Does Amazon Train Customers to Behave Badly?...and Small Business Suffers the Consequences
Small Business Ask: If you like a product and used it - don't return it just because Amazon lets you.
It's not Amazon that's suffering - it's the small business.
Sad to say that I can no longer sell Baby Wisp® "First Birthday Headbands" on AMAZON. I just processed the last automatically authorized return I will endure on that sales channel.
I noticed a pattern for this particular bow when ordered on Amazon and I decided to keep tabs on it. When I saw a few of these bows go out last week, I took note to see within the next month how many of these come back. Without fail, the returns started to roll in.
I am at an insane return rate on these 1st Birthday Bow headbands for girls on the Amazon channel only!!
Etsy shoppers and babywisp.com boutique shoppers - NO WAY they do this.
Can you guess why?
Customer Behaviour Depending on Channel
My guess is that Amazon makes it so easy to return so why not buy the headband, take your birthday photos then return it? It's pricey at ten bucks for one day right?
It's amazon - they can afford it.
NO. It's not amazon.
It's my little shop and brand in San Diego that I built from my hands and heart in 2008. I paid a living wage to an order processor in California, paid the shipping and now have a 'used' product back (trash). This puts me at a negative sales position on this product.
Returns Tell You a Story
There are many questions I ask when I see high return rate on a product. Such as, "WHY? ","Did I mess up?", and "Did I produce a bad product? "
The 5 star reviews on this product and sheer volume nationally and internationally I have sold says otherwise.
I designed that bow, every dimension, material and assembly - and as a creator this hurts in many ways when it is clear that a product is being returned simply to defraud the seller.
But the customer is not thinking of it that way. They are thinking - I can use this and return it. Amazon doesn't care. Let me repeat - It is NOT AMAZON who is suffering.
13 Years ago, I was not selling on Amazon. I was selling at handmade markets. No one would show pictures of how great their daughter looked then return to me (in person) a used hairbow they were happy with.
Does Your Shopping Behaviour Reflect Your Beliefs?
As an Amazon customer - I urge you to please consider this next time you make a purchase or return.
Does your shopping behaviour align with your values?
Are you supporting businesses in your community that design and produce the type of products you love?
Thank you for your consideration.
Beena
This is a post on my facebook page I felt compelled to write on January 31, 2022.