Shortening complaint time from 6 to 2 days
For the TechGears company, we implemented a local return point in Berlin. Customer satisfaction rose by 34%.
TechGears from Podlasie sold electronics on German Amazon, but returns were eating up all their profit. We helped them organize it so that a customer from Berlin didn't have to wait a week for a courier from Poland.
The challenge
TechGears sent about 147 packages per month to Germany. When a customer wanted to return goods, they had to send them to Białystok at their own expense or wait 6 days for the label to reach the system. This generated a lot of negative comments and damaged the brand reputation.
Amazon started blocking their offers because the dissatisfaction rate exceeded 4%. The cost of a single return averaged 68 PLN, which was simply unprofitable for cheap phone accessories. The owner was also losing 4 hours a week replying to angry Germans.
Our approach
Our 3-person team scrutinized Excel sheets from the last 7 months. We found a logistics partner in Berlin who provided us with a rack for 14-day package storage. This solution allowed for collecting returns in one place.
We established that instead of 47 individual return packages per month, one collective pallet would arrive in Poland every 10 days. This required a technical change in settings in the Amazon Seller Central panel and the preparation of simple instructions in German for buyers. No fluff, just concrete steps.
The solution
We implemented a local return address system in Germany. Now a customer from Munich or Hamburg sends the package to an address in Berlin (cheaper and faster). There, a worker checks within 24h if the goods are undamaged and clicks confirmation in the system.
If everything is fine, the system automatically returns money to the customer within 48h. Every 10 days, the collective transport reaches the warehouse in Białystok. We eliminated unnecessary emails and waiting for packages that often got lost on the international route.
Results
By shortening the handling time, the TechGears account regained its healthy status on Amazon. Logistics costs dropped because pallet transport is much cheaper than individual international courier packages.
Timeline
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January 12, 2024Logistics cost audit and analysis of negative customer reviews
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February 5, 2024Contract signing with a transshipment point in Berlin
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March 18, 2024Amazon panel configuration and trial local shipments
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April 14, 2024Full implementation and closure of the old return path
"I was afraid that a warehouse in Germany would mean thousands of euros in fixed costs. It turned out we only pay for the packages actually received. Facts on the table: we save time and nerves."