The Season of E-commerce Returns
As an online retailer, you’ll know that the follow-up to any peak purchasing period is a season of e-commerce returns. There are many reasons why your customers reject their purchases and ask you to refund them. From unwanted gifts to excessive sales spend, it can easily eat into your profits. So, is there a way to reduce the volume of e-commerce returns?
Why Do Consumers Return Online Purchases?
The first step to reducing returns is to understand why your customers are rethinking their purchases. According to Statista* data, the most common reasons include:
Sizing Issues – providing sizing charts and accurate measurements as part of product descriptions can help. However, from a pair of boots to a sofa, sometimes customers just need to try it for size. Some customers will buy the same item in multiple sizes, fully intending to return all that don’t fit.
Damaged & Defective Goods – understandably, no customer wants a faulty product. However, it is good to understand if the items were defective before they were sent or if the issue was caused during delivery. The latter could indicate the need to change the packaging or courier company.
Items Arriving Too Late – many purchases are time-critical and buyers willingly pay extra for express delivery. However, delayed order fulfilment or peak-time deliveries mean that expectations aren’t always met. Therefore, it is important to be realistic about delivery times.
Products Not Matching Description – this includes products that arrive in the wrong colour, as well as items made in lower quality materials or unfit for purpose goods. To reduce these returns, ensure that you include multiple high-resolution images and detailed product descriptions that are in no way misleading.
The Impact of E-commerce Returns on Sustainability
A Report published by Whistl* suggests that 74% of consumers want retailers to be more sustainable. However, returns have an impact on green credentials. It takes an efficient process to sort all items that customers return and not all retailers can afford this.
A grading system identifies which products can be resold, which are suitable as sale stock and what needs to be donated, recycled or discarded. When this isn’t available or during peak return times, it can be cheaper and easier to dump returns. Around 12% of all items returned are discarded in the UK. That is certainly not a sustainable business model, yet retailers can’t shoulder all the blame. We need to better educate consumers on the reality of their ‘but, try & return’ habits.
Protective E-commerce Packaging
In addition to careful stock control, selecting appropriate packaging for e-commerce deliveries is crucial for reducing broken and damaged goods. Best-fit packaging minimises the movement of items during transit and reduces the need for void fill products. In addition, the cushioning, yet robust nature of cardboard boxes helps to protect orders when they are handled and stacked by couriers.
Cardboard packaging is a popular option for e-commerce businesses as it is lightweight, low-cost and easy to print with branding and/or handling information. When your packaging design includes tear strips and adhesive strips, the cardboard postal boxes can also be reused by the customer to ship returns.
If you are sending fragile items including ceramics, glass and electronics, integrated cardboard inserts help to safeguard them in transit. At the same time, these dividers enhance the presentation and deliver a better unboxing experience. What’s more, cardboard boxes and inserts are widely recycled, sustainable packaging.
E-commerce Packaging Manufacturer
As a trusted e-commerce packaging manufacturer, we have provided best-fit boxes for start-ups with a side hustle to established online enterprises. Let us advise you on cost-effective, branded and reusable solutions that protect your products and make a positive impact on customers.
For further information, give us a call: 01296 436888 or email enquiries@abcbox.co.uk.
If you would like to know more about consumer rights with regards returns, this Which? Guide outlines what is needed to comply with regulations.
*https://www.statista.com/topics/7081/online-deliveries-and-returns-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
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