Some customers might start salivating as they learn about free shipping; it doesn't mean it is the right approach for your business. If your product is small with a shipping cost of only a few dollars, free shipping may be easy to justify. An online jewelry store, selling high-ticket items can easily justify free shipping. An online bookstore, on the other hand, selling books at an average price of $19.95 can unlikely justify free shipping.
Free shipping is more of an art than science. One of the reasons consumers? love free shipping is that it resembles their offline shopping experience. When they buy in a store they are not charged for a shipping fee, and may expect the same online. It is something you have to test on your own customers. Try offering free shipping, but build it into the price. You should also try offering discounts instead of free shipping, and see how your customers respond.
The bottom line is that there is no such a thing as free shipping. Someone is going to pay for it one way or the other. You may decide to build the shipping charges into your prices, or you may offer free shipping over a certain dollar amount. The concept of free shipping is a topic all e-commerce businesses have to face. With careful testing and consideration, you can determine if free shipping is the best option for your business.
Unfortunately, returns and refunds are part of online business too. The key is to have a clear policy posted on your website. Don't hide it from your customers. The more visible it is, the easier it is for your customers to understand your policies. Encourage your customers to read your return policy.
The most important aspect of dealing with returns is to not to take them personally. It is just a part of business. Dissatisfied customers, if handled right, can become your best customers. To create a quick and efficient system, encourage you customers to contact you through e-mail. Explain to your customers that handling returns through your website simplifies the process.
Simplify the return process. If you create a return process that is complex, slow, or inconvenient you will alienate an already unsatisfied customer. A pleasant return transaction builds trust. You may lose the original sale, but you might gain a loyal customer.
Payment fraud is a more significant issue for online merchants than for bricks-and-mortar businesses for, unlike a face-to-face sale, an online transaction does not require a signature or credit-card imprint. "It's a damnable problem for Web merchants," said David Robertson, publisher of The Nilson Report. The trade publication figures the rate of credit-card fraud to be 18 cents to 24 cents per $100 of e-commerce sales ? three to four times higher than the overall rate of payment fraud. As an online business, you can take several steps to reduce the amount of payment fraud.
1. Only ship orders to the billing address.
2. Don't accept international orders. Since address verification is not available for international credit cards, you can't verify if the shipping and billing address are the same.
3. Require signature for all orders, and post it clearly during the check out process.
4. Require CVV (Card Verification Value) number. The CVV number is a 3- or 4-digit number printed on the front (AMEX) of the card or signature strip (VISA, MasterCard).
5. Use real time credit card verification processing service
6. Check the IP address of the buyer. If the IP address is outside of the USA, reject the order.
7. Do not ship to PO Box addresses
8. For unusually large orders, call the customer to confirm the order. Make sure you can reach the customer. Leave a message if you have to, but talk to a live person prior to shipping the order.
9. Do not accept e-mail addresses from free e-mail providers such as hotmail, yahoo, etc.
The Canadian government is working towards regulating consumer credit cards. Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty believes that these regulations will aide consumers by helping to reduce high credit card interest rates. While some support Flaherty's mission at hand, others are not so quick to jump on the credit card regulation boat.
In fact, some (including MasterCard Canada president Kevin Stanton) believe that "...regulatory price controls will suppress innovation, reduce competition and harm consumers" (CBC). While Canada's Finance Minister and major credit card companies battle it out, Canadian banks are viewing the governmental promise of regulation in a whole different kind of light.
Banks are acting as quickly as possible by keeping a close eye on all accounts, and "...simply reducing the available credit where (they) feel that it is absolutely necessary" (CIBC). This means that fewer credit card and loan applications will be approved.
Large credit limit cuts have already been made when it comes to high risk clients, and those that are seeking new credit cards are being outright denied. As banks continue to cover their assets, consumers are beginning to turn to alternative lending sources.
Non-traditional lending companies are now playing a crucial role within the lives of consumers. As more and more banks strive to limit their losses, consumers are left to fend for themselves. What consumers are finding is that private asset based lenders are a lot more forgiving than those of the traditional sort. In fact, those consumers that are in desperate need of a loan are far more likely to be approved for that loan through a private lender.
Private asset based lenders now play a large role within the financial lives of most consumers. Unaffected by constantly fluctuating government regulations and crack-downs, private asset based lenders are providing many consumers with an appealing financial option. The number of people that will no longer be able to gain a traditional loan is quickly growing, which makes private asset based lenders the best possible loan choice available.
While the government of Canada has not yet put the final touches on its credit card regulation plan, the wheels of this plan are already in motion. Unwilling to wait and see how this governmental plan will impact bank business, Canadian banks have begun to turn away most consumers. As traditional lenders become more and more stringent, consumers in need of a loan are finding shelter with private lenders.
Both George Meszaros & Molly Wider are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Molly Wider has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Check Credit Rating and Finances. For more information on whether a car title loan is right for you, please visit our website at