Items that are delivered to customers and returned because they’re just not quite right cannot be put straight back into inventory.
By NP Fulfilment Business Development Manager Juan Klimczak.
In the Covid-19 environment it is unsafe and unhygienic to continue selling a number of products that have been in the contact of members of the public after they have been returned.
That lipstick colour that just isn’t quite right, those jeans that don’t suit you the way you hoped, or those health supplements that you didn’t see immediate results from, have to go somewhere when they’re returned, and it might just not be where you think.
Unbeknownst to many customers when they make a return from an e-commerce order, the items they purchased are actually donated straight to charity. Annually, hundreds of thousands of products are given new homes at local charities, women’s shelters and second hand organisations.
Worst case scenario for our retailers, and for the planet, would be for these good-as-new products to be ending up in landfill, which is why we ensure they’re given to worthwhile charities. While it is incredibly disappointing, and sometimes devastating, for retailers to see their products that they’re so proud of unable to be sold to another keen customer, it is certainly a feel-good exercise to see them receive a second chance at life with a person or family that are going through a difficult time.
As a result of the stricter safety and hygiene protocols during Covid, the number of products being put into charities across the country has increased dramatically from returns.
NP Fulfilment not only manage pick and packing we also manage returns for a number of Australian and Asian online retailers.
Our services help keep their customers loyal by providing fast and accurate returns management. By handling and processing all returns through one single touchpoint, we free their business from the hassles and expenses of in-house reverse logistics. Our strategically located distribution centres across Australia and Asia, and logistics platform that manages every step of the process, give customers a simple return path.
If you currently work with multiple third-party logistics providers, or do returns management internally, it could be costing your business. Many third-party logistic companies will charge exorbitant fees for processing and handling returns, while managing them in-house means shouldering the entire burden of reverse logistics. In both situations you incur significant added costs, while your customer suffers from lengthy delays.
As returned items build up at our warehouses, we act on behalf of our retailers and make donations to charities with their customer returns that are not suitable for resale. We call local charities to see if the products are a good fit, or would be of value to them, and arrange for them to receive the items directly.
It is a little known fact in Australia that when you make an online return, you are often stipulating that product no longer worthy of resale. Damaged packaging, obviously worn or used, and potentially contaminated products really do impact retailers’ bottom line, as they are unable to make a profit from donated goods.
However, as the proliferation of e-commerce continues to provide consumers with ever-increasing purchasing options, customer satisfaction has never been more essential. While pricing, availability, presentation, marketing, and sales may get you the initial purchase, a superior customer experience is what gets you repeat business. NP Fulfilment helps keep customers loyal by providing fast and accurate returns management. And by handling and processing all returns through one single touchpoint, they free your business from the hassles and expenses of in-house reverse logistics.
We urge Aussie businesses to save their company money and time by making reverse-logistics a thing of the past. NP Fulfilment’s smart technologies and advanced warehouse management system minimise occurrences of returns, and when they do happen, we handle everything so you don’t have to.
Established in 2002, NP Fulfilment is one of Australia’s largest providers of order fulfilment services. With clients’ specialisations ranging from ecommerce and online retail, to multilevel marketing, to direct marketing or omni-channel retailing, NP Fulfilment professionally manages offerings giving clients fast, accurate and cost-efficient warehousing, inventory management, and pick and pack services.
NP Fulfilment will pick and pack orders, and have them shipped in 24 hours or less, guaranteed. By utilising the latest technology and flexible logistics solutions, we are able to customise our offerings to a variety of retail channels.
About Juan Klimczak
Juan Klimczak is the Business Development Manager at NP Fulfilment. His career has spanned two decades with wide experience in the direct marketing, fulfilment and distribution industry in Australia. His speciality is ensuring that every client NP Fulfilment works with receives competitive pricing with the best service available in the country.
About NP Fulfilment
Established in 2002, NP Fulfilment is one of Australia’s largest and leading providers of order fulfilment services. Utilising the latest technology and flexible logistics solutions, NP Fulfilment professionally manages customised offerings giving clients fast, accurate and cost-efficient warehousing, shipping, inventory management, and pick and pack services, within 24 hours or less, guaranteed.
For more information, visit npfulfilment.com.
