How to Create a Customer-Focused Return Policy

Today’s retail customers are shopping online more than ever. There are several reasons for this – ease and convenience, the continuing fluctuation of the pandemic, wider availability, and more. Although online shopping can boost retailer sales, it also leads to an increase in returns and exchanges. In order to improve satisfaction and retention, it’s important to create a return policy that centers the customer. (Spoiler: this will also benefit the store and its bottom line!)

Tips for a Customer-Centered Return Policy

Ultimately, for returns that are painless for customers, employees, and the business as a whole, focus on transparency.

1. Create a Clear Return Policy, and Make it Easy to Find

Use your point of sale system to create a return policy that is simple, clear and easy. Display it prominently in store, on receipts, and on the website, as well as in break rooms and other employee areas of the store.

2. Make Returns Easy for Employees

If returns are time-consuming and complicated, customers will leave unhappy. Make sure employees are well-trained in every aspect of the return process.

Read More: Managing Returns and Exchanges as Retail Reopens

3. Reframe Returns

Returns can be hard to swallow, especially if you’re operating on thin margins. This mindset trickles down to employees and suddenly you have a combative return process. It’s difficult, but try to think of returns as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship with customers. Be friendly and inquisitive, but understanding and helpful.

Retail Tech carries a wide variety of new and refurbished POS hardware and equipment. We offer installation and staging, retail point of sale system repairs, and more. If you need help choosing a hybrid POS solution, contact our POS systems specialists for help finding the perfect point of sale solution for your retail store, restaurant or other small business.

This is an updated blog post that was originally published in 2019.

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