In April we said that we will be helping our sellers comply with the UK Distance Selling Regulations. It should be simple to comply and Folksy should do the work for you. Today we’re launching the first phase of several changes that will do that.
Currently, most sellers use their shop profile to write their terms and conditions of their shop. We think that that this page (recently re-titled to “Meet the maker”) should tell stories about you, your inspiration and your work so this is a first step to doing that.
Every item listed and sold on Folksy is covered by the Distance Selling Regulations. We already have our Knowledge Base article that explains what the legal requirements for selling online are and how you should comply with them.
When you create or edit a listing you will see two new sections. The first is the Shipping Date selector. Use this to select the period within which you will post the item (the default is already selected at 3 days). From September 3rd Folksy will automatically add the shipping time you’ve selected to the item screen.
Next is the Returns Policy. Again, from September 3rd, Folksy will add a summary of the Returns Policy to the item screen. The standard policy is the default however you have the option to add further details together with any exclusions. For example you may want to add that refunds will only be provided if the hygiene seals on a pair of earrings remain intact.
Those items and services that are bespoke and ordered using the customers specifications are not eligible for returns. If you are creating a listing for such an item you can check the “Custom order” box and this will change the Returns Policy statement on the item screen and not use the default or additional information.
Finally, there is a new screen called “Shop returns policy”. You can find this under the Shop settings heading in your shop admin navigation. Here you can set the default for any new listing you create. Any text you add to the additional or exclusions box will be used to pre-fill the box on the new listing form (you can still edit this text when listing if need be).
We’re encouraging you to start using these two new features now so your items will have the correct information when we launch the next phase on Monday, 3rd September. Then you can start to fill in your ‘Meet the maker’ page with some more meaningful information, leaving Folksy to handle the legal compliance statements.
More features are planned to help you to add information to your Meet the maker page and better define your shop and brand.
12 comments
Great that you have added this about shipping and returns.
But the screen for Shop Policy does not appear to be there yet.
Shirley of Whimsy Woo Designs
Hello Shirley,
The link to the Returns Policy is in the left hand navigation in your Shop Admin under the Shop settings heading.
I’ll edit the blog post to be consistent.
Great to have this facility – will make life much easier. Thank you!
I’m so pleased to see this has been added, thank you.
Will the information about the customer being responsible for return postage (if item just unwanted, not faulty) be explicit on our listings? Just wondering as a thread in the forum recently said how you do have to tell customers if you expect them to pay return postage and if you don’t tell them, then you must pay it. I am just wondering whether having this info in a page linked to from the item (eg the full standard conditions) is enough?
Hello Rachel,
We’ll be using a summary of the returns policy provided at length (and after careful research) on our knowledge base article:
https://folksy.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/58122-legal-information-what-sellers-need-to-comply-wit
The exact text to be used will be reviewed over the next couple of weeks.
Which forum thread was the return postage discussed? It’s important that the correct information is communicated through the community of sellers.
Hi – this is a great change to help make sure all sellers are going through the process properly. Can I just be a bit picky about the wording on the Standard terms?
Should the first sentence include something about returning the item unused for the refund?
Not sure the “returning” the item bit is clear.
All my furniture on my shop is handmade to order. Ranging from 10 days shipping to 5-6 weeks depending on the piece.
Your postal option only goes to 21 days??
Hello Stewart,
There is a reason for the limit of the posting times being 21 days. We’re working with the time limits as advised by the Distant Selling Regulations:
So, if you aren’t creating a bespoke, custom order. That is an order that is created with specifications provided by the customer this is the time limit you have to work with to comply with the DSR.
I really like the standardised returns policy. It makes sense to ensure all shops are in line with UK regulations, and will help customers feel more confident in buying from Folksy.
Will also make things a lot easier for us sellers! Now I can take my returns policy info off my profile and use the space for other information!
Will we need to amend our existing listings to make sure postage times etc are correct, or will they stay as they are until they expire?
Hello @BunnyMazonas,
If you’re posting time is different from the default 3 days – Yes, you’ll need to amend your existing listings.
We’ve launched the functionality available for setting the posting times a month ahead of the live date to give you enough time to get used to the feature and the amend your listings.
Andrew
I have just updated my returns policy per above under shops settings (think this function is great by the way). But I am a bit loathe to remove it from my “meet the maker” page as yet as I can;t actually find where a buyer would see it… If I view my shop there is no link to it there? & if I open an item there is no link to it there either? Is this part of the next roll out?
Thanks, Rose – Victoria Rose Crafts
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