Run an E-commerce Business Make Sure You Have a Good Return Policy

Run an E-commerce geschftliches miteinander Make Sure You Have a Good Return Policy. / Credit Free Shipping Image via Shutterstock For ecommerce businesses, returns can often be a little mora complicated than they are at a brick-and-mortar store. How do you handle return shipping? Where do you store the unwanted merchandise if you dont have a warehouse? What if the customer wants an exchange and you dont have the product available? What if the refund takes several days to process and the customer gets impatient?Given the hassle and costs associated with returns, it may be tempting to just say that you wont do it. A no returns, period policy isnt going to fly with customers who expect top-bedrngnisch service and convenience, but ecommerce businesses may not be able to accept all returns, for any reason.When a company starts allowing people to return a product because they changed their mind or dont like the produc t, it can become a problem, said Nicole Bandklayder Pomije, co-founder and CMO of online jewelry retailer Bijouxx Jewels.To address these and other issues that may arise, the top priority for ecommerce businesses regarding returns should be to have a crystal-clear policy in place thats easy for customers to find, understand and reference.Learn the basics ofshipping for your ecommerce business.Crafting a return policy that worksOne of the first things that retailers should understand when creating a return policy is the most common reasons their products are returned, and what constitutes a reasonable window for returning items, said Krishna Iyer, director of strategic alliances for ShipStation. Customers should instantly know which products they can return, whether they get a full refund or store credit, how long they have to make a return and if return shipping is free, etc.For example, if your products are often bought as gifts for others, the standard 30-day return period may not be enough time. Many retailers consider the holiday season return window to go until late March, Iyer said.Iyer added that your return policy should be in an easy to access place on both the homepage and product pages.Not only is visibility important, but also the clarity of the policy, Iyer said.Returns can put a financial strain on any type of business, but physical retailers typically dont have to deal with the added burden of shipping costs. While it may at first appear to be a big cost to retailers, Iyer said that retailers cant afford not to offer free returns shipping.Not offering free return shipping is one of the biggest mistakes that online retailers are currently making, Iyer said. Retailers need to ask themselves how quickly they need the product back and if their carrier agreement has stipulations for returns. Once the retailer determines the most cost-effective, convenient way to receive returned products, customers should then be provided with clear instructions for the packaging of the return, how to receive the shipping label and the correct drop-off method.Balancing business needs with customer expectationsUsing friends and family as test subjects is a good way to understand the consumers point of view and gather feedback that they may not see themselves. The deeper awareness of customers expectations for returns can lead to mora sales, as well.It is critical for online retailers to know the differences between their return policy and the policies of their partner marketplaces, Iyer told Business News Daily. Make sure your customers know what returns process they should follow no matter where they buy your product from. Placing clear returns instructions on both your website and all partner marketplaces where your products are sold will help to ensure a good customer returns experience.Bandklayder Pomije agreed that with any small business, you want to do your best to make customers happy with your product Returns and exchanges mean we are u nder pressure to sell more so that we make up for the funds that were allocated toward our payroll and our costs, she said.If youre in the early stages and need to focus on growing your business, Bandklayder Pomije recommended implementing an exchanges only policy, with no refunds unless the product arrives damaged. Once youve grown and have a larger cash flow, you may want to consider picking up the cost of return shipping for your customers.Write up a return policy that works for you, Bandklayder Pomije told Business News Daily. Remember, this is your business therefore, you make the rules when it comes to returns.Additional reporting by Nicole Fallon. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article. Jennifer Post Jennifer Post graduated from Rowan University in 2012 with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism. Having worked in the food in dustry, print and online journalism, and marketing, she is now a freelance contributor for Business News Daily and Business.com. When shes not working, you will find her exploring her current town of Cape May, NJ or binge watching Pretty Little Liars for the 700th time. 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How to Block Someone on LinkedIn

How to lager Someone on LinkedIn LinkedIn is an important if elend essential networking tool for professionals. The social media platform allows you to connect with colleagues, mentors, and other members of your industry and beyond to grow your professional network and expand your breadth of knowledge and experience.When people use LinkedIn professionally, it can go a long way in bolstering their career and broadening their connection base. Unfortunately, as with other social media networks, users sometime abuse the tool and create unpleasant and even hostile environments and experiences for others. If a LinkedIn connection or member is bothering you, there is a solution gruppierunging him or her.What does it mean to gruppierung someone on LinkedIn?Blocking someone on LinkedIn essentially means youll be hidden from her view. She wont be able to access your profile, send you messages, or post content to your profile. You wont be able to access her profile or activity, either.Unless yo u have your profile set to private, meaning it wont appear in Google or other search engine results, a blocked user can still binnensee your profile when shes not logged into LinkedIn. If youd like to hide your profile from appearing publicly in search engine results, follow these stepsClick the Me icon in the top right corner of your LinkedIn homepage.Navigate to the Privacy tab in the top row (second over after Account).Click Edit your public profile.In the right column under Edit visibility, there is a bar the will say on or off. Toggle it to off to prevent other people from being able to search for you.This means users