In a post at GrokDotCom, Jeff Sexton puts the winter-holiday quandary in blunt terms: "[Y]ou won't keep profit margins healthy unless you actively take business away from someone—either from direct competitors, or from businesses outside your market/category. If the pumpkin pie gets smaller, you'll have to cut a fatter slice in order to get the same amount of holiday pie."

According to Sexton, one way to achieve this goal is by giving your online customers a point-of-action assurance that returns and exchanges will be extremely convenient and easy. Sexton points to this quick primer on the topic by Bryan Eisenberg.

"Point-of-action [assurances] help us overcome that one last moment of doubt," says Eisenberg, as in, "I think she hinted at this one, but can I exchange it if she wants that other digital camera instead?"

He praises Lands' End, for instance, which uses the headline Guaranteed. Period. when outlining this policy right next to the order form: "If you're not satisfied with any item, return it at any time for an exchange or refund of its purchase price."

Says Eisenberg, "[A]dapting these techniques to your own checkout process can help close the sale and keep them coming back—not just to return things, but to buy from you year-round." And that's Marketing Inspiration.

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