A seamless returns set-up is key for brands looking to deliver an exceptional customer experience. And a dedicated fashion logistics provider can be instrumental in ensuring that your customers benefit from a fast, transparent and value-added process. This is critical to both building a positive brand perception and avoiding negative customer reactions.
So, how can a specialist third-party logistics (3PL) provider help you to create a streamlined and user-friendly returns process? In short, they can deliver improvements at every stage. From the customer’s perspective, the returns process typically starts when they register a return on the brand’s online portal, where they provide details about the item and the reason for the return. This portal may be hosted by your 3PL partner, which makes it easier to process the return at their fulfilment centre. Once the return is registered, the customer can either drop off the items at a designated store or drop-off point or schedule a courier pickup.
This is where your fashion logistics partner’s transportation capabilities come into play. Often, a 3PL will have its own last-mile fulfilment network, which can also be used for returns. This allows items to be quickly transported to the distribution centre, where they then undergo a thorough quality inspection. Depending on the results, the items are either returned to stock or sent for further processing. Meanwhile, if the customer has requested an exchange, the new item is picked, packed and shipped via the 3PL’s fulfilment network. For an even more seamless customer experience, an exchange functionality can even be built into the returns portal – so customers don’t have to repeat the entire ordering process.
There are also many ways to optimise the returns process. For example, by introducing more reporting milestones throughout the returns journey, customers can be made aware of the exact status of their return so they know when they’ll receive a refund. This helps to reduce the number of calls to customer service teams. And to make the returns process more sustainable, a specialist fashion logistics provider can even integrate circular solutions into your brand’s returns framework. One such initiative is the RESCUE programme operated by Bleckmann’s Renewal Workshop. This enables brands to quickly and cost-effectively clean and repair damaged returns so they can be returned to stock and sold as new. This helps to reduce the amount of virgin raw materials used, resulting in a lower environmental impact.
Want to find out more about how a fashion logistics provider can create a truly value-added returns process? Read our article on optimising returns in the fashion industry to get the full story!
