Returns the key to success this Peak Week

By Maarten Tops, Product Director

We know that returns are an increasingly important aspect of retail today. But for shoppers this Peak Week, how easy - or difficult - it is to return an item will be an influential factor as to whether they go through with the purchase in the first place.

And that is critical for retailers where success in the holiday season can make or break their year.

30% of Cyber Week shoppers expected to return goods

It has recently been reported that over 30% of shoppers may return goods bought this Cyber Week. That is a huge added volume of returns processing activity for retailers already busy making sales to shoppers. But having a returns process that meets consumer expectations in post-purchase is non-negotiable - no matter how busy the shopfloor or webshop is.

We conducted research earlier this year with DeliveryX and found that 54% of consumers see ‘easy’ returns as very important. Indeed, 84% of consumers say a poor return experience will lead them to stop purchasing from a brand.

It means that, as retailers enter the final stages of the pre-Christmas shopping period, it is vital they have adequate returns capacity in place to cope with the volume of returns they are likely to receive.

Returns as a business driver

While returns are inevitable, there are ways retailers can benefit if they have the following returns management strategies in place:

1. Make returns easy – operating a simple digital returns process gives shoppers confidence in the brand. It also makes it easier for the retailer to track patterns and work out why items are being sent back
2. Convert returns to exchanges – a consumer-friendly returns interface makes it easier for the customer to exchange the item they are sending back for something else from the brand or retailer. With the right returns software, ecom companies can automate the process of offering an exchange. nShift Returns customers typically convert 30% of returns to exchanges, helping retailers retain revenue
3. Maximize loyal customers - A digital returns process makes it easier to spot the difference between someone who will always return goods and the potentially loyal customers who will only send goods back for very good reasons.
4. Offer a tailored approach - where a range of offers are targeted to different customer groups. This might include recommending alternative products for exchange or inviting customers into stores to see different options for themselves
5. Drive customers in-store – a digital returns process makes it easier to give customers the opportunity to take their items back into the store. Here they will speak with a member of staff who can encourage them to exchange the item. The customer will also encounter additional products and marketing messages in-store

User-friendly for the shopper

A good returns policy doesn’t have to be complicated. But it’s vital that it’s user-friendly for the post-purchase customer experience.

If the ecommerce customer experience begins when a non-customer goes to the online checkout and clicks on the buy button, then the first test of that relationship is how the retailer deals with requests to return the goods. This is where nShift can help.

Our delivery and experience management (DMXM) suite is a unique combination of enterprise-class delivery management, a huge library of carriers, and customer-facing applications. It provides a joined-up, end-to-end experience from the checkout to the doorstep.

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