Study: Returns process key to customer loyalty

The really good news from this is that most (70%) of consumers surveyed said their most recent return experience was easy. But, about one-third of shoppers say they have kept unwanted items because they “don’t want the hassle” of returning the item, and of those who mail-in returns, nearly one-third worry about the return getting lost in the mail.

Here is where things can get hairy for retailers, though:

â–ª 69% of shoppers say they won’t buy from a retailer again if they have to pay returns postage
â–ª 67% say they won’t buy from a retailer again if they have to pay restocking fees

Conversely, 96% of those surveyed said a positive returns experience would prompt them to visit a merchant again.

“More and more, consumers are demanding to be kept in the loop throughout their shopping journey, which includes returns. Shoppers are even willing to put in a little more effort in exchange for clear and proactive updates,” said Amit Sharma, founder and CEO, Narvar. “Retailers will need to treat returns as a critical moment of opportunity in the customer experience.”

Merchants and retailers who aren’t sure where their returns measure up should take a cue from Amazon – the online giant’s customers are mostly happy with the returns process – 75% say returning items to Amazon “is easy”. Most Amazon shoppers need only to print a return label to return a product, and 39% say they received confirmations when their refunds were processed.