According to Royal Mail, returns of online goods on 2nd January, dubbed “Takeback Thursday”, were predicted to rise by 72% when compared to the average daily number of returns in December.
For postal workers, this was also the first working day of the year.
A study commissioned by Royal Mail found that a good returns policy is a major factor for consumers deciding whether to buy again from a retailer, with three in five online shoppers unlikely to stick with a retailer after a poor returns experience.
58% of shoppers also value a “try before you buy” experience, due to the unreliability of online photos for clothing and footwear, which inevitably leads to a greater number of returns.
According to the study, speed of refund was the most important part of the returns process (as identified by 76% of customers), while clear returns info on a retailer’s website and clear labelling guidance followed not far behind (at 73% and 72% respectively).
Source: BBC News, Retail Times
Header image: Samantha Hurley
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