How a Good Returns Policy Can Be a Marketing Tool

Regardless of whether you’re marketing products online or in a brick and mortar store it is crucial that you have a good returns policy. To many it may seem counterintuitive to have a returns policy in the first place as it will eat into your bottom line – however that isn’t true, and at the end of the day a good returns policy can be an extremely effective marketing tool.

Inspire Confidence and Increase Conversions

Essentially a good returns policy can help inspire confidence in customers, and boost the likelihood that they actually end up purchasing the product. In particular if a customer is wavering and unsure about some of the claims about the product the knowledge that they will be able to return it if it doesn’t pan out could help convince them to make the purchase.

Considering the role that your returns policy can play in increasing sales it must be clearly visible and easy to understand. That way it can play its role in helping make sure potential customers feel confident enough to make a purchase. It would help to also include details of your policy on your delivery labels – especially if you use single integrated labels containing an invoice that could easily have a brief description of the returns policy too.

Market the Customer Service Aspect

Aside from its direct role in improving sales, a good returns policy can be part of a larger drive to market the customer service that your business provides. If you have a returns policy that is convenient, easy, and doesn’t make customers jump through too many hoops then that is a powerful statement in favor of your customer service.

Of course it is best not to point it out directly. Instead if and when a customer successfully goes through the returns policy try asking them to review your customer service at the end of it. That way you can turn a return into a way of generating social proof that can be used to improve your marketing efforts further.

All said and done it should be clear that as much as a good returns policy may cost a little bit – its benefits are more than worthwhile. Suffice to say you shouldn’t be penny-wise but pound-foolish, and making sure that you accept returns can help you to grow your sales numbers by leaps and bounds.