The end of free returns has arrived, a recent study by Sendcloud has found. Major retailers like H&M and Zara are now charging customers for returns, and as a result one in four consumers revealed that they are willing to pay for the return themselves.
As many as 80 per cent of consumers say they regularly return a purchase. Another 72 per cent of consumers say they almost always check the return conditions before ordering and two-thirds (65 per cent) claim they will even abandon an order if clear return information is missing.
The report is backed up by a recent YouGov report that claimed almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of the UK end up keeping unwanted orders because of complicated returns policies.
Sustainability is a focus for consumers
Although returns are a dealbreaker for many online shoppers, consumers generally understand that free returns are not sustainable in the long run. The majority (57 per cent) of those surveyed believe that returns are bad for the environment.
While 74 per cent of those surveyed last year said they would order more often if returns were free, this year that has already dropped to 72 per cent.
How much consumers are exactly willing to pay for returns, however, depends on the order value. While for an order of £15 consumers are willing to pay around £4 in return costs, for an order of £150 this rises to as much as £5.80.
“Retailers often see the returns process as a real nightmare and have been struggling with the rising cost of returns for years. Since Zara’s announcement to charge return fees, the end of the free era seems near,” says Rob van den Heuvel, CEO and co-founder of Sendcloud.
“Although paid returns take some getting used to for many consumers, our research shows that many online shoppers are quite willing to pay for it. The only condition is that the return policy is transparent and returns are easy. That is where many retailers still have some work to do, although that can be easily overcome with a returns portal like Sendcloud’s.”
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