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The same increased expectations also apply to returns – customers want to return items in the manner most convenient to them . Making those processes as customer friendly as possible helps deliver positive , postpurchase experiences that build trust and loyalty . As an example , Walmart offers curbside returns ; doorstep returns for loyalty members ; and even in-home return collection for those signed up for their InHome programme .
In a report from Radial , the average return costs retailers an estimated $ 27 on a $ 100 ecommerce order . And of all returned merchandise , only 30 percent is ever resold . Leveraging the right technology can help retailers to reduce those impacts . For example , optimizing where each return shipment is routed can minimize shipping costs , prevent cross-border shipments , and even enable you to route items to stores low in stock or with higher demand . Many retailers implement robust , intelligent algorithms to optimize the sourcing of their outbound shipments ; why not give that same love to your return shipments ?
Similarly , in this era of workforce shortage , automation can help lessen the need for customer service agent intervention . Often when a refund fails , agents must attempt to reprocess each transaction individually or contact the customer for a new payment method – very manual and time-consuming processes . With the right technology , refund failures can be resolved without an agent involved – the application can execute retries automatically . If that still doesn ’ t work , it can send the customer a link to enter a new payment method using Pay by Link .
Charging customers for returns is becoming a growing practice . However , doing so can be a deterrent for shoppers , impacting conversion and even sending them to other brands . According to a report by Deloitte , 67 percent of consumers check the return policy before purchasing an item and 74 percent of people will be deterred from making a purchase due to returns shipping fees . Instead of passing those costs along to customers , retailers have the opportunity to cut costs in other areas like return shipping costs , cross-border fees , and replenishment costs , while protecting the precious customer experience .
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