Live from NCOF: Neiman Marcus Cuts Returns Costs With Service SmartLabel Apr 14, 2003 12:00 PM
, Mark Del Franco
JobZone
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Dallas based cataloger/retailer Neiman Marcus, which also
mails the Horchow and Chef's Catalog titles, has reduced its returns
processing costs since partnering with Austin, TX-based service
provider Newgistics.
Neiman Marcus, which has about 300,000 return packages a year, is
only using Smartlabel in its core catalog. According to Doug Kern, vice
president of product management for Newgistics, Smartlabel's program
encompasses a prepaid, pre-addressed, return shipping label on the
customers packing slip. A barcode on the return label includes the
customer's account information on its barcode, which links the package
to the customer's invoice and provides information back to Neiman
Marcus about incoming returns.
The customer simply slaps the adhesive return label on the returned
package and deposits the package to the USPS. Once the package hits the
bulk mail centers, Newgistics pulls the packages out and send the
package to its regional centers where its aggregates and palletizes the
returns for the marketer.
Neiman Marcus, which began using Newgistic's SmartLabel return
service for its catalog and Internet divisions on Valentine's Day,
promotes SmartLabel on its order form and on the Website as well as
inserts inside the customers package. According to the company, call
center returns related calls thus far have decreased 20%-30% since it
began using Smartlabel.
