Soon, the stockings will no longer be hung by the chimney with care, and the holiday shopping season will once again end. That’s why in this edition of Shipping Unboxed we’re answering all of your questions about post-holiday shipping! We’re going to give you the rundown on returns, the gist of gift packing slips, and help you transition from the holiday shopping season into the new year. Without further ado, let’s dive into Shipping Unboxed: FAQs about Post-Holiday Shipping.
Question Quick Jump
- Should I extend my returns window?
- How can I retain my holiday customers?
- What is a prepaid return label?
- How does customer marketing help me past the holiday season?
- Can I continue to use gift packing slips after the holidays?
- How do I update my email and packing slip templates to not include seasonal information?
- How do I file insurance claims for packages that weren’t received?
- How long do I have to request a guaranteed service claim for Priority Mail Express®?
- How long do I have to cancel a label after its purchase?
- How can I keep utilizing social media year-round?
- How does ShippingEasy continue to help me after the holidays?
Did you miss the last Shipping Unboxed? Check out Shipping Unboxed: FAQs about Expedited Shipping!
Should I extend my returns window?
If your business is able to, yes! Extending your return policy to mid or late January is a great way to enhance your shopping experience. With 18.3% of customers citing convenient returns as the top reason they buy from a business, a solid return policy can even help boost your sales.
Learn more about customer holiday expectations in Essential Consumer Shipping Expectations You Need to Meet.
How can I retain my holiday customers?
Great question! The key to keeping your new customers is connecting with your customers. Update your website to be more user-friendly and create an easier checkout experience for your customer. Check that all of your product information is up to date, especially when the holidays end. Also, start sending your new and existing customers exclusive promo codes soon after the holidays are over to show them you care year-round.
For more tips on keeping new customers, check out Earn Repeat Holiday Business Using These Ecommerce Marketing Strategies!
What is a prepaid return label?
A prepaid return label is a label your business pays for and then sends to your customers to attach to the package they’re returning. Your customers can either drop their shipment off or schedule a pickup, and you can even enable prepaid return label emails in your ShippingEasy account. This way, labels are sent to your customers directly.
Dive into the world of returns with Shipping Unboxed: FAQs about Returns.
How does customer marketing help me past the holiday season?
Remember all of those new customers you gained during the holidays? With the help of customer marketing, you can reach out to them with exclusive offers and promotional materials so they don’t forget about your business after the holidays. You can also create a feedback page for customers and link to this page, so your customers can provide input on their shopping experience and so much more!
Read all about communicating with your customers in our blog!
Can I continue to use gift packing slips after the holidays?
Yes! You can create a custom packing slip to use for year-round gifts as well as during the holidays. You can even make a shipping rule to automatically assign your gift packing slips to gift orders.
For more information about shipping automation, check out Ecommerce Shipping Strategies To Start Using.
How do I update my email and packing slip templates to not include seasonal information?
We’ve got you. If you already have year-round templates for your packing slips and confirmation emails, you’ll just switch back to your existing template in your store settings and shipping rules. If you don’t already have templates to use year-round, you can create your own! Both packing slips and confirmation emails can be customized within their respective editors and can also be previewed, so you can have an idea of what your customers will see.
You can find more tips on customizing your templates in our blog!
How do I file insurance claims for packages that weren’t received?
It depends on the carrier. If your shipment was sent using USPS or FedEx, you’ll file a claim with the carrier directly. Before you reach out to USPS, you’ll need to grab the tracking number of the package, a PDF version of the label, and your proof of purchase. If you shipped your package using your UPS account, you’ll submit a form to our team, and we’ll reach out to you with the next steps.
Learn more about filing claims in How to File an Insurance Claim with USPS, UPS, and FedEx.
How long do I have to request a guaranteed service claim for Priority Mail Express®?
For Priority Mail Express® shipments, you have 30 days from the time you purchased the label. For Priority Mail Express International® shipments, you have 90 days from the time you purchased the label. Also, if USPS doesn’t cover the full amount of your postage, ShippingEasy merchants can reach out to our team to see if your shipment is eligible for us to cover the remaining postage. Encourage your customers to contact you as soon as a package is late to arrive. This way, you can submit these claims on time and provide your customer with a replacement sooner.
Start your 30-day free trial of ShippingEasy today!
How long do I have to cancel a label after its purchase?
It varies! Here are the timeframes and restrictions for each carrier:
- USPS – Can be canceled within 28 days of purchase and haven’t moved passed “Accepted” on a SCAN form. The refund will show on your account around 21 days after the refund has been requested.
- UPS with ShippingEasy – Can be canceled within 30 days of purchase and will automatically be refunded to your account if it hasn’t been scanned.
- FedEx – Must be canceled on or before the ship date. If you need to cancel one shipment in a multi-box shipment, the entire group of labels will need to be canceled.
Like with guaranteed service refunds, it’s better to communicate deadlines with your customers sooner rather than later! Let your customers know to immediately contact your business during the holiday season if they need to cancel an order to avoid any issues later on.
Speaking of deadlines, be sure to bookmark the 2022 US Shipping Deadlines.
How can I keep utilizing social media year-round?
Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean your social media needs to be untouched until next year! Take inspiration from the fun campaigns and social media posts you did during the holidays. Continue highlighting products but show their everyday use and value. Keep showcasing your team and business wins. Hold giveaways and share promo codes randomly. Everything you used during the holiday season can be repurposed so that your social media stays active throughout the entire year.
If you still need ideas for your holiday marketing campaigns, we’ve got you covered!
How does ShippingEasy continue to help me after the holidays?
Where do we even start? The USPS Commercial rates and the rates you see with the UPS account included with your ShippingEasy account aren’t seasonal, so these savings are the gift that keeps on giving. Also, tools like our email and packing slip templates will help you to easily switch back from the holiday season, so your customers aren’t confused about the information in their emails and packages. You can even reach out to our team if USPS doesn’t fully refund your Priority Mail Express® postage. And, this is just the beginning!
Make your post-holiday Shipping Easy with a 30-day free trial!
Baillee Perkins
