Free Merchant Account Requirement: A Solid Return Policy Part 2
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">“No Sale is Ever Final”</font></p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">I've seen quite a few receipts come my way with that exact statement. For consumers around the world, seeing this statement is a testament to the good return policy of the merchant store – however, for merchants, this statement is not always to their benefit. Movies have depicted women buying clothes from stores and returning the garments the next day with the tag carefully intact even after wearing the garments. Too bad for merchants, good for abusive consumers.</font></p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">This is precisely the reason not all return policies are created equal – and not all products are available for refund. There are also certain kinds of product exceptions. Included are the following:</font></p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Perishable items such as food, plants, flowers (cmon, would you return a flower a day after you bought it?)</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Products marked as “as is”, “clearance item sales are final”, etc.</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">If the product has already been used or damaged after purchase.</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Customized products received as described, and as ordered</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Products returned in an altered state </font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Products which can no longer be resold due to health considerations (think syringes, or spoiled food)</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2"><u>For these products, all sales are final.</u> If you have a product included in the list, then it's exempted from the return policy. </font></p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">In line with this, <u>if your return policy does not warrant a money/product return or exchange, then the law stipulates that your return policy be posted prominently throughout the store</u>. This serves as a reminder to customers that your products cannot be returned nor exchanged. It's the same as posting a no return no exchange sign. Although it can certainly affect revenue, it will protect you from malicious-minded customers.</font></p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><strong><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Post your refund policy at the following spots:</font></strong></p><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Signs at the cashier and check out counter for physical stores</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Prominent text signs on your site prior to check out</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">At the Entrance of the store (or the landing page of your site)</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Price Tags are a good place to put a short reminder of your return policy</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Fitting rooms </font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><ul><li><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Order forms</font></li></ul><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2">Since not all return policies are created equal (in fact the law allows certain liberties provided you post your refund policy as a reminder), there are various kinds of return policies. It's up to the merchant whether his or her return policy is fair to the customer and can help grow the business. Just a reminder that all return policies should be concise, clear, and state the time duration and related conditions.</font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"> </p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2"><strong>No return, exchange only</strong><br />Customers can have the product exchanged for another product in the store. The product should be in such a condition to be resold, and not damaged unless received as such. </font></p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2"><strong>Refunds</strong><br />Customers can return the item and have their money back (even credit card payments).</font></p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2"><strong>All sales are final</strong><br />This normally appears for sale items and perishable items. All items are sold as is (as described, photographed, etc) without any chance of return or exchange.</font></p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2"><strong>Store Credit</strong><br />Customer returns item, and instead of getting a certain product, it is charged as store credit in the name of the customer that can be spent in the store.</font></p><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2"><br /></font> </p><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"><font face="verdana,geneva" size="2"><strong>Free merchant Account </strong>providers require a good solid return policy posted on your site or presented on paper. If you don't have one, then by all means, get a legal eagle to write it down. It's not just about protecting yourself. A good return policy should be able to protect you against unnecessary expenses of return and exchanges, but also mirror the confidence you have in your products – which then reflects an increase in customer purchases(and eventually a decrease in returns & exchanges).</font></p><div align="justify"> </div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in" align="justify"> </p><a href="http://www.onlywire.com/submit?u=http://www.freemerchantaccount.biz/free_merchant_account_requirement_a_solid_return_policy_2.html;t=Free%20Merchant%20Account;tags=Free%20merchant%20account,%20credit%20card%20processing" target="_blank" title="Like this article? Add this Article to Onlywire"><img src="http://www.onlywire.com/i/onlywire.ico" alt="" />Like this article? Add to Onlywire!</a>
