How to Ship a Package from Home

August 28th, 2023 Comments off

Commuting from work to home and vice versa does give you time to catch up on your podcasts (you know we love podcasts), but at what cost? We spend so much time commuting to different spaces, and it adds up. Stamps.com gives merchants the ability to create and print labels with a few clicks and schedule carrier pickups. Additionally, creating a workspace to ship packages from home provides more flexibility for your workday. Build up your podcast backlog and start shipping from home. 

The benefits of shipping from home 

Over the past couple of years, many businesses and entrepreneurs have shifted to work-from-home and/or hybrid operations. Shipping from home gives you more flexibility throughout the workday, as you aren’t stuck in a communal office space and can create a more personalized workflow. You also don’t need to worry about renting an office space, which can be costly. 

Additionally, Stamps.com merchants can save up to 84% on USPS shipping rates. And when you ship UPS on Stamps.com, you get access to deep discounts of up to 82% on UPS international services, 78% on UPS® Ground services, and 73% on UPS Next Day Air® and UPS 2nd Day Air® services*. Shipping from home with Stamps.com provides you with more freedom throughout the day and saves your business time and money with affordable carrier services and no daily commutes. 

*Discounts off UPS daily rates. Rates are limited to shipping from the U.S. only. Rates and any
applicable discounts are subject to change at any time without notice.

Tips for organizing a workstation 

If you’re new to shipping from home, the most difficult part is knowing where to start. There are supplies to be purchased and organizing to be done. Let’s start with the basics. Here are a few supplies we recommend keeping on hand: 

  • Tape 
  • Scissors 
  • Free supplies from carriers 
  • Thermal Printer 
  • Bubble wrap 
  • Kraft paper 

Be sure to take note of your supply list and use it as an inventory guide. Which supplies do you run out of faster than others? Which supplies never seem to be used? Avoid overstocking and understocking by using the handy list above. 

Utilize cost-efficient organizational supplies 

Creating an organized workspace doesn’t need to break the bank. Discount stores often have crates, organizers, and even some shipping supplies available. Also, check your utility closet, garage, and other storage areas for unused storage tubs, as they’re a great resource for staying organized. If you’re strapped for space, utilize your wall space! Purchasing racks and hanging shelves gives you more space while keeping supplies visible, decreasing the chance you’ll buy supplies you already have. 

Speaking of visibility, designate specific workstations for each step in the shipping process. Creating an organized space for label creation, printing, and packaging will help prevent applying the wrong label to the wrong order and boost customer satisfaction. It’ll also save time in the long run, as you’ll already have a system in place for the holiday season and other busy times. 

Creating shipping labels through Stamps.com 

You’ve created the workplace of your dreams, so it’s time to start shipping from home. You’ve logged into Stamps.com, and you’re ready to print your first label. The question is, how do you create a label through Stamps.com? The answer will depend on whether or not you plan to integrate your store or marketplace through Stamps.com. If you have integrated your store or marketplace through Stamps.com, follow the steps below. If you plan to create manual orders, skip down to the next section. 

Printing an ecommerce shipping label**

Select the checkboxes for the order or orders you would like to create labels for. If you’d like to create labels for all orders, click the Select All box. 

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Locate and select the Print button. 

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Choose how your labels will be printed from the Printed On menu. 

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We also recommend selecting the Email Tracking Details to Recipients box to send customers a tracking link if an email address was provided. 

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If this is your first time printing labels, you can select Print Sample to confirm your labels are printing correctly. 

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Once you’ve printed a sample, click the Print button. 

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Congrats! You’ve officially printed a label. 

**Note: These are directions for Stamps.com Online merchants. You can find the directions for Stamps.com PC Software merchants in our Learning Center. 

Creating a label for a manual order***

Click on the Orders Tab.  

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Next, select Add from the Action Control Bar. 

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Find and click the Manual Order button. 

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Your manual order will appear on the order screen, and the order details panel will be visible. Enter the shipping address, package weight, and select your carrier service. 

