Should Retailers Prioritize Return Strategies To Keep Consumers Happy?

Thanks to online shopping, consumers can buy three different sizes and colors of one item to see which works best, all from the comfort of their own home. Add holiday sales and shipping incentives into the mix, and it’s official: ‘Tis the season of returns. The volume of returns is so big that Jan. 3 is National Returns Day, the UPS’s unofficial holiday to ship back any unwanted products. UPS estimated in December 2017 that 1.4 million packages will be sent back on that day alone, adding in the same press release that returns are up eight percent from 2016. Of course, returns will continue past that day, with the National Retail Federation predicting a “13 percent return rate for the 2017-2018 season.” And retailers who don’t offer a hassle-free return shipping policies are likely missing out. According to the NRF, 64 percent of shoppers who have issues with returns are “hesitant to shop at that retailer ever again.” According to Optoro, a tech company that helps retailers with returns, 46 percent of online shoppers leave behind a full cart due to a fee-based return shipping policy. Read more at Adweek.