Returning goods from France to the UK
Is it Oui or C’est la vie?
There was a time when the French retailer’s attitudes towards returns didn’t quite match our English resolve of ‘the customer is always right’. But times have changed, and UK retailers need to ensure that they are keeping up with French practices – and prices – when returning goods back to the UK.
Consumer law has changed a fair bit in recent years, placing more responsibility on the seller and affording the customer more rights. Nowadays, in line with the rest of the EU, French consumer law means that retailers accept responsibility for their products up to two years after purchase. This applies to all goods bought within the EU.
Items bought in store often come with a seven-day cooling off period and customers are entitled to receive a refund within 30 days. For online retailers, a 14-day return policy applies.
Do French customers expect to return their goods back to the UK?**
Although the UK isn’t part of the European Union anymore, and so the same returns policy might not be expected, a UK retailer would be wise to sit up and take notice of what the current French e-commerce community is doing. The French are more inclined to buy overseas than anybody else in the EU (Over 35% of French online shoppers bought from foreign merchants in 2021), however, they do have high standards considering what, and from whom, they buy from (37% of French consumers would buy based upon word of mouth).
The fact is, that with so many great retailers already operating in France and with a growing e-commerce sector – especially for clothes and shoes – there is a lot of competition. Keeping up with the current returns policies, or better still, exceeding them, will ensure that you create a firm foothold in the market and garner lasting loyalty from your consumer base.
How do I organise a return service from France?**
We understand that organising returns is not the most profitable part of your business and so you want to keep things simple and efficient. That’s why we’ve established a returns service that is fully managed to keep the process nice and easy.
SAMOS Returns is portal that sits on your website, integrates with your shopping platforms shopping platforms and handles everything including import duties. Our returns service is handled much in the same way as our renowned delivery service, with friendly and expert one-to-one support as part and parcel. Don’t expect any automated responses or scripted conversations from us.
Do I have to pay customs, duty or import taxes on returning an item from France to the UK?**
When you organise returns through SAMOS Returns, we handle everything, so you don’t have to. That includes customs regulations and duty and import tax. For more information on rates visit our duties and taxes page. All our prices are fully transparent upfront, so neither you nor your customer will receive any surprises.
How much does it cost to send a package back from France to the UK?**
You may be thinking, ‘But aren’t return services hugely expensive’? You’re not altogether wrong, most of the large delivery companies have charged high rates for this in the past considering it a loss leader. At SAMOS we have a different outlook on returns, which means we can keep costs to a minimum. For example, you can return an item from France to the UK that weighs under one kilo for as little as £10.89 all inclusive. We think you’ll be hard pushed to beat that – especially with the same level of service that SAMOS can provide.
So then, should I set up a returns service today?**
If you are selling or planning on selling your goods to people living in France, we would strongly advise looking into returns services and considering what your strategy might be. Making your returns easy, reliable and cost effective will not only make you feel better about returns, but also ensure your customers have confidence in ordering from you. That’s something that you can’t put a price on.
Got a question about parcel returns from the EU? Contact SAMOS for a no-commitment chat.
Reference:
- https://www.connexionfrance.com/practical/explainer-how-shop-refunds-and-returns-work-in-france/288127
- https://www.frenchentree.com/living-in-france/shopping-in-france-your-consumer-rights/
- https://samos-e.com/services/parcel-delivery/france
- https://www.gaasly.com/blog/online-shopping-trends-in-france