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Once all of your package’s information has been entered, click the Order Details icon. Then, select the Collapse Panel button. 

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Your order will then appear on your order dashboard and is ready to be made into a label! To print your label, you’ll follow the last few instructions from the previous section. 

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***Note: These directions are for Stamps.com Online. For directions on creating a manual label through the Stamps.com PC Software, visit our Learning Center.

Available carrier options 

Stamps.com provides merchants with carrier services from USPS and UPS for domestic and international shipments and GlobalPost for international shipments. With this variety of carrier services at your fingertips, shipping from home has never been easier. Available services for each carrier include: 

USPS: 

  • First-Class Mail® (Domestic and International)
  • Priority Mail® (Domestic and International)
  • Priority Mail Express® (Domestic and International)
  • Media Mail
  • Certified Mail™
  • USPS Ground Advantage™ 

UPS 

  • UPS Next Day Air®
  • UPS Next Day Air Saver®
  • UPS Next Day Air® Early 
  • UPS 2nd Day Air®
  • UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.®
  • UPS 3 Day Select®
  • UPS® Ground 
  • UPS Worldwide Saver®
  • UPS Worldwide Expedited®
  • UPS Worldwide Express®
  • UPS® Standard to Canada 
  • UPS® Standard to Mexico

GlobalPost 

  • GlobalPost International Economy 
  • GlobalPost International Standard 
  • GlobalPost Plus
  • Canada DDP 

If you aren’t sure which carrier service works best for your order, use our rate advisor to compare carrier rates in real-time. Stamps.com allows merchants to see the cheapest and fastest carrier options available as well as our recommendations to select the best options for your business. 

Available carrier pickup options  

Once you’ve established a ship-from-home workflow that works, you’ll want to stay in the zone. The good news is that Stamps.com also offers USPS and UPS pickup options, so you can keep working with minimal interruptions. 

USPS pickups 

USPS pickups can be scheduled through Stamps.com for free if at least one of your packages uses Priority Mail Express®, First-Class Mail International®, or Priority Mail® as the service. Merchants also have until 2AM CT to schedule a USPS pickup for the same day. After this time, a pickup will have to be scheduled for the next day. If you aren’t home or can’t be present for a USPS pickup, don’t worry! Just let your carrier know where to find the packages when scheduling your pickup. 

UPS pickups 

On-call UPS pickups can also be scheduled through Stamps.com for an additional $4 per pickup. You can also drop off both USPS and UPS packages at The UPS Store® if you find yourself out and about or need a break from shipping. You can find the nearest location through The UPS Store® locator. 

Tips for shipping from home 

  • Create an organized workspace to prevent any shipping errors 
  • Schedule USPS and UPS pickup services when and where available 
  • Utilize Stamps.com to create labels at home and access affordable shipping rates 
  • Pay attention to which shipping supplies are used more than others to avoid overbuying supplies 

Start shipping from home with a free 30-day trial to Stamps.com today!

How to Avoid Post-Billing Adjustments

May 18th, 2023 Comments off

Additional shipping costs can be stressful, especially when charged after your package has shipped. Carrier adjustments can add up, but fortunately, you can work to avoid them. Learn where to find adjustments, how carriers calculate these fees, and what you can do to prevent fees

What are carrier adjustments?

Adjustments are extra fees or credits added to your shipping cost after a carrier processes a package. The additional charges are calculated by subtracting the amount of postage paid for a shipment from the shipping costs that should have been paid. For example, you may have paid $10 in shipping costs. However, your shipment reaches USPS, and they find the shipping costs should’ve been $13. Your adjustment charge would then be $3. 

Where to find adjustments

USPS and UPS adjustments can be found in your Stamps.com history. Keep in mind that there’s a delay between when an adjustment is given by a carrier and when the adjustment is shown in your account. To view adjustments, follow the steps below. 

  1. Click on the History tab to view recent shipments. If a shipment was given an adjustment, it will be listed in the Adj. Amount column.  Once you click on the shipment, you’ll see more information on why the adjustment was issued. 
  1. To find these additional details, select the shipment to open the Order Details panel. In the example below, the adjustment was issued because incorrect dimensions were entered when the label was created. 

