I added a new feature to my website today, the option for a return shipping kit.
You can check it out here: https://beezeeart.com/products/return-shipping-kit
My goal, of course, is to avoid returns entirely. I process very few returns each year, a fact I'm proud of, but when they do happen I want to make the process as smooth as possible. For the average person who doesn’t have shipping supplies readily available or experience with shipping, returning a package can be an ordeal. It can mean multiple trips to the store, or the post office, or both. The post office also charges more for tracking when it's included free online. When you factor in the cost of shipping materials and the increased postage cost, customers can often spend more than they paid in the first place. Not to mention all the time it takes. It’s inconvenient and annoying.
By creating this service I’m hoping to alleviate some of that stress and make returns easier for my customers. They’ll be able to simply purchase this kit and I will send them a pre-paid label as well as additional shipping supplies. All they’ll need to do is pack the item up, stick the label on, and then they simply need to get the package to the post office. In many cases, this can even mean sticking it in the mailbox and lifting the flag or a customer can even schedule a package pick up if the service is available in their area, which means they’ll never need to leave the house at all.
The price of shipping the kit is determined by the location of the customer and the shipping method chosen, but in general it will be around $4-6 for First Class and $6-8 for Priority. This price is automatically calculated based on the weight of the kit. Shopify generates this price with a $1.50 mark up for the cost of the shipping supplies and label to create the total.
(This is how all my shipping is calculated on my website, by the way, it calculates the actual cost of the shipping label based on the weight of the item and adds a small mark up of $1-$2 for shipping supplies, depending on the item. I never overcharge on shipping to make my prices look cheaper and hide the true cost).
Over the next day or two I’ll roll out a similar listing on Etsy for those who prefer to shop there (though that will cost slightly more as Etsy charges higher fees in addition to the listing fees which is why you will often see cheaper overall prices directly through my website).
Even though I process only a few returns each year, but I’m hoping this will make a big difference for those few people. I'm also hoping this will help new customers feel secure in knowing that when they purchase from me they won't need to jump through 100 hoops to return something if they don't like it.
So be sure to head over to the return shipping kit page and check it out to learn more.
You can also visit my policies page to find more information on all my policies including shipping, refunds, and more!
