# Fulfillment Services on Handling Returned Shirts



## relsierk (Oct 11, 2014)

I am curious about how some small shirt companies using print-on-demand DTG fulfillment services are handling returned shirt orders and would like members to share their experience.

Most who utilize fulfillment services are running it small time from home and usually do not have a store. Now my questions are:

1. What happens when a customers returns an order/request for an exchange on the basis they are not satisfied with the quality (invoking the "satisfaction guarantee")? The shirts are basically still good, just perhaps not up to the buyer's high expectations.

Where do you ask the customers to return the shirt to? To the business owner's home or to the fulfillment services' address?

2. Which fulfillment services can take back in returned shirts that are still good? Do they charge for this service? A lot of services do not clearly mention this. I've looked at some such as Printful, PrintAura, etc. and they don't really mention this in their FAQs or elsewhere.

3. What do you do with the returned shirts, that are still in good condition?

Looking forward to learn from your experiences.


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## JOTHIM (Feb 20, 2008)

Hi Relsierk,
I myself run a tshirt drop shipping company from India with worldwide delivery. We do happen to have tie-up with Indian and International Companies for Tshirt Drop Shipping. See If these below Ideas and Tips are useful for your Returned Tshirts (Unless it not Worn or has a Customised print):
* Try to putting up a flash sale on your offline or online business with huge discounts on these products 
* When a customer makes a purchase at your store, You could try giving these tshirts at a highly discounted price or for free (Happy Customer)
* Giveaways to the Poor and Needy through Non-Profits
* You could use the tshirts as prizes for promotional events of your Business


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## relsierk (Oct 11, 2014)

Hi Jothim,

Most insightful answer! Thank you for your explanation, great ideas and helped enlightened me on this issue! Many thanks!


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## printaura (Apr 5, 2005)

Hi Relsierk,

We have found that returned items frequently have smells, makeup, thrown into bags without being folded making them not great items to be reshipped to other customers.

Our policy is that if we ever make a mistake we will request a photo, review it, and if it was something that was our fault we redo the order and don't make the customer send anything back. No need to hassle your customers.

As far as size exchanges go, refer to my first comment above, if they have tried it on, it has been on their body and picks up peoples oils and smells and such and just isn't worth trying to re-inventory and reship. If we did accept exchanges we still wouldn't want to take back whatever they had received as it is more of a hassle to deal with the return that it is to just print another. 

You should come up with a return policy that works for your business. Many folks who sell print on demand products just have policies of no returns since everything is printed custom while others want to offer high quality service and offer exchanges.I have personally been in the retail side and used to offer a 100% guarantee and offered exchanges for sizes and just made the prices work so if I had to do a replacement it was a break even order without much of a loss but consider it a good customer service opportunity. 

Let me know if you have further questions and best of luck with your new business!


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## relsierk (Oct 11, 2014)

Matt said:


> Hi Relsierk,
> 
> We have found that returned items frequently have smells, makeup, thrown into bags without being folded making them not great items to be reshipped to other customers.
> 
> ...


Hey Matt, thanks for your insights! I'm really inclined to using PrintAura (my top choice right now) so let me work on my basics of getting things rolling and I shall get in touch with you then! Thanks once again!

Relsierk


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## ehas0430 (Dec 24, 2014)

We donate returns and take a tax credit. so its not a complete loss


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