Creating a “Policy” page or series of pages for your online store is extremely important in order to help your customers understand what your business procedures and terms are. There are 4 main areas you should hit upon when drawing up your policy pages, most of them are specific to customers who purchase from your online shop, as opposed to in a brick and mortar location. These areas include: shipping, refunds, a privacy policy, and a liability disclaimer. All four of these deal with different aspects of selling online, but having them all on your site where a customer can read over them will help answer any questions they have and make them more likely to purchase from your website. It is also a way for you to protect your business if any disputes arise.
Shipping
The shipping policy for your online shop should be very visible to your customers. They are going to want to know when to expect their items, and how much they are going to have to pay to get it shipped to them. Some businesses that do a lot of selling online will offer a few different shipping options, usually either standard delivery that takes at least a few days, or an expedited delivery which might arrive within 24-48 hours. Your customers will probably also want to know if they should expect a service like UPS or FedEx as opposed to the USPS. Package delivery services will leave a package near the door, while the USPS will leave a note letting them know to come by the post office to pick up their package. All of this information should be clearly stated to your customer and you can even opt to show this before checkout within your Wazala store.
Refunds
When customers deal with ecommerce sites, they like to know that there is a refund policy in place. It makes them feel better that they can return the item if it is not up to expectations. Set up a specific timeline and conditions for refunds, like “keep tags attached” – “returned within 30 days of purchase” etc. You may also consider mailing a return stamp with your shipment. Whatever your policy is make sure it is clear and stick to it.
Privacy Policy
When customers enter in their personal information during a purchase, they expect that this will not be shared with anyone else other than a payment processor, and that their information certainly will not be sold to a third party. A privacy policy page for your online store will put your customers’ minds at ease because they can see exactly what happens with information like their email address after they give it to you. Generally, this is the place to mention to customers if you are going to install a browser cookie which keeps track of where they have been on your website.
Liability Disclaimer
Most ecommerce websites have a disclaimer somewhere on their site that says that they are not liable for any damages. This is the scary text no one really reads, but should. Think of this as a way to keep you safe. If you sell cosmetics you may need to state your liability for any allergic reactions. If you sell devices that may harm children then stating that would help you stay in the clear. Other disclaimers can be about jurisdictions, online risks and confidentiality. Investing in help from an attorney may be the best option if you feel your products are risky. It may also be a good idea to think of liability insurance if this is the case.
When you sell online, it’s a good thing to let your customers be able to find answers to their questions on your website since they can’t talk to a person like they would be able to in a physical location. Just make sure your tone is inviting and you’re not pushing people away with all your regulations. Finding a middle ground where you’re both safe is best.
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