Amidst the onslaught of January merchandise returns, leading Amazon marketing agency urges retailers to adopt strategies for minimizing financial losses.
(PRUnderground) January 15th, 2020
‘Tis the season for merchandise returns, and Buy Box Experts, a respected consulting firm for Amazon sellers, is sharing ideas to make the process less painful and costly for online retailers.
Buy Box Experts is a respected Amazon consulting service that helps sellers manage their branding strategy and increase profitability on the Amazon channel. They have managed over $2 billion in revenue for over 10,000 Amazon sellers, providing personalized consulting for clients’ unique business needs. They also offer specialized software that reduces overhead, streamlines processes, and optimizes sellers’ product listings to help them maximize their share of the Buy Box.
With the National Retail Federation showing that more than half of shoppers will return or exchange gifts or holiday items within the first month of receiving them, January sees a crush of retail activity. According to Joseph Hansen, Buy Box Experts Founder, this can be very damaging to companies that are not adequately prepared.
“We have seen many companies falter — and even fold — due to poor return policies and preparations,” said Hansen.
Hansen and managing partner James Thomson are drawing on their 20 years of e-commerce experience to help clients and other marketplace sellers manage returns with greater ease and profitability.
“The first thing we are reminding retailers is that preparation is vital,” said Hansen. “It shouldn’t come as a surprise to sellers that January is chaotic — it always is. The trick is to anticipate the returns as a normal part of the retail cycle and prepare for it with an increased number of staff members to handle returns. There should also be adequate training for fielding customers’ complaints and executing returns quickly and according to company policies.”
Hansen also said that sellers need to clearly communicate their return policy.
“Sellers should have a clearly established return policy in their listings and ensure that it is in accordance with Amazon’s rules,” said Hansen. “There will always be hard-to-please customers, but when sellers are transparent about their policies, there will be fewer misunderstandings and more proof to support their stance.”
Hansen said this policy should include a “graded” scale for returns, depending on their condition.
“Decide how to handle returns based on degree of use,” said Hansen. “A lot of companies are willing to give a small amount of compensation for used items, but not a full refund. Sellers should help their employees understand this graded scale and communicate it on their Amazon listing so there’s something definitive to fall back on.”
Hansen started Buy Box Experts to help Amazon businesses of all sizes thrive in the constantly changing marketplace. He founded and sold four companies and, along with Thomson, started Prosper Show, the largest U.S.-based educational conference for Amazon sellers.
Thomson is the former head of Amazon Services and Amazon’s first Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) account manager. He is a frequent speaker at universities and e-commerce conferences around the country.
Together, they provide support to companies that need innovative help selling on Amazon and surviving challenges, such as the January “merchandise return season.”
To learn more about Buy Box Experts’ brand management services and best practice recommendations, visit www.BuyBoxExperts.com.
About Buy Box Experts
Buy Box Experts specialize in Amazon account management, including A+ content detail pages, Amazon product SEO, and brand equity management. Amazon sales consultants and branding strategy managers at Buy Box Experts help businesses sell more on Amazon and protect their brand equity.
Original Press Release.
