Why do returns have restocking fees?
It's
not pleasant, but unfortunately it's necessary. Restocking fees are
common in the linen textile industry for a variety of reasons - particularly for companies like us that sew our made-to-order products in the U.S.A.
Hopefully the points below can help explain why they are assessed.
-Our products aren't prepackaged or regularly stocked on shelves. Consider an example of a clothing store. They get bulk products in a few sizes
(small, medium, and large) and colors (red, white, and blue). When a
return is needed the product(s) are simply placed back on the appropriate
clothing rack. We differ from that model because our sewn Faux Burlap items are
made to order here in the United States, and have a variety of combinations. When we receive a return it can sit in a box on
a shelf for months before another customer purchases that
exact size in that exact color.
-Returns require a fair amount of labor.
When a return is received, it has to be unpacked (and counted if more than one item), and then thoroughly
inspected to ensure that the condition is in perfect order for resale. We then have to repackage the item(s), enter the return details
into a database system, and restock them on a shelf.
-We don't get reimbursed for free shipping or packaging.
For customers who received free shipping, remember that it wasn't free
for us (we wish!). We are still obligated to pay our shipping bill each month, regardless if an
order was returned. Similarly, the box company, tape company, and
packaging material company doesn't credit our account for materials used
in packing an order that is returned.
-We don't profit from restocking fees. In fact, even with the fee we
still have some degree of loss on the overall order. The fee is simply
to help us recoup some of the expenses incurred for inspecting,
repacking, and restocking the returned merchandise.
-Let us help you avoid needing a return.
Free swatch samples are available upon request -- we even pay the
postage for the samples. Our sales staff can also assist you with sizing advice before you place your order. Let us know how else we can help, because we don't want you to have to pay for a return restocking fee.