Simplifying the returns process: Although many retailers have thrown up barriers to the returns process, others have taken the opposite approach.
- Walmart in September rolled out three new returns options: an extension of its returns policy so that eligible purchases made on or after October 1 can be returned through January 31, 2023; curbside returns that enable shoppers to drop off items from their vehicles; and returns pickup from home for Walmart+ members in select locations without the need to provide a box or a label.
- Target rolled out the option to make returns through its Drive Up curbside service.
The big takeaway: Rising return rates are a significant issue that retailers need to address to protect their bottom lines. But there are ways to do so that enhance the customer experience, and ways that hinder it.
- For example, retailers can leverage technology such as augmented reality to help shoppers better understand how an item will fit. By contrast, they can create frustration by charging shoppers or shortening their return windows. While those efforts may produce short-term gains, they may come with long-term costs.
This article originally appeared in Insider Intelligence's Retail & Ecommerce Briefing—a daily recap of top stories reshaping the retail industry. Subscribe to have more hard-hitting takeaways delivered to your inbox daily.