‘Buy and try’ schemes — are they right for your business?

If the reseller has to contribute to administration costs that are disproportionate to the return generated, then they should look elsewhere. A vendor that performs all the administrative tasks when a product is returned and allows the reseller to keep the margins they make on the initial sale is the perfect partner.

Resellers should look for vendors who encourage participation in their ‘buy and try’ schemes and don’t add further cost that will reduce margins.  It is also vital to look for a vendor who is dedicated to making the scheme work and be profitable for its resellers rather than providing a vanilla experience that is simply an exercise in self promotion.   

Although money-back schemes may not be in line with commonly held views as to how products should be sold to end users, they provide resellers with a fantastic way to differentiate themselves and boost customer satisfaction.

Schemes such as ‘buy and try’ offer resellers the opportunity to make a profit even when a customer returns a product and leaves them with a positive experience of both the manufacturer and reseller. The manufacturer also benefits from the increased brand awareness of the end user. Ultimately, even when a customer returns a product the reseller retains a margin, and their positive experience of the process means they will be willing to come back in the future.

It is better to build a relationship with a satisfied customer who will come back again and to restore faith in the brand, than to quickly sell an unsuitable product to a customer who will look for another reseller for future purchases.