‘Worldwide Brands’ has released their latest ‘Product Sourcing Newsletter’, complete with product sourcing tips for home-based e-tailers, upcoming trade shows, and spotlighted eCommerce wholesalers. The featured article is titled “Good Supplier Relations – Handling Product Recalls”.

Good Supplier Relations – Handling Product Recalls

By: Tisha Hedges, Director of Operation, WorldwideBrands.com

Good supplier relations are a cornerstone for any successful eBiz, but many new online sellers are intimidated by the prospect of working with wholesalers and distributors and all of the different problems that could happen.

One issue that may arise is a product recall.

Product recalls are when a manufacturer recalls a product, usually due to safety issues. If you are selling that product on your website, then you have to assume responsibility for the safety of your customers.

Here are some tips to handling this situation;

Your first step is to find out if the recall is valid. There are two places to go to check this information. The first is Recalls.gov and the second place is the Consumer Product Safety Commission at CPSC.gov.

The manufacturer’s website will have a customer service department and they’ll give you the specifics of how they are handling the recall. Sometimes, the recall is a direct refund or a credit. Sometimes it requires an additional part to make the product safe for consumer use.

You have to look at the manufacturer recall information to see what your role and responsibility will be – whether customers should send products back to you and you send the collected products to the manufacturer, or whether you simply provide the information and your customers send the products directly to the manufacturer.

Once you have done that, you need to take a look at your sales and see if that’s a product you’ve sold, and to whom you’ve sold it. Then, you need to take further steps to service your customers with a link for them to go to for information, notification emails, and if necessary, follow-up phone calls.

Some customers may want a refund regardless, and you may have to provide that refund and then deal with the manufacturer yourself.

Last tip: Always be familiar with your products so you know whether you want to assume the liability for selling it online. Know the cautions, hazards and warnings, so your customer is fully informed when they’re buying.

Different aspects of online business and working with wholesale suppliers may be a little scary! But, just remember, that these processes have been set in place for years this way and many issues can be solved fairly quickly and easily.

This article has been provided by Chris Malta’s blog. Find more great information about your online business on Chris’s site. HERE.

Product Sourcing Newsletter

* IMNewswatch would like to thank Worldwide Brands for granting permission to reprint this newsletter article.

Before purchasing with you, buyers must perceive that your business is legitimate and real. But establishing customer relations takes time. And if they don’t feel comfortable buying from you, you’ll never get a chance to develop those relationships in the first place!

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