| A sure way to increase online sales is to allow your | | | | customer is making the purchase as a gift has to pay |
| customers to have their purchases shipped to a non | | | | to ship the gift once he or she receives it. Look at this |
| billing address. In this article I will examine the primary | | | | from an online customer who is making the purchase |
| reason online merchant have this policy in place and 3 | | | | as a gift point of view. |
| ways online merchants who have this policy in place | | | | Cost of watch including tax and shipping from |
| are missing the opportunity to increase online sales. | | | | merchant A = $200 |
| The reason why many online merchants refuse to ship | | | | Cost to Ship Watch to gift recipient = $25 |
| to non billing addresses is primarily due to a fear of | | | | Total Cost of Gift from Merchant A = $225 |
| fraudulent credit card activity. For many online | | | | Cost of Watch including tax and shipping from |
| merchants, only shipping purchases to billing addresses | | | | merchant B direct to gift recipient = $210 |
| on file with the customer's credit card provider assures | | | | Savings by buying from merchant B = $15 |
| them that the transaction is valid and the transaction | | | | As a customer, wouldn't you prefer to save $15 by |
| will not result in a fraudulent chargeback. However, by | | | | having the gift sent directly to the recipient, not have to |
| attempting to protect themselves from fraud these | | | | wait for the package to arrive and have to take |
| online merchants are losing sales. How are these online | | | | additional time in having to ship the item once you |
| merchants losing out on online sales? | | | | received it? It's much more convenient to simply |
| For starters, an online customer shops online for | | | | purchase from merchant B. |
| convenience. According to published reports | | | | Thirdly, many online merchants who refuse to ship to |
| approximately 63% of online shoppers will make | | | | non billing addresses have this policy posted on their |
| purchases from work during the holiday season. This | | | | websites. "In order to prevent credit card fraud we |
| makes perfect sense considering the average | | | | only ship to billing addresses on file with your credit |
| American works between 40 and 60 hours per week, | | | | card provider. If you wish to have the item shipped to |
| has an average round trip commute time of an hour | | | | a non billing address please download this form, |
| and sleeps 8.5 hours a day. People who spend most | | | | complete and fax to 555-555-5555 or contact your |
| of their days at work like to have packages shipped to | | | | credit card company and have the shipping address |
| work. If an online merchant refuses to ship the | | | | temporarily added to your account." How many visitors |
| purchase to a customer's work address, that | | | | see this policy, simply click of the site and shop |
| customer more often than not will cancel the order | | | | elsewhere? Could be a few or it could be many. |
| and place the order elsewhere. After all, people don't | | | | Regardless of the number, each person who leaves |
| like to have packages shipped to a place they will not | | | | the site due the posted policy is a lost opportunity to |
| be. | | | | make a sale. |
| Secondly, online customers are shopping smarter in | | | | If you're an online merchant who does not ship to non |
| today's day and age and are often making purchases | | | | billing addresses you now know how changing this |
| as gifts. Online customers are comparison shopping | | | | policy will increase your online sales. However, how do |
| looking to get the product they want at the lowest | | | | you change this policy and protect yourself from credit |
| possible price. An online merchant may have the | | | | card fraud? After all, this is why the policy is place. |
| lowest price on a product but not the best price if a | | | | Simply call 877-751-6213 Extension 334. |