USPS adjustments 

Some of the most common reasons for adjustments include entering incorrect dimensions and weight as well as using/entering the incorrect packaging. As a reminder, the maximum weight for Priority Mail Flat Rate® Boxes (all sizes) is 70 pounds. Additionally, weight is rounded up. For example, if your shipment weighs 70.2 pounds, it will be rounded up to the nearest pound, making it too heavy for the service. Dimensions for Priority Mail Flat Rate® Boxes will need to be entered when creating your label as well. 

Non-machinable surcharges 

Another type of surcharge given by USPS is a non-machine surcharge. This surcharge is applied to pieces of mail and packages that aren’t able to be automatically sorted through USPS machines. Reasons a non-machinable surcharge might be issued include illegible addresses or non-traditional sizes that require these items to be manually sorted or assessed. 

UPS adjustments 

UPS® shipments can be up to 150 pounds and have a maximum length of 108.” However, if your package is over 50 pounds, it’s subject to UPS Additional Handling fees. UPS Additional Handling charges are extra fees applied to your shipping cost for shipments that need different handling. Some of these include: 

  • Packages with the longest side over 48” or the second-longest side over 30”
  • Domestic shipments over 50 pounds and international shipments over 70 pounds 
  • Packages with a combined length and girth [ (2 x width) + (2 x height) ] of 105” 

Common UPS surcharges 

Three avoidable UPS adjustments are Over Maximum Size surcharges, Large Package surcharges, and Shipping Charge Corrections.

Over Maximum Size surcharges are extra fees applied to your shipments that exceed UPS’s sizes of 150 pounds, 108” long, and have a combined length and girth of 165”. 

Large Package surcharges are extra fees applied to your shipments when: 

  • A domestic package’s length + girth are over 130”, or its length is over 96” 
  • An international package’s length + girth are over 130”
  • Packages with a minimum billable weight of 90 pounds (except for UPS Ground®)

Shipping Charge Corrections are extra fees applied to each shipment with incorrect dimensions and/or weight. These charges are $1 per shipment, along with the additional shipping cost needed for the corrected dimensions and/or weight, and these shipments are also still subject to other surcharges like Additional Handling charges. 

How to dispute adjustments 

The steps for disputing an adjustment will vary by the carrier. It’s also important to note that approval is at the carrier’s discretion. We’ve included the process for disputing adjustments with USPS, UPS, and DHL below. 

Disputing USPS adjustments 

USPS adjustments will be disputed with USPS directly through email by contacting VerifyPostageHelp@usps.gov. Before sending your email, confirm all of the following information is included: 

  • The tracking number associated with your package 
  • The adjustment ID from the Order Details panel 
  • The reason the adjustment is being disputed* 

Note: We recommend adding as many details as possible. 

USPS will follow up via email if they need additional information. Once USPS has reached a decision, they’ll reach out to Stamps.com, and we’ll forward their email response to you. 

Disputing UPS adjustments 

To dispute UPS adjustments, contact our Customer Care team via email or phone at 1-855-860-7867 from Monday – Friday, 6am to 6pm PT. Adjustment disputes need to be made within 180 days of billing. 

Disputing DHL adjustments 

Similar to UPS, you’ll contact our Customer Care team via email or phone for adjustment disputes. Our team can be reached via email or phone at 1-855-860-7867 from Monday – Friday, 6am to 6pm PT. 

Tips to avoid adjustments 

As previously mentioned, incorrect weight, dimensions, and packaging are some of the most common reasons for adjustments. You can decrease the likelihood of adjustments through: 

  • Measuring shipments multiple times for accuracy 
  • Rounding dimensions up to the nearest weight or pound 
  • Confirming your scale calibration is correct before weighing
  • Checking carrier websites for service restrictions and dimensional limits 

Conclusion 

Don’t let shipping adjustments catch you off-guard. Checking all of your measurements multiple times before creating a label will minimize the risk of additional fees. Familiarizing yourself with carrier dimensions will prevent sending shipments through the wrong service. Adjustments can be costly, so understanding how to avoid them is crucial. Keep your shipping budget intact by bookmarking this blog.

