votrechien - 8:28 pm on Jul 18, 2012 (gmt 0)

Many of our items are $30-60 to ship, so it's hard for us to 'suck it up'. Invariably, some customers will take exception to requests for additional shipping, but I find there's a couple of ways that sit better with customers:

1) Most importantly, have a very clear policy in place that outlines your procedures. Customers hate to feel like you're making up rules on the fly targeted to them. By having very clear policies, it also creates a more careful customer which benefits everyone.


2) Offer a gift card on their next purchase for the said shipping charges.

Returns are one of the costliest parts of retail. I often think some small businesses avoid the uncomfortable experience of dealing with a perturbed customer on the pretense of 'good customer service'.