PayPal is extending returns services through its Happy Returns unit for free to all PayPal Checkout merchant customers, while also naming Ulta Beauty as an in-store returns bar partner, adding 1,300 locations and bringing the total to more than 5k in the U.S. The returns portal is also localized to 8 languages for EU and Canada.
Narvar is letting retailers offer customers the convenience of home pickup of returns within one to 10 days for a convenience fee, a service that was piloted at 70 companies in Q4. The home pickup service is currently offered in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, with plans to expand to about 100 more markets.
For decades, studies show a high percent of customers feel ease of returning products impact their purchasing decisions. “Free” returns shipping makes shopping even more attractive. Who wants to buy a product that can’t be returned or carries onerous conditions? Here are 7 ways to lessen the profit impact of ecommerce returns.
Given the tight labor market and climbing ecommerce order volumes, planning ahead has never been more fundamental. Like any fulfillment center function, your returns process can impact employee retention. Here’s how you can make your organization more attractive for current and future employees.
With the imperative to reduce returns shipping costs, it’s no wonder SMB fulfillment teams increasingly look for data trends. Patterns can help identify recurring fulfillment errors, which can be eliminated to help reduce avoidable returns. But as the stakes continue to rise, how do you address “unavoidable” returns?
After the explosion in holiday ecommerce, comes the flood of holiday returns, expected to cost retailers $1.1 billion, twice what it did in 2020, according to data from Narvar. goTRG and Returnly both said Dec. 26 was the peak day for consumers to initiate returns. UPS traditionally lists Jan. 2 as peak returns day for transit of returns.
After parting ways with Amazon last year, FedEx is now jumping deeper into ecommerce returns, much as Amazon did with Kohl’s, by adding Happy Returns bars to 2,000+ FedEx locations, including 300 inside Walmart stores. Unboxed returns will be accepted from 150 different retailers when the program launches at the end of October.
Continuing a growing trend toward making ecommerce returns more convenient and safer for shoppers in the contactless pandemic era, Staples has struck a partnership with Optoro in which the office supply giant will accept unboxed returns from other retailers that will be processed by Optoro. More retailers will come online in January.
While subscription box businesses may not experience the 20% to 30% return rates of ecommerce, they still wrestle with their share, and how they handle them can significantly impact subscriber retention. It is critical to provide efficient, hassle-free service and prompt refunds where necessary. Here are key factors to consider.
Given the increased focus on sustainability and an Instagram-fueled focus on one-of-a-kind, vintage items, the growth and revenue potential of recommerce was inevitable. To be successful with this approach, you need to ensure that the customer experience is at its best, which is challenging given the logistics. Here are some tips.