[Question] How to shorten the online shopping after-sale service time?

[robinsonwang]

As we know most of the online store owner or online business man are not the original suppliers of the goods. They are just the product agent; get the goods from other product agent or the product factory.

the link is like this:
factory→agent(maybe more agents are existed in this link)→onlineshopping store owner→customer
so the aftersale service linke woulb be like this;
customer→onlineshopping store owner→agent(maybe more agents are existed in this link)→factory
so many steps, how to shorten?

When we meet some faulty products,
how to shorten the time on solving the problem or exchanging the product?
How to shorten the online shopping after-sale service time?
Anybody can share your opinion。

[Dave A]

Given where consumer law is heading in South Africa, my concern is liability! I can see the online shopping store owner being held liable for defective products and returns, and not nescessarily enjoying the protection of the terms and conditions provided by the manufacturer/agent (particularly if that manufacturer/agent is offshore).

[garthu]

Funny you say that cause i have just been considering that with what i am doing with the recent store we opened. Have chatted to the supplier and asked if they are to supply me spares as well as the come backs are my problem, not theres, even though i refer to manufacturer warranty.

They not so keen on this and if its not resolved and cant get a solution, then could be the end of the store.

The other issue is this sort of gear is easily damaged by misuse (sound gear) and speakers do not even have a warranty as simply they get destroyed by overdriving on amps half there rating. The consumer then turns to us with what people not in the industry believe is a very valid argument that if the amplifiere was half, how did it blow???

The whole online store could have become more of a problem for me than i realised with the new act... and bluntly whilst it has a good intention, is to general to cover all industry or at least items in the industry

[robinsonwang]

Given where consumer law is heading in South Africa, my concern is liability! I can see the online shopping store owner being held liable for defective products and returns, and not nescessarily enjoying the protection of the terms and conditions provided by the manufacturer/agent (particularly if that manufacturer/agent is offshore).

rules or laws are not perfect,need more and specific, just like human development process have done harm to the earth,once reach developed state start to save the earth.
after our developing, all problems can be solve later.

[robinsonwang]

The problem I mentioned in the first post,now is the real problem to our website.
Our website has located in SA for about two monthes but the reaction is not very good. Why can't we promote our website successfully?there are many main burdens:

The speed of after-sale service is the first burden!
we have got many orders in SA now but we have also got many problens. Many faulty products or some mis-using of electronic products need the exchanging and repairing. We have tried our best to do this but it has also taken a long time for these doings.

We are not strong enough to have an office in SA now.
we are at the first beginning of website, so we are not capable to set an office there. What we can get from dropship is also the saving of the storage and the saving of using less staff.

I am here talking to you experenced ones who think our dropship is good and please work together with us.
my email:alexduduta@hotmail.com



we lack of local human resource
we have tried to found some cooperater there, but first we two sides both have the worrying about our reliablity. Trust or not, is also blowing in our heart.

[Dave A]

Dealing with too many faulty product returns will eat all the profits, especially with the base of operations not being local

Do you have pre-shipment quality control checks in place?

[AndyD]

We are not strong enough to have an office in SA now.
we are at the first beginning of website, so we are not capable to set an office there. What we can get from dropship is also the saving of the storage and the saving of using less staff...........
...........we lack of local human resource

I understand the way the 'dropship' business model works will allow you to sell product in a country with almost no infrastructure footprint but I think you will need to have a warehouse as Dave suggested and a few key people in that country to cover problems with product returns and undeliverable orders etc. These people could also market the company so would hopefully pay their own salaries in effect.

[robinsonwang]

thanks, AndyD
what you guys have been talking about has been collected and sent to my boss yet. what will they do is not my duty anymore. Any decision can be made by the boss not me an officer. Anyhow, I understand why they didn't set up a warehouse abroad now. This is the problem that the developing speed can not macth the business need.

Now, besides having a warehouse(this basic problem solving method), we try to find some way we can afford now. That's why I am talking here for help!

Anyhow, thanks a lot.

[wynn]

There are organisations in SA that specialise and only do warehousing, perhaps your boss should contact one of them to 'warehouse' for him.

I still feel that if you start a relationship with the correct shipping/forwarding agent they will hold a buffer stock for you and be in a position to replace faulty product immediately, then return the damaged product to you.

buffer stock of say 10 phones from which they supply the local requirements and replacements thereafter any faulty equipment returned to you is replaced directly to their buffer stock.

[robinsonwang]

There are organisations in SA that specialise and only do warehousing, perhaps your boss should contact one of them to 'warehouse' for him.

thanks,wynn
it's really a good news for me!
How about telling me some of the specialized warehousing companies, if you have? email,website or phones, each one will be good.
that would be a big help for me!