimal pickup routes for the driver, our software handles the details.
No contracts, no minimums
Create a free partner account
Easily create and review pick ups
Easy online appointment booking
Learn more about our software ❯
Automatic emails and return information
Save tedious product return emails and calls through our automated email system that ensures your customer’s order gets a response and a service processed without delay.
Online and nationwide services
By gaining access to our nationwide network of hauling professionals, you can offer next-day removal of products easily through your dedicated Partner Portal, online and anytime.
Vetted professionals that communicate
Our dedicated Driver app allows our Loaders to safely communicate and inform customers about their expected time of arrival to pick up their returned products. Alerts can be sent through the app to the customer’s email, text, or quick phone call.
No-contact pickups
Offer customers a safe, no-contact option to handle returns. The more options you provide create an overall positive experience with your brand, even if they did not keep the product.
Efficient tracking of returned items
Real people means real-time tracking. Know the moment your product leaves the customer’s hands and arrives at your warehouse.
Make the Most Out of Holiday Product Returns
Product returns during and after the holidays are inevitable. You can keep up with the surge in product delivery and returns with a reliable third-party logistics service that offers strong returns management solutions that work for your customers and your business.
🏆 Why choose LoadUp? Because our tried-and-true, flexible e-commerce software gives you the speed to prepare for the influx in holiday returns from online purchases and maintain efficiency once things slow down again. We’re built to scale with your business.
Simplify the #1 best practice in e-commerce returns by making returns convenient for both your customer and your business with LoadUp today.
Ready to streamline returns with LoadUp? LEARN MORE ❯
Related Articles from the Trash Talk blog:
