Today’s shoppers want easy and simple ways to return unwanted items. Without such options, they are less likely to part with their cash in the first place. That’s the key finding from a new report sponsored by nShift.
The DeliveryX Returns 2024 report identified that 54 per cent of shoppers see easy returns as very important. This is ahead of retailers offering the lowest price or the quickest delivery. Examining how increasingly influential this element of eCommerce is to both shops and shoppers, the report also found that the ease of the returns process has the potential to shape their opinion of a retailer. Some 67 per cent of shoppers admitted that a retailer’s returns policy influences how much trust they place in them. Beyond the returns process, the report also found that the reliability of a retailer is important for two-thirds of shoppers.
Commenting on the report, Sean Sherwin-Smith, Product Director Post-purchase at nShift said, “The message is loud and clear – shoppers expect returns to be easy. But retailers have to balance this clear consumer preference against the wider interests of the business, ensuring that returns don’t become the ‘silent killer’ of their profits.
“A digital returns process makes it easier for ecom companies to set the returns process that works for both their customers and the business. They could choose to offer free returns in-store but charge for items sent back in the post. Not only does it keep the costs of returns down, but it also drives shoppers in-store, where sales teams can encourage them to exchange their items or make additional purchases. Alternatively, they could grant free returns to the majority of customers but introduce charges to those that regularly return.”
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