Start your 30-day free trial with Stamps.com today.

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Three Ways to Align with Ecommerce Customer Expectations

September 8th, 2023 Comments off

Customers have plenty of shopping options at their fingertips, so you need to make your business stand out from the competition. There are many ways to get your business in front of a larger audience, but a few simple tweaks will make your brand shine. In our study, Protect Your Growth Strategy: 2023 Consumer & Merchant Benchmark Report, we surveyed customers and merchants alike to help your business align with customer expectations. Opening your store to social media sites, providing free returns, and communicating shipping information can be game changers. While they may sound small, these three changes show customers that you value their input and preferences. 

Sell on social media channels  

Social media platforms are becoming increasingly popular with shoppers; Facebook is leading the pack with Instagram not far behind. In our study, we found over 50% of customers stated they purchased products through Facebook and almost 40% purchased through Instagram. While TikTok proved to be the third most popular social media sales channel, Gen Z (those born between 1997-2013) seems to be the main age demographic purchasing from the platform; other age groups are more likely to purchase from Facebook. 

Consumers are buying on social media platforms. Your business has the chance to showcase products to an entirely new audience. Additionally, the benefits of social media platforms are two-fold. Not only can you sell products through Facebook and Instagram, but you can also promote your store by posting reels, stories, and photos

Winning strategies for engaging on social media

Social media posts are more impactful than you may think. Remember the last time you scrolled through your Facebook or Instagram account. How many ads and/or posts featured product links? More importantly, how many of those links immediately led you to the product listing or started a cart for you? 

Customers browse social media in the same way. Highlight products in a way that would catch your attention. Create posts with links to your store or the social media platform’s selling channel to make shopping convenient. Encourage shoppers to enable notifications for product releases. When it comes to selling on social media, help your business stand out by keeping your posts eye-catching and the shopping experience as easy as possible.  

The benefits of multichannel selling 

Don’t let the connotation of multichannel selling scare you away from meeting your customers where they’re shopping. Whether it be on social media platforms or marketplaces like Amazon, follow consumer trends. Marketing products on social media is only one piece of the puzzle; it showcases your products to those already following. However, expanding your selling channels to the likes of Amazon and eBay opens your business up to more opportunities. For example, Amazon shoppers are given recommendations based on their buying habits, so your products can be shown to a much larger audience. 

Additionally, both Amazon and eBay can be integrated into your Stamps.com account. Once integrated, orders with payment received will automatically sync into your account where labels can be created. After your label is printed, Stamps.com will post the tracking information back to each marketplace for shipment notification emails, and the orders will be marked in each marketplace as shipped. You can keep track of all of your orders in one place instead of multiple windows, making multichannel selling all the easier. 

This is how the Amazon store will appear in your Stamps.com account. 

Offer easy and free returns 

Return policies are becoming an increasingly important deciding factor for customers. In fact, our study showed that 44% of customers stated they’re less likely to shop from a store with a difficult returns process. If you haven’t revisited your return policy recently, walk through the process from a customer’s perspective. Update any information you find confusing or unclear. Chances are, if something doesn’t make sense to you, it won’t make sense to your customers. 

Customers also prefer carrier drop-off options for returns. One way to include this option is to offer prepaid returns through a QR Code or printable label. This way, your customers can simply package their return and drop it off at their local carrier. 

This is an example of a return QR Code from Stamps.com

Along with a clear returns policy, customers also expect free returns. With 81% of customers in our study stating businesses should offer free returns, it’s worth considering. Stamps.com merchants have access to affordable rates that can help offset the cost of free returns. 

Also, USPS offers free shipping supplies you can order directly from your Stamps.com account. These supplies can then be sent to your customers for returns or used for your shipments. Either way, Stamps.com provides you with options to help offer free returns to customers. With our study showing 66% of merchants not offering free returns, you can rise above the competition by meeting customer expectations. 