must be logged in to LinkedIn to view your profile. You can also control information that appears in search engine searches if your profile is visible, such as your profile picture, experience, connections, and other information. Unless you have it set to private, you must allow your personenname, number of connections, industry, and raum to be displayed.How do I block someone from viewing my LinkedIn profile?The good news is that blocking a LinkedIn connection or user is easy to do. Simply follow these stepsNavigate to the profile of the person you want to block.Under her headshot, click the More button.The fourth item down is Report/Block. Click this option.A pop-up menu that says, What do you want to do? will appear. Select the first option Block username.This menu will also allow you to report an inappropriate profile or picture or alert LinkedIn that the users profile may have been hacked. Before clicking the latter option, its a good idea to contact to the user off of LinkedIn, if you have the means to do so.If you block someone, she wont know that youve done so she simply wont be able to see your presence anymore. LinkedIn will not alert the user in question that you have blocked her.How do you look at someones LinkedIn profile anonymously?There are several reasons why you might want to view a connection or other users profile anonymo usly. Perhaps you want to check in with someone from your past. Maybe youre investigating a potential client or job applicant. Whatever the reason is, browsing a users profile in anonymous mode is relatively simple.Click on the Me icon in the top right corner.Click the Privacy tab in the top horizontal bar (second after account).Scroll down to the section How others see your LinkedIn activity.Click the first option Profile viewing options.The default option is to have your name and headline appear when you view someone elses profile. But you can reset it, so you appear as either Someone at XX company or Anonymous LinkedIn member. Keep in mind, however, that once you disable the public viewing option, you wont be able to see whos viewed your profile or your viewer history, unless you upgrade your membership to premium.Alternatively, you can log out of LinkedIn and search for the user via a search engine. From there, you will be able to see the users full profile anonymously, unless s he has her profile set to private mode, meaning only LinkedIn users may see her profile.How do you remove a follower on LinkedIn?You can easily remove a follower on LinkedIn. (NB A follower is not necessarily a connection this is someone who follows your posts and updates.)Click on the Me icon in the top right corner.Click the Privacy tab in the top horizontal bar (second after account).Scroll down to the section Blocking and hiding.Next to the first option, Followers, click Change to the right.You can select Everyone from the list or Your connections, meaning that only your connections will be able to see your updates in the future. In order to prevent a specific connection from seeing your posts, you will need to remove her as a connection.When should I block someone on LinkedIn?There are several reasons why you might want to block a contact or user from being able to see your profile or contact you at all on LinkedIn. While simply following your gedeihlich is basis enough, you mi ght choose to block someone on LinkedIn for other common reasons, includingThey are behaving in a rude, inappropriate, or offensive manner toward you or someone else.They are using LinkedIn for purposes other than professional networking, such as dating.They are misrepresenting themselvesor their profile is actually just a bot.They spam you with messages or wont stop pitching their product or service to you.They are a personal contact, not a business connection, and you dont care to be in touch with them in this or any capacity.They repeatedly ask you for favors, such as endorsements, when youre unfamiliar with their work or dont want to vouch for them.Again, if someone is just giving you a weird vibe, that could serve as reason enough to block him or her. Perhaps you feel uncomfortable or dont have a good feeling about the connection. Maybe shes posted something that upsets you. Go with your gut.It may not be necessary to block someone completely you might consider just removing he r as a connection, assuming she hasnt outright offended you or exhibited truly reprehensible and unprofessional behavior. As with blocking, a connection will not be alerted to the fact that youve removed her. However, if any kind of harassment continues after youve removed her as a connection, it may be time to take more drastic steps.How long does a LinkedIn block last?A LinkedIn block will last as long as you want it to. That can be forever. If you decide to reconnect with a user, however, youll have to wait at least 48 hours from the time of blocking her to reestablish your connection.To view a list of members youve blocked, follow these stepsClick on the Me icon in the top right corner.Click the Privacy tab in the top horizontal bar (second after account).Go to Blocking and Hiding in the menu at the left.Click Blocking to see your list.To unblock a LinkedIn user, follow the steps to see your list of blocked users, and click the Unblock button next to the name of the person on yo ur list.How do you hide your connections on LinkedIn?Perhaps you dont want others to be able to see your other connections on LinkedIn. This might be because youre looking for a job and dont want your current manager or colleagues to see that youre connected to prospective employers, you want to respect the confidentiality of clients, or youre simply looking to maintain your privacy.Click on the Me icon in the top right corner.Click the Privacy tab in the top horizontal bar (second after account).How others see your profile and network information is the first subheader. Next to Who can see your connections, click Change.The options are Your connections and Only you. Select Only you to prevent others from seeing your connections.Next steps for maintaining a professional LinkedIn presenceBlocking a LinkedIn connection can be important for maintaining a professional LinkedIn presence. Beyond causing you grief, a connection or other LinkedIn user can influence others perceptions of you and even ruin your professional image. Dont let that happen. Taking steps to block a connection or limiting who can access your profile can help you maintain a positive career reputation.Maintaining a professional LinkedIn profile could make or break your career. For more advice on polishing your LinkedIn profile, check outMaking the Most of LinkedIn Tips, Tricks, and Everything In Between13 Powerful LinkedIn Headline Examples That Get Recruiters AttentionsWhat Does Your LinkedIn Photo Say About You?