Hey Heather, I absolutely love your videos. I do wonder do you think you would be able to do a video on daily tasks that you perform for your POD store? Just something about once we start getting our designs loaded into our store and we start making sales what is a good routine to get down when we get in front of our laptop each day. I think that would be helpful for a lot of us. If anybody agrees give my comment a thumbs up and let's support Heather in everything that she does.
I've been on Etsy since 2006 selling physical products. No one wants to have to accept returns. Part of it is the disappointment of having to refund money after you added that money to your bank account. In the beginning I was also really emotionally wrapped up with my products. If someone wanted a return, I took it personally. It's not personal. You have to put yourself in the customer's shoes and ask yourself how you would feel if you spent your hard earned money and waited a week or 2 for it to arrive only to discover it was not what you imagined or the wrong size. You would be upset if you were told that you just wasted your money. Especially now with inflation, people's dollars don't go as far so it's a big deal to spend $20-$25 on a T-shirt that'll just sit in a drawer. Returns add value to your product and ensure happy customers. I have accepted returns only for the customer to come back and spend 3x the amount they originally spent! Others don't. But I've also recently been getting return customers that originally purchased from me 15 years ago! People do come back. Sometimes it takes them a decade but if you provide good service, you will be remembered
It’s not about the emotions or the hassle itself. It’s the fucking refund processing fee on Etsy that we have to pay. It’s like $3-$7 (LOSS) for no reason.
Thank you this really helped me. I'm branching out to Etsy. I've sold over 500 Items on eBay and have had only 1 item returned but I purchased insurance on the item because it was vintage and or the item was glass. Well one of the glass items broke. I explained to the buyer "I insured your money" Keep the item - but that you the buyer would have to open a case with the carrier. The buyer was great full in the fact that I purchased extra insurance. I have 100% feedback. For the last 5 years. Now using POD I'll have to wait until that time comes and work the issue. I did your 14-day after delivery. I'll start there. I've tested two POD providers and I'm happy with the items. Thanks again! Best, Greg
Thank you for making this video! Recently opened an Etsy POD shop a month ago and your video helped a ton. Also, absolutely love the blooper reel at the end. About to check out your other videos.
Thanks Heather for another very helpful video. I'm a new Etsy seller and new to POD. I really enjoy your videos, they are pleasant to watch and full of great information. The major section for me was the behind-the-scenes of exactly how you would process an exchange or return for a customer and how to deal with Etsy and the POD company. Thank you, now I can tackle the issue and no longer avoid it. :) Cheers!
Great video! I needed this to help me decide with new Etsy update for return policy. Makes so much sense from customers perspective to add buyer confidence. And Etsy must think it works also. Thank you, Heather!
Do you have any recommendations for people who are selling in the US, but don't live there? You can set up and run a POD store from anywhere in the world and it would be absurd to ask people to ship returns internationally, especially if the orders are fulfilled locally.
Heather, you explained how you send a NEW order for an EXCHANGE, but for a RETURN for MONEY BACK how do you do this please? You get the shirt back from them and then how do you "GIVE" them back their money? That's what's puzzling me....grateful to you always for all your kindness helping us (me) out here :>) God bless to you and your business in 2023!
I know. This whole world of e-commerce can be a little nerve racking as ya don't want to screw up your rating or have PO people wanting to strangle you... LOL. You yourself should be able to do it in your account page somewhere. Charge back their CC we have the authority as far as I know. My POD staff said I could do it in my Shopify account somewhere. I'm trying to finish setting up my website and I have to ask Shopify about the details of this.
A great idea to resell returns that aren't defective. I won't be able to do that because I'm overseas but it's a great idea to recoup some of the money.
Thanks for another great video. I understand the returns, but the exchanges you would be paying for the item twice, pod’s do not accept any exchanges right? Also cancellations, if a pod goes into production quickly, within 24 hours or so, if a customer cancels 2 days after the sale, arent you going to be stuck with the item? Its too late to stop production?
Big doubt is what to do in case of returns of huge bulk of items ordered or high value (imagine 1K dollars total or more).. I guess if there is no limits on number of item x orders we can set only way is to mention on terms and conditions a limit on number of items x order that we offer refund/exchange
Hey Heather, thanks for the video. What would you recommend as the best course of action if a POD item is not delivered due to insufficient address, and then returned to sender? I'm in that situation rn.
I sell physical products on Etsy (not POD yet). Depending on the situation, I often tell people to just keep the original. I've found it compounds the problem to tell them you won't ship a replacement until you receive the return from them. I often have customers want to make a return and then come back to spend 3 times more the next time. I discovered long ago that return merchandise often comes back with slight damage just from being shipped back and forth. So I never assume I can resell it. That's built into the prices I set that returns are part of the costs.
Yea, that's easy when you selling a $7 dollar item. My item sells between $125 to $300 each all in. So when a customer wants a return I have to say no because its customer a customer-built item. Either way I go I'm screwed. If I tell them to ship the item back for a refund its useless to me because I can sell to anyone. Second, to ship it back will cost custom the customer $75 to $150 which will end up with a 1 star review. So what should I do in this case.... No Returns?
Hi Heather, thanks for all the efforts!. There is a huge problem for us who live outside the US. Could you also give advice for people who are living outside the US but selling for the US via POD? What can we do if a customer who lives in the US and wants an exchange or refund when we are located in Europe for example? If we talk to both sides and make them accept to solve the issue among themselves, like, POD company receive the returned item and then make the refund,? Please help.
You could probably still do it the same way where you have a short return window like 14 days and state the buyer is responsible for paying for return shipping. Maybe clarify it will be return shipping to your home country/city where your returns are processed. If a customers wants to spend the significant amount to ship it to you then so be it. You can still send them a new one through the POD just like when the original item was purchased.
Have same doubt.. maybe there is someway to limit the number of items x order? If not I think only way is mention on terms and condition a limit for refunds/exchanges
Thought again about this.. please reply and correct me if I'm wrong.. I guess in this case we are paid by prihtful/printify $200 and we will refund $200.. so at the end of the day we will have a lot of stuff in our own inventory to resell and overall zero $ from this customer transaction.. for sure we missed the potential profit but we are not losing money or have to take out money from our wallet. Am I wrong?
Hi.. Do you live in Europe and sell in USA; Or do you sell in Europe as well; I'm new here and this part is a little confusing for me since i also live in Europe but I wanna start selling in USA
You deal with them in the same way like everyone else! Europeans aren't some kind of an aggressive extraterrestrial race that gets mad with a litle thing. And, by the way, you are european.
If you're in Europe, you should know that all countries are very different and all have their own laws. I'm in the Netherlands and the law is pretty darn clear on how to deal with Dutch customers: accept any and all returns and cancellations within 14 days of the customer receiving the item - regardless of the reason - and give them a full refund. You should research the laws in the countries you're active in, as they differ hugely per country and even per state.