“The consumer started expecting free outbound shipping, albeit at a threshold, about a decade ago. Now, free returns are an expectation, and the consumer need for free returns is growing. In some ways, this makes sense – consumers have to do quite a bit more work when returning a shipment, whether it is initiating the return itself with the retailer, printing the shipping label, finding packaging, scheduling the pickup or dropping off the package.” – Krish Iyer, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & Industry Relations at Auctane

Tips for crafting a better return policy

  • Be clear and concise with all of the information included in your return policy
  • Consider how long packages take to arrive when determining the return window 
  • Test available support options for functionality to see how easily your customers can ask questions
  • Update your return window and policy during the holiday season to accommodate customers

Increase the number of shipping notifications 

When asked in our study, 42% of customers would like to receive daily communication about their shipment moving through transit — regardless of whether or not there are any new updates. If you’re unable to send daily tracking notifications, consider using tracking pages for real-time tracking updates or utilizing shipment notifications for major updates. 37% of customers in our study also reported they’d like to receive updates for major events, including: 

  • When their package is shipped 
  • When their package is in transit 
  • When their package is out for delivery 
  • When their package has been delivered 

However, you aren’t limited to traditional shipping notifications. With Stamps.com you have access to customizable branded tracking and branded ship notification emails! Sending customized emails to customers is another way to promote your brand during the shipping process. 

Branded ship notification emails are personalized emails sent to update customers as their order moves through transit. You can choose a color scheme and include your business’s social media platforms, among other options, to create an email that represents your business. A customer’s impression of your business isn’t over when they complete their purchase, so branded ship notifications emails are a great way to continue a positive shopping experience. 

This is an example of a branded ship notification email. 

Branded ship notification emails also include the shipment’s tracking number. Instead of sending customers to a carrier tracking page, you can customize a tracking page with the help of branded tracking. Like branded ship notification emails, the branded tracking page is customizable and provides customers with their tracking information. You can even include new products, so customers can start planning their next purchase. On average, this sees at least three visits per shipment, so it can be a great source of traffic for your store and increase your engagement. 

This is the desktop preview of a branded tracking page. 

This is the desktop preview of a branded tracking page. 

Don’t be afraid to let customers influence your communications and policies. For example, customers are more likely to complete their purchase if you offer free returns. Providing updates during the shopping and shipping experiences for your customers will improve the chances of standing out against other stores and marketplaces. An increase in social media marketplaces gives you the opportunity to show products to a larger audience. Sending shipping updates as a package moves through transit establishes trust with your customer base. Our research is giving you the information needed to boost your sales by aligning with customer expectations. All that’s left is to utilize your Stamps.com account to help implement these strategies. 

Start your 30-day free trial to Stamps.com today. 

Acknowledgments

Retail Economics, which includes economic modeling and data-driven insights developed from a nationally representative consumer panel survey comprising over 8,000 households across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

Auctane-driven research, including insight from 1,000 consumers in the U.S. 

Auctane-driven research, including insight from over 300 merchants in the U.S

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Make International Shipping Easier With Canada DDP

March 30th, 2023 Comments off

International shipping can feel like a barrier for many businesses, especially when it comes to determining how to pay duties and taxes. If duties and taxes aren’t paid in advance, your customers will be responsible for the cost when their shipment arrives. Additionally, packages with unpaid taxes and duties can be delayed in customs or returned for lack of payment or being left with the carrier for too long. However, we have a solution for you! Stamps.com provides your business with a way to pay Canadian taxes and duties with Canada DDP. 

What is DDP?

DDP stands for Delivered Duty Paid. All DDP means is that your business pays the duties and taxes for a shipment, so customers don’t have to pay when their package arrives. 

The Benefits of Canada DDP 

Canada DDP can be used with USPS First Class Mail International®, Priority Mail International®*, and Priority Mail Express International®* shipments. The flat fee for using Canada DDP is $7.95 for USPS First Class Mail International® and $9.95 for Priority Mail International® and Priority Mail Express International®. This fee will be included with the cost of your label, so there’s no need to worry about adjusting your shipping process. Also, shipments using Canada DDP don’t need printed customs forms, as all of the information needed is included with your label. 

*Priority Mail International Medium and Large Flat Rate Boxes aren’t eligible for Canada DDP, so other types of packaging will need to be used. 

Value Limits for Canada DDP 

One thing to note is shipments using Canada DDP have a value limit, meaning the total cost of the items in your shipment can’t pass a certain monetary amount. The value limits for each service can be found below. 

  • First-Class Mail International® – value up to $400
  • Priority Mail International® – value up to $2,500
  • Priority Mail Express International® – value up to $2,500

How to use Canada DDP 

Once you’ve filled out the customs information for a Canadian shipment, select the Duties/Taxes drop-down menu. Click Prepay Duties and Taxes and print your label. 

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Note: This is how the screen will appear for First Class Mail International® shipments. 

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Note: This is how the screen will appear for Priority Mail International® and Priority Mail Express International® shipments. 

Conclusion

It takes a split second to take the responsibility of paying taxes and duties from your customers. The flat fee for Canada DDP is included with the cost of your shipping label, so you won’t be taken to another payment screen. Canada DDP is available to all Stamps.com customers, so you can start using this feature on your next Canadian shipment. Adding Canada DDP is only a couple of clicks away! 

Simplify international shipping with a 30-day free trial to Stamps.com.

Offering Convenient Holiday Returns

December 2nd, 2022 Comments off
Learn more about offering returns this holiday season with our blog!

The closer we get to the holiday season, the more customers will visit your site. This influx of visitors means your business has the potential to increase your sales and customer base. As potential customers browse your website, they’ll investigate your return policy to decide whether or not your products will be the ones under the tree. Creating an easy-to-follow holiday return policy is a way to nudge your customers in the direction of your checkout. We’ve outlined some of the best ways to craft your holiday return policy. 

Trim your tree and holiday shipping costs with a free trial at Stamps.com.

What is a return policy?

A return policy is a policy on your store’s website dedicated to how your business handles customer returns. These policies typically include how long customers have to return a product as well as information on how to initiate the return process. A holiday return policy is an updated version of your regular return policy with additional information for holiday shoppers. These additional pieces of information include: 

  • Whether or not your business will extend the return window for the holiday season
  • Highlighting up-to-date customer support lines 
  • Emphasizing holiday shipping deadlines
  • Outlining how your customers will initiate the return process 

Your and your customers will both be extremely busy during the holiday season, so the more information you can include throughout your site, the better. If your customers can easily find answers to their questions, it’s less likely they’ll have to reach out for clarification. Additionally, our recent study with Retail Economics found 18.3% of customers said that convenient returns were the number one reason they purchased from a business. So, creating a customer-friendly holiday return policy will benefit you and your customers alike. 

What makes a good holiday return policy?

Now that we’ve given you an idea of what a holiday return policy is, let’s dive into what will take your holiday return policy to the next level. When designing your holiday return policy, don’t read it from the perspective of your business; read it from the perspective of your customers. Pretend you’re a new customer visiting your website. Would you be able to understand the return process? If not, edit your policy to be clear and concise. We more than understand you want your customers to have as much information as possible. But sometimes, it’s better to have shorter paragraphs that are easier for your customers to understand than longer paragraphs that are hard to follow and bury crucial information. 

Next, thoroughly check your return policy to confirm everything is accurate. If your business will have an extended return policy, confirm all of the dates mentioned are correct and updated for the current holiday shipping season. The same goes for any shipping deadlines written in your return policy — you don’t want your customers to think they have more or less time to shop because the shipping deadlines are from the year before. Finally, test all of your customer service channels in advance to ensure they run smoothly. Submit any email or contact forms to see if they’re being routed to your email. Also, call your support lines to see if all the numbers are working, so your customers aren’t left hanging during the holidays. 

Holiday return policies are also a good opportunity to add information about your business that new customers might not know. Include a little excerpt of your business’s origin story and/or fun facts about your business. You can even mention any nonprofit organizations your customer works with during the holidays or even year-round. While your holiday return policy does need to be easy to navigate, that doesn’t mean it can’t be customized to help your business stands out. 

Extending your return window

58% of customers say they plan to cut back on non-essential gifts this year. This means your business needs to get customers to choose your store for the gifts they do plan on purchasing. One easy way to help customers is to extend your holiday return window to make returns easier during a stressful time of the year. Your customers might be traveling for the holidays and/or experiencing inclement weather conditions, so they might not be able to return an order within the normal return window. Also, the customer returning the product might not be the same customer who purchased it, so they might not be familiar with your website and need more time. Extending your return window to accommodate customers is a great way to get them to complete their purchases, and it shows your business truly cares. 

Provide excellent customer service 

As we mentioned earlier, the holiday season is a wonderful time of the year, but it can also be incredibly stressful. Creating an excellent customer service experience for your customers can help alleviate some of those holiday stressors. For example, adding an FAQ section to your website prevents customers from having to wait on a response from your business. Some questions you might include in your FAQ section are: 

  • Do you ship internationally?
  • What is your return policy?
  • How do I track my package?
  • How long do orders take to arrive?
  • What are your customer support lines?
  • Can I change the shipping address after I place my order?
  • What do I do if it says my package was delivered, but I didn’t receive it?

A great customer experience also includes great customer service. Checking all of your customer service lines is a great first step, but you can go above and beyond with a few extra touches. If your business is able, we recommend having a live chat feature for customers who are unable to use phone support and need a more immediate answer to their questions. Also, confirm your phone, chat, and other live support options are turned off when support isn’t available to avoid customers trying to use them when no one is available to help. 

Another way to create a better customer experience is to check your site speed. If parts of your website are loading slowly or not at all, your customers can get frustrated and leave your site. Tools like PageSpeed Insights can help you test your site speed and provide recommendations on how to improve it. Again, visit your website from a customer perspective and improve any parts you think might need to be updated. Your customers will thank you. 

Prepaid return labels 

Prepaid return labels are another great way to improve the customer experience this holiday season. Prepaid return labels are return labels your business purchases and then sends to customers. This way, your customers don’t have to pay for return postage. And, the good news is, you can create prepaid return labels straight from your Stamps.com account! We’ve included detailed directions below on how to create prepaid return labels with Stamps.com Online. 

  1. Click Search in the History drop down menu.
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2. Select the order you want to prepare a Return Shipping Label for.

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3. Click Return Label. The Return Label window will open.

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4. Select Print-at-Home Label, either USPS or UPS, whichever works best for you and your customer. 

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5. Then select Continue.

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6. Choose who will email the label. We suggest having Stamps.com send the Return Shipping Label.

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7. Add a note to your customer.

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8. We suggest checking the Send me a copy of this email box for your records.

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9. Select Send.

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That’s all there is to it. Your recipient will receive an email with an easily downloadable prepaid shipping label complete with detailed instructions to ensure an easy return shipment experience.

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Note: Your emailed Return Shipping Label is active for 24 hours from the time it is created. If the label is not used, please request a refund within 28 days.

Conclusion 

Setting aside the time to create an effective holiday return policy can help increase your sales and set the foundation for a good, year-round return policy. Trying out a new return policy during the holiday shipping season is the true test, so don’t be afraid to ask your customers for feedback. When you sit down to create your holiday return policy, think about what you would look for as a customer. Create a holiday return policy that’s informative and easy to follow. Consider extending your return window into late January for your customers who need extra time to return their orders. Provide your customers with an excellent experience with several options for customer service and an FAQ section, so your customers can look for answers on their own but have the opportunity to reach out if they have additional questions. Most importantly, don’t underestimate the power of a good holiday return policy. 

For more insights on this holiday shopping season, download our ebook below. 